You've got your work planned. I like the columbines. What a lovely color the violas are. I've always hesitated buying violas, not sure if they are like pansies and die out in the heat or not. Gonna be gorgeous.

I forgot to say that I also bought four small packets of various Sweet Pea seeds. They were yakking about Seet Peas on the Cottage Garden Forum which got me thinking that I have never had Sweet Peas. So I decided to try them.

Going to plant them in that same gardenbed pictured above.

Nancy - I need more Columbines for back there. In fact I was not even looking for Columbines today but since I saw these, I couldn't resist.

My violas mostly died back after last summer. I just thought they would come back in the spring but no go. They did last much longer into the summer for me than pansies used too. Besides I love the scent that the violas have. so nice.

Sounds like you had a great day. I love 'shopping' like that!!! The violas are a pretty orange. Love the columbines. I let mine reseed all over the place, and just pull them where I dont want them.
cindy

Great buys! Those are lovely columbines. Those daylilies should love the flower-tone. I used to sell the stuff when I worked in the nursery biz years ago. I either use that or bulb-tone(my preference). I Love those tones. Do you use holly-tone for your acid loving plants? It is great for azaleas, rhodos, hollies etc. Can't wait to see pics of your project all in bloom this year.

Kim

I never tried the Flower Tone before. Just decided to try it today when I was looking at all the different fertilizers. I do use Holly Tone. Great Stuff.

Cindy- Going to nurseries is the only kind of shopping that I enjoy. Hate having to go to the mall or stuf like that.

Rita,
I love going to the nursery. You had a great day. The two-toned violas in your bowl look like some of the violas I have on my path.

I love the orange violas too, and those columbine are pretty and so tall! I only have one blooming, and it is a shorty.

Your bed will be beautiful!
kay

Love the violas.They are soo pretty,I have always loved Columbines too, but have never had any..I like the purples.I bought a few Red Salvia's to plant a few days ago, and some purple Verbena and made me a hanging basket out of them,

Jean

Jean- They only have the very early stuff out at the nurseries like the pansies, violas, columbines and other really cool weather plants. Stuff like Salvias and most of the common bedding perennials are not stocked yet as it is just too early to plant. Oh, and I love verbena. I want to get some later.

Kay- I am not very inspired to do anything unusual with that new gardenbed. I did put lilies at the two ends last year and this spring got the idea to plant columbines toward the back. Then I thought it would look good planted in the violas for lots of color. You can blame your violas for that. They just look so good I had to buy some of my own.

The two bowls both have purple violas in them but they are slightly different from the one bowl to the other. I liked them both. I had two viola bowls on my kitchen stoop all last summer and I really liked them so I decided to get viola bowls again. The ones I had died over the winter, just like all the violas in the ground died too.

So it was good that I decided to go out to the nurseries yesterday as it is raining this morning and early afternoon. Supposed to be warm though and warm all week but not as warm as yesterday. It needs to clear up some for at least a little while this afternoon so that I can go visit my plants outside LOL!

At least I can see my new viola bowl planters by just standing at my kitchen door and looking out as I have them on my back stoop. And I have been looking and admiring them. They add a lot of color, especially this early when there are only the daffodils blooming.

I guess you are getting the rain we got here yesterday afternoon & all night. TONS OF RAIN!
Looks like your columbines have long spurs? The first ones I ever grew were some lovely yellow columbines with extremely long spurs. They multiplied for years, I was down to 1 last year, & I don't think I see it this year. Glad I saved seeds, I should have tossed them out last year. I tried some of the short spurred ruffley types, but just didn't like them nearly as well. I have some black long spurred columbines around too, but they seem to have dwindled. I guess I've been mulching those areas too much.

Funny, the first columbines I had years ago were yellow long spurred ones also. They died out after afew years but I never forgot how beautiful the flowers were. In fact I bought them again last summer (Swallowtail) from High Country Gardens when I was redoing tower square garden. They are growing there now and should bloom later this spring.

Yes, the ones I bought yesterday do have long spurs. I love the long spurs on Columbines. To me the flowers just don't look that good and elegant without the spurs. I never buy any of the short spurred types. Long Spurs for me.