Mindy -
You are such an enabler ;.) . . . it's probably good that I don't live close to CT.

Thanks for sharing information from what sounds like a really fun trip!
Babs

Mindy, please don't tell me you got Hydrangea quercifolia 'Little Honey' at BAN. I'll spit nails...lol. I've been asking them for that plant for 2 years and they keep telling me they don't have it-come back next week, month, year... Monique got one there in the spring. I was in there a month or so ago and they told me they didn't have it. What's up with that?

Sue

Mindy -- Am just getting my feet wet in this Forum and am having a ball scrolling around it. I just love your enthusiasm!! And then, the post from Babs made me really chuckle. My husband decided last year that we had one car too many so he decided to give away the station wagon - over my protests. Now I only have my convertible to use and it just doesn't hold enough!! Big tears from a "multi-tripper" who must stay close to home in her foraging forays. Barbara

Oh but a convertible must be great for moving trees!

Thank you Mindy, and happy bday!

Sue, I want a 'Little Honey' too, and I didn't see one last time I was at Broken Arrow either! Then again, I can rarely find what I am looking for there, they move everything around too much. I'll probably go next week, I'll check again.

Tina, if you'll find it there, could you buy one for me as well?
I'm not a big fan of oakleaf hydrangeas in general, but since I've heard so many complains about problems to grow it on East Coast I MUST have it!!!

Lately I haven't had much time for nursery crawling but did find a few good deals at my local joint, Comstock Ferre in Wethersfield. Shrubs for 40% off...I got Hydrangea serrata 'Miyama-yae-muraski', and a neat looking blue leaf spirea called 'Snow Storm'. And for $9 I got another Wiegela 'Midnight Wine'. I will travel for a 'Little Honey' though...lol.

Sue

I had a lucky day at HD last week... three hydrangeas, 75% off so a total of $10. They looked a little odd but I think they will be fine. I got a Nikko Blue, a PG, and a Variegated Mariesii.

I'll be sure to stock up on little honeys if I find any. I wish the fall swap info was up so I can plan around it! I already have stuff in pots, i hope I can go.

George and Sue,
I went to Broken Arrow this morning and there were about 12 "Little Honey"s but they are tiny... I still got one, it was $15 and it's about 10-12 inches tall. It's not the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen, a little crooked and some spotting on the lower leaves. Regardless, as I mentioned I did buy one. They are hidden in that hoop house where you can only enter with an employee... every time I go in there I have this urge to grab one of everything and run off.

Let me know if you want me to go back and get more. It's only about 10 minutes from here.

Tina

Tina,
I know that BAN's plants are not as 'manicured' as you may expect to see them in consumer oriented nurseries (Ditrich or Cheshire Nursery, for example), but they carry the 'names' that are not widely available and that is why we all love Broken Arrow.
I personally don't expect Little Honey to thrive here, but would be a fool to not give her at least a try for $15.
I'd greatly appreciate if you could pick her up and hold it for me till either fall swap or other ocassion during this fall.
Thank you in advance.

Oh they don't look BAD, just typical of plants at the end of the summer after being crowded in a 12-pack. I just checked the reciept and it was actually $18, with tax $19.08.

Why don't you think it will do well? Uh oh, I wasn't expecting it to be difficult!

I can probably go get it Thursday or Friday.

Tina, if you're picking one up for George, I'll take one too. It will be a few weeks if at all before I can get to BAN. I plan to attend the CT swap (hopefully a date will be set soon) or if for some reason that doesn't work out I'll come get it. Thanks so much for doing this! I have truly been trying to get my hands on one of these for years.

One of the reasons this plant has been so hard to find is it doesn't seem to be thriving in our zone. The small local nurseries who have it have told me it just isn't vigorous and has been tough to propogate.

Sue

Right, as Sue said, it just isn't vigorous and has been tough to propogate.
I got very interesting comment on it from Jed from Olivers (who as you might know is willing to offer you ANYTING new and unusual even if it is marginally hardy for z6b).
When I ask him about LH he said that even his best grower on Long Island can't produce decent looking (read saleable) plants for two years.
Rate of mortality in a first year in nursery conditions is over 30%, in ground almost twice as much.
So far nobody knows why it is thriving on West Coast while being a problem on East one.

Reminds me of a polemonium 'Brise'd Anjou' story.

Ok, Sue, I'll get two...twist my arm, I'll go back. Hopefully out of the three of us, someone can keep it alive! I'd suggest a friendly contest, but I think my plant is at a definite disadvantage in my yard of chaos!

I got it at BAN in the spring. I hope it overwinters. If so, I'll happily move the Astilbes. There is a little browning on the lower leaves, but the new foliage is fairly clean. Good luck everyone and we'll compare notes next spring LOL.

Happened upon this thread tonight. My Little Honey survived the winter- shady woodland area.No bigger than when i planted it last summer. How did your's do?
Mindy