I was on a daytrip this past Saturday and browsed a bit in a well-known chain store. Oh my! Off in one corner of the store were pallets of perennials and houseplants that appeared to be delivered, if not that day, within a day or two prior. Some still had the protective plastic netting stretched around the pallet. The houseplants were a good price, and one, a begonia, was unique to what I usually see in these stores. Into my shopping cart they went.

The begonia and asparagus fern placed in an antique planter make a beautiful centerpiece on my dining room table. Combined, they cost about the same as a bouquet of cut flowers. They will last much longer, and in the long-run be more economical than buying fresh flowers weekly. Well, it sounds like good logic anyway! 🙂

I also bought three packages of spring perennials. They were reasonably priced and the packets seemed very fresh. My three choices netted me eight plants: 1 clematis, 2 bleeding hearts, 5 columbines.

I hadn’t intended planting a clematis this year, but I fell in love with the way this one was determined to grow and thrust its way right through the plastic of the packaging. That’s my kind of plant!

Instead of waiting to plant them outside when the soil warms up to 50 degrees, I planted them in pots and placed them under lights in the cool of the basement. Since they had already put out green shoots within the confines of bag, I knew they’d be better off in the soil. Happy gardening!