The "tent sale" is only at the Winchester store; Aug 16-Sept 1.

Here is a link that might be useful: mahoneys winchester tent sale

I was there yesterday, and the 50 percent sale was just on pots that were 12.99 and under. Did you notice if that was the case today? I certainly did notice the healthy Rozanne that was about 6 bucks reduced. Sad to say, the much coveted Baptisa Twilight Prairie Blues, priced at around 16-18 was not reduced.
I didn't see the c. brunette.
What I did see was that "new" grass that reportedly turns a good red in the fall (maybe ben-kaze?) at half price.

If you are near WAgon Wheel in Lexington, they also have a 5 buck table. Looks a bit picked over but there are baptisa purple smoke for 5, several monarda 'pink delight', and odds and ends. Maybe not worth a special trip but if it's close you might find a bargain you want.

i went to mahoneys today, thurs, and the 50% is off EVERY perennial and that sale just began today.every thing i bought was 50% off.th you for the beni kaze tip. i'll look for it tomorrow.
mindy

oh yeah,everybody, I forgot to tell you that they have Japanese holly fern, a really cool plant.
mindy

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.