I suspect a lot of returned seed is tested for germination rate and if acceptable repackaged and resold, possibly as some discount brand. You notice the seed packages say packed for such and such a year, not that the seeds were produced in that year. The poster that said the companies don't want their seed sold on clearance sale is also probably right, too many gardeners would catch on that most seed properly stored is good for at least a few years, with some exceptions. However some big box stores have their seed racks sitting in an area exposed to the elements and in direct sunlight, that seed might not be good even in the year the package says packed for. I always pick a packet from the back where the sun isn't shining on it directly.

Myer's is wonderful - we went after the spring swap - Terry's directions are RIGHT on target. i could spend a fortune - were it not for water bills. I drool every time we drive by - and we have been up there a lot lately, my b/f's daughter plays travel ball - as a matter of fact, tournament in hoover next weekend - he will have to steer me away from Myers! :)

Finally, made it over to Mahoney's sale. My second visit to this sale. I normally try to avoid Mahoney's for lots of reasons, but eventually, I end up there looking for something. Didn't see anything I wanted in the tent. Furniture, umbrellas that I am actually in the market for but even on sale are more than I would spend. They had fabric hammocks, that were very nice, but were $250. and then 50% off. They still had a huge stock of them. Had a LOT of pots left and some were pretty good prices, but nothing appealed to me. The good news...I did find a few more plants to make the trip worthwhile. Not a lot of the perennials in the perennial area were looking worthy of taking home. I have bought a lot of good performer plants by finding them on sale this time of year and looking for one that is actually growing well. I figure if it has made it through the whole summer in a pot, with who knows what kind of care, and still looks good, then it must be pretty healthy and vigorous. Many of them had already been cut back, but I picked up a Nepeta 'Cool Cat' that was new to me and was cut back but had a fresh crop of leaves and blossoms. Plus a fern that looked like it was spring, it was in such good shape. There might have been more there then I was interested in, that was worth buying. I wandered around behind the greenhouses, and did find tables of potted perennials among which were the Hellebores. Plenty left, and I couldn't bring myself to put one in the cart. They weren't looking bad, but something about them....and many were not labeled. The groundcover area, I had already done first trip...great prices $2.50 for some...ajuga chocolate chip, some arctostaphylus. They had more in the shrub department where on the way to the register, I ran into some fresh as a daisy pots of Penstemon Pike's Peak Purple. Attractive to hummers and the buds are just getting ready to open and also 1/2 off. They also had some Agastaches starting to bloom and Lobelia Queen Victoria that was also just starting to bloom which I almost brought home. Found a Lavender 'Grosso' and an Alchemilla erythropoda Alma that had a tiny leaf with a white edge, both for $2.50 each. Six plants for $35. not too bad. I really didn't need anything. :-) I ran across an interesting website on some of the newer perennials they are coming out with [linked below] and had actually started a list of some items I was looking for. I ran across some of them at this sale. Some were great, others were disappointing. The Hosta varieties on the website had some gorgeous photos, but the actual plants in person were disappointing. They did not look vigorous, which is one of my pet peeves with Hostas. I was very happy to find Tricyrtis 'Imperial Banner' which is variegated. All in all, I am finding I am much more skeptical and cautious of buying all the new hybrids coming out. I have gotten burned a few times by trusting that the pretty photos they entice you with represent plants that are ready to market. Hostas that don't thrive or don't come back at all...it was the 'Patriot' for me. Echinaceas that are just what you are looking for with the gorgeous colors, but again, very expensive and I have been very disappointed with how they performed in our garden. Heucheras that petered out, like 'Amber Waves'. A 'Chocolate Chip' Ajuga that didn't winter over [and I am giving it a last try]...ajugas shouldn't be hard to grow, right? Anyone else finding new hybrids that are not disappointing? I have my eye on a new Ajuga..'Toffee Chip'. I don't know where this sudden interest in Ajugas is coming from...lol. pm2 Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Crossing.

Terrene, I found myself going past the Winchester Mahoney's since you posted this and stopped to ask and they said that only the perennials that were 'cut back' were 50% off but others that were still intact, were 35% off. They had them all put together on the side of the hoop houses on the ground and said I could purchase them if I wanted. So I did take a look even though I don't really need anything, [g] I did have a few things in mind..hostas..which since there were no leaves, I decided to wait until the spring...Tiarellas, which they had none of.....but what did I see but a Plum Crazy Hibiscus that had already been cut back, so I bought it for $8. That was the only thing I took home. I thought I was very good. :-) I am holding on to my receipt in case it doesn't grow next year. :-) pm2