We actually love ours, because they give us a beautiful splash of clean white when not much else is blooming. They look great positioned with ornamental grasses, sedums and pineapple sage.

Yes, but for another reason than yours , and more like with an exclamation mark. I once bought a plant without checking thoroughly what it exactly would mean for me. It was Cicerbita alpina. It took me years to kill it in my garden, but somehow it escaped outside, and now I mowing the area outside my garden to prevent it to spread to the nature. Whatever you do, do not plant Cicerbita alpina. You will regret bitterly.

Well, this past spring I purchased a whole mess of veronica and salvias from Bluestone. Neither of which are my favs as far as perennials go. I have no idea why I did this other than I must have been smitten in a moment of weakness by the photos or something. In any case, I just wasn't thinking, but that happens.

Kevin

I, too, am an impulse buyer if the price is right. I found 'Biokovo' hardy geraniums for $1 at the hardware store back in early September. They were full, gorgeous, healthy plants in gallon pots so I grabbed the two they had. I'd have taken more but the other pots were still marked $6.99. No regrets so far--I know where I want to plant them next growing season. For now they're in the ground beside a stone path.

Montauk daisies were another impulse buy on a markdown table but the jury is still out whether they stay or go. I don't get many blooms because I don't have them growing in full sun. Next year I'll move them and see if I like them any better.

For me it was Athyrium filix-femina 'Lady in Lace'. I had been hankering after it when I saw it on the Terra Nova site (hey! It was winter then and everything seemed to be a 'I NEED that'!! Lol). This spring I told myself that the one thing I didn't need was any more shade garden plants, since I am out of room for those as it is. And yet somehow that little fern weaseled its way into my cart at a local plant sale and before I knew it I was packing it away in the car trunk!! Who knows how these things happen...I sure don't.

Also- an ornamental rhubarb. Now did I need it? NO. Lol.
CMK

Well, there are the 4 new lilies I planted this fall ,the two new peonies and so on even though I am running out room. Ok I didn't buy the peonies a friend was moving them out and they were going to go on the compost if she didn't find homes for them..Krinkled White and Coral something?

Peony Krinkled White is good. It does not need support. It is one of the few I've kept.

since you asked ...

how the heck do i know ... ????

that like asking hubby.. why you needed another pair of shoes...

crimminey ... lol

ken

A knockout rose. It's about as rare as a stella d'oro daylily or as refined as a goldsturm rudbeckia. Why did I need my own when I can see it in half the yards around here...

also three grape vines? Oh yeah sure I'm going to build a series of arbors and have some fresh grapes!?

Everything I brought on sale just because it was on SALE. LOL

I do not care if something is common. Everybody in my neighborhood have a house. I have not pitched a tent. I never understood that concept that because everybody in my neighborhood has one that I do not want one.

I saw a bunch of potted Montauk daisies on sale for $1.50 at the local home improvement outlet, thought about getting some and decided (as on previous occasions) that I don't need a Shasta daisy revival in late fall. Give me some color instead.

"A knockout rose. It's about as rare as a stella d'oro daylily or as refined as a goldsturm rudbeckia."

I have all three of these in the garden, not to mention Sedum "Autumn Joy" (I actually was crazy enough to transport a couple pots of Stella D'Oro from Texas to Ohio when I moved awhile back). They're classics for a reason.

Nothing wrong with a classic. I just feel silly using plant dollars and more importantly my own valuable real estate on something I can enjoy three feet away in my neighbor's garden. That's what walks are for.... Some people say exercise, I say it's to visit plants of interest around the hood.

Actually I planted the knockout rose in my MILs yard next door. I can see it there but I saved the space in my own yard for the autumn moon Japanese maple!

I like my Montauk daisy. True, it doesn't bloom all that well, but I like the foliage. Sort of succulent.

I'm still scratching my head as to where I'm going to put the wing thorn rose, the dissected Japanese maple and the 'wolf eyes' dogwood. At least with the rest of the end-of-season bargains I picked up, I can move them again and again until I like where they are. But I do know why I bought them: they're beautiful.

