Today I attended the annual Parkdale Horticultural Society Plant Sale. There seemed to be less selection this year. I bought less plants then last year but still managed to break the bank.

I have a few plans this year and went to the sale with some kind of idea in mind beyond, “Get good stuff cheap.” One plan is to build a bigger carnivorous plant bog container than last year’s successful container with more non-carnivorous bog plants and grasses. Potential bog additions have been indicated with an asterix (*).

Here’s my purchase list:

– Miniature Variegated Sweet Flag (Acorus g. ‘Minimus Aureus’)* – Purchased from a vendor, not from the sale. A lovely, low-growing grass with a golden hue.

– Lemon Geranium

– Nutmeg Geranium – I used to be really anti-geranium but last year I buckled and purchased three scented geraniums.

– Purple Leaf Loosestrife – I’ll admit that this was a total impulse buy. My exact thought process was, “Purple. Pretty. Hmmm “purple loosestrife” is an invasive plant destroying the wetlands. Pretty purple leaves. I’ll keep it in a pot.” A quick search has shown that purple leaf loosestrife is not invasive.

– Catnip – Cause I can’t find this growing anywhere!

– Persian Catmint – I’ve had one growing in my herb pool for the last few years but it’s looking sad this year. The cat loves it.

– Chives – Another plant I can’t seem to admit I’ve got enough of.

– Strawberries – I can never have enough.

– Feverfew

– Variegated Artemesia

– Sedum

– Beebalm

– Obedient Plant*

– Siberian Iris* – Colour was not indicated.

– Egyptian Onion

– Iris ‘Black Gamecock’*

– Scutellaria indica v. parvifolia – A pretty alpine.

– Cerestium alpinum v. Lantanum – Another pretty alpine.

See entries about the sale from previous years: 2003, 2002

Later this evening I went out for a walk and could not pass my local corner store/plant place without taking a peek. I made a few more purchases:

– Scotch Moss

– Wooly Thyme

– Irish Moss

– Horsetail (Equisetum hyemale)* – I was a little shocked to find this at my small, local corner store plant stand. It was a bit worse for wear since they clearly don’t know how to take care of it, but I couldn’t pass it up since it was on my must-have list for the bog. This is one of my all-time favourite plants.