Natureworks in Northford is having a half price sale on forsythia and brooms.

Comstock Ferre in Wethersfield:

50% all Perennials
40% off all shrubs
50% off all annuals

Just about everything is on sale but to what degree I can't remember. The selection is still decent. A new bakery/cafe opened in the building that shares their parking lot. It looks good but I didn't have time to stop in.

Sue

Thanks Sue - - I just went to Comstock Ferre and got 6 Coreopsis 'Limerock Ruby' for $1 each! Oh, and a Peony 'Raspberry Sundae' at 40% off. I also put a Styrax Japonica on hold and I'm thinking about whether to go back and get it tomorrow. It's about 8 feet tall. Not sure if it's what I want for over my patio or not - - I wasn't thinking white flowers, but it's a steal at only about $38.

You're welcome, Paige :) I'm always glad to steer a plantaholic in the right direction. When I was there on Saturday I picked up a Colocasia Black Magic, a coleus and a Hydrangea. I was thinking about going back for more annuals but good grief, I haven't planted all the ones I have and continue to make cuttings from my existing coleus...lol.

You do know the Limerock Ruby will probably behave like an annual? Comstock sells it as an annual but it was originally marketed as perennial.

Sue

Sue, I did not know that until I looked it up last night. The zones were not on the tag. For $1 I guess I can't complain. But it has been known to survive to -4, and it's in a protected area in my foundation bed. I'll super-mulch it this fall and if some comes back, it's gravy!

Paige, Styrax could become a fairly large tree depends on a cultivar. Not exceptionally tall, but with rather wide crown, thus creating a lot of shade. Flowers borne under the leaves and best admired from underneath. May self-seed.

Thanks, George. I'm going to plant it at the southeast corner of my patio in order to help provide some daytime shade and some privacy from my neighbors. It will replace the Viburnum dentatum 'Blue Muffin' which I got without realizing it needed a pollinator, therefore it does nothing for the space. The flowers will be admired from the patio, so it works out well I think. There is a small chance it will eventually grow big enough to overhang my neighbor's driveway a bit, but if it does I'll trim it.

Unfortunately, I don't know the cultivar. It's not on the tag. My friend is picking it up for me tomorrow and when it gets home I'll try to i.d. it. For $38, I can't resist!

Oh, and I'll have a Blue Muffin at the next CT swap if I'm able to come. Anyone interested let me know.

Paige - that's discouraging to hear (about the Blue Muffin!) I bought THREE Blue Muffins early this summer and never gave a thought to a pollinator (I got them from Wayside Gardens and there was no indication whatsoever that they would need a pollinator). Nothing online indicates that, either, though a few listings say "fruit production will be increased" if a pollinator is nearby. What does this mean? Less fruit without a pollinator? Or no fruit at all?! I bought winterberries from them at the same time and they DID clearly indicate that you needed male and female, so I'd have thought the viburnums would have carried a similar disclaimer? I do have another, very old viburnum (no idea what cultivar -- it was here when we bought the house), but I have no idea if it would work as a pollinator ... or if I really NEED a pollinator (I will be truly annoyed if I do!!) How can I find out for sure? I don't want to devote space to three shrubs that are just going to SIT there and do nothing, but I haven't found a single source online that says they REQUIRE a pollinator. I'd love to get a definitive "ruling" on this before I rip them out!

ctlady, do a search over on the shrubs forum for "viburnum pollinator". Yes, it is disappointing that you weren't told - - I wasn't either, and I got mine at Broken Arrow. My Blue Muffin has 3 - - yes 3 - - berries on it this year, and if it didn't have a pollinator at Broken Arrow, it's not going to find one in my yard.

Here is my understanding based on what I read on Shrubs. Apparently you have to have another Viburnum dentatum or closely related species, but not the same variety from the same genetic stock. So your three won't pollinate each other. It's possible that if you got one from another source and it had a different genetic parenthood, it could work as a pollinator. Otherwise you need a different variety, but it has to flower at the same time. I could not find anything anywhere that indicated what a good pollinator for Blue Muffin was, given the timing of the flowering.

Now if you live near the woods, it's likely you will have other Viburnum dentatum growing naturally that will pollinate yours. So I wouldn't rip them out yet in that case. I live firmly in suburbia so there's no chance of that. And none of my neighbors has a dentatum. And its flowers aren't showy enough to make up for the fact that for the rest of the season, it's just a bunch of boring green leaves with a measly three berries. So off it goes!

There are two great threads on a Shrubs Forum:
'Viburnum Dentatum and Friends' and 'Viburnums Bloom Sequence', both initiated by Kevin, very knowledgable viburnum enthusiast and collector.
I think both threads worth to be read in their entirety even though they are pretty lenghty.
Definitely could quilify for title Viburnums 101.
Good luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: V. dentatum & friends

George - thanks. I'll check out the thread. But it is certainly confusing! I've just called both Young's and Wayside Gardens (where I got the Blue Muffins). Young's said "no pollinator required" and Wayside said "wouldn't hurt but not required." These three plants are all within 10-20 feet of the edge of a large (close to 100 acres) area of woodlands, wetlands (a brook), etc. I gather that if there are native v. dentatum in the woods, which certainly seems possible, that might do the trick. I think I'll give my Muffins a year before either investing in a pollinator (I DO want as many berries as possible, as the only reason I got these was for a bird/butterfly garden) or yanking them.

Thanks for the link. I think I'll go take a walk through the woods...! :)