Couple of weeks ago a local nursery had 70%+ off woody plants. For less than $100 I got a 5ft cornus kousa 'Limon Ripple, a 4ft jap maple ''Aoyagi', a 1.5 gal variegated climbing hydranges, itoh peony 'Keiko', peony 'Do Tell', roses 'Golden Showers (2 of them) and a David Austin 'Christopher Marlowe', and a 2 gal ninebark 'Dart's Gold'. Except for the itoh peony, which I planted, they are all in my holding bed waiting for spring. If they survive the winter I will figure out where to plant them. I am such a sucker for bargains whether I have room for them or not!

Felisa, where did you shop? That sounds like a good sale. I'm more or less in Chicago too.

I once bought Aster 'Snow Heath'. It is a creeping groundcover with small white flowers. I had the same reaction... white in fall doesn't work for me. I moved it to somewhere where it was not very noticeable. Useful groundcover otherwise. Very tough plant.

Yarrow - smelled like gym socks!
Evening primrose - realized Oenothera speciosa is a terrible weed.
tiger lilies - I don't like orange and the ones I got have no scent. Oops!

Felisa: Now *THAT* is a score!

I don't know why you did but I had three and they were great. I moved a little north and can't find them anywhere. If we didn't have to worry about cross border plants I would ask you the send them to me.

Anyone know where I can get them in Ontario?

Hmmmn...why did I buy these? (fill in the blank: _____)

When I don't need them.
Don't have room for them.
They probably won't thrive here.

....Because I'm addicted and needed a fix, that's why. :)

"Because I'm addicted and needed a fix, that's why."

Yep - that pretty much sums it up... LOL!

purpleinopp wrote:

Yarrow - smelled like gym socks!

And yet I love my first year Yarrow "Strawberry Seduction. It is now mid November (zone 5) and it still has viable flowers.

{{gwi:276302}}

Wannamakers very end of season sale. Very, very dangerous to go there. Let's face it we are all incurable plantaholics! Oh and did I mention another nursery was having a 75% off on all perennials so of course had load my wagon. My holding beds are bulging and my wallet is very skinny!

Yes, evening primrose, goldstrum, Blue Oat grass ahhh, creeping bellflower.

I like my montauk Daisies... One of the easiest plants to teach kids how to grow from cuttings (I know mint...)

Why did I buy and plant crownvetch? Now that's a question...

And why is it I am really actively seeking and will acquire (hopefully sooner rather than later) stinging nettles?

~Chills

Stinging nettles??? Now that IS a question! Neighbours have kids that run across your yard? lol
Jan

I bought 2 plants of Hesperis matronalis(sweet rocket), because I remember from my childhood that the fragrance was awesome. I have never seen it in nurseries before. They have a little bigger flowers and more of them than in the wild. But TOTALLY WITHOUT ANY SMELL WHATSOEVER. Now I'm asking: what is the point of having Hesperis matronalis WITHOUT FRAGRANCE??

Passion vine. Ugh. It's horribly invasive, and I never even saw a flower. I dug it up but too late... new shoots keep popping up, far away from where I originally planted the thing. The roots are under my whole garden.

I didn't buy it, it's old and was here when we bought the Cottage, but Japanese Quince. UGH, it spreads EVERYWHERE within like 10 feet, includng my flower beds. I'm cutting suckers weekly and barely keep up with it. And to top it off, it has thorns. Sure, it's pretty in the spring, but it needs landscape curbing or something to contain the darn thing.

I'm also not so in love with the wild rose that we inherited, it's messy and isn't a rebloomer. But it was already here, so I'm trying to work with it. At least it's not as thorny as my Rugosa!

I am wondering why I brought home the Anenomes, they get completely lost in the garden because they are so small-you have to be right up to it to really see them.

I probably shouldn't have gotten the pee gee hydrangea either, since it really doesn't fit in where it is and I don't have anywhere else to put it (although this particular plant was a freebie so at least I didn't waste plant $$ on it).

I also could probably knock off adding more columbines...and I'm not completely sold on the peonies (they didn't bloom thsi year though so I'll reserve my thoughts on them until after next year).

I am happy with my knockout rose, I needed some color in that bed. I wish my Queen O The Lakes would bloom like it!