I babied these wintersown perennials all summer on the deck: 3 kinds of foxglove, red lobelia, ironweed, New England aster, dame's rocket, lupine, columbine and (not pictured) Golden Jubilee agastache and blue globe thistle. I watered and fertilized and kept up the sun umbrellas so as not to scorch the (most) shade-loving plants.
But it was time to go, babies. Time to go. So into the hatchback and over to Mom's allotment garage sale.
Whoops! Hey, someone forgot to list the lobelia. *sheesh*
Friday was dreadful - cold, windy, and, eventually 1/4" of rain. Yet around noon the plants started selling. Most took advantage of the 5-for-$10 deal. And then I gave away blue globe thistle plants which (while they had terrific root systems) did not show well.
Saturday I brought along 4 Haruko Nishiki willows that I'd bought bargain at a local nursery because they were so ratty. But I babied them for a couple of months and ended up looking great. One shopper took the 3 smaller ones and within a half hour the larger specimen plant found a new home too.
Oddly enough, while Saturday was dry with some spotty sunshine, there were few shoppers that day. Around noon I marked down the plants 3/$5.00. I also started giving away a bonus plant or two (or three) to selected (friendly and chatty) customers. Before you know it I'd changed the sign again - $1/ea.
Then I started handing plants out to the neighbors. LOL I just didn't want to have to bring many home. But I think all and all, everyone got a good deal.
I know I sure did! :-D
Friday was dreadful - cold, windy, and, eventually 1/4" of rain. Yet around noon the plants started selling. Most took advantage of the 5-for-$10 deal. And then I gave away blue globe thistle plants which (while they had terrific root systems) did not show well.
Saturday I brought along 4 Haruko Nishiki willows that I'd bought bargain at a local nursery because they were so ratty. But I babied them for a couple of months and ended up looking great. One shopper took the 3 smaller ones and within a half hour the larger specimen plant found a new home too.
Then I started handing plants out to the neighbors. LOL I just didn't want to have to bring many home. But I think all and all, everyone got a good deal.I know I sure did! :-D
I would have bought them all!!! :o)
ReplyDeleteWhat a bargain those gardeners got!
ReplyDeleteThe plants look fantastic.
At first I thought you were going to plant them all at your place...all I could think was what a job!
Perennials have increased so much in price at most places I am just stunned. Those tiny little things from Bluestone are almost $5 each now.
Tammy - bet you would've too!
ReplyDeleteGlenda - yes, the prices are just atrocious and for such bitty plants.
Jeph - the plants were always intended for the bi-annual garage sale to help keep me in potting mix and plastic cups. KILLING FROST??? No yet, you bet! This is the time (between stopping planting and starting raking leaves) that I sit and enjoy the beds.
That was a lot of work to nurture these plants over the summer. I can't quite imagine having to shade plants from the sun, but that must have added another thing to the 'to do' list.
ReplyDeleteThe only time I ever did a car boot sale (of children's clothes) I got very annoyed at how people expected things for basically nothing.
Incidentally, yours is the first North American blog on which I've seen the word 'allotment'.
Linda - it was a bit of work, and most people want everything for nothing, but the sale proceeds will keep me in garden supplies for next season. As for the word 'allotment', I'm sure I picked it up from reading so many GB garden blogs! LOL Don't know why I didn't use the normal American term 'neighborhood'.
ReplyDeleteHey that looked like fun. I bet the people were glad to get some new starts for their gardens.
ReplyDelete