bargain hunting begins

[Rob]

Today's trip to Lowes yielded some treasure--perennials in 8 inch pots were up for 3 bucks (2 bucks for the one-gallons, but there were precious few left). I took home:
7 butterfly bush Buddleia davidii -- all were labeled "Black knight" but I'm kind of doubtful.
2 Rudbeckia "Autumn colors"
2 Rudbeckia mislabeled as goldsturm, but they have deep chocolate brown on the inner ends of the petals. These weren't on sale, but I had a card for 10 bucks off a 50 dollar purchase (thanks Lowes!) that expitred today, and they were extra nice so they got in the basket. About 40 bucks all told.

They had some nice red daylilies for 3 bucks, the variety was "red rum" which was good for a laugh. Didn't have room in the cart though. I may grab some tomorrow, but this load has to get installed. Luckily I have a bed prepared and waiting.

[Rob]

More stuff yesterday (yeah this is my notes)

7 Colocasia esculenta elephant ears "black magic" these are expensive as heck normally, snagged em for 2 bucks each.

The rest were 3 bucks a pot, one-gallon size:
7 Perovskia "longin" russian sage
7 Hemerocallis "red rum" daylilies (yeah the goofy name got me, but the flower is nice deep red, which I like)
3 Delosperma cooperi "ice flower" a cool ground cover from South Africa I've never run across before
4 Coreopsis "creme brulee" to fill the gap an existing bed of these (otherwise I prefer odd numbers)

[Rob]

Okay, what will probably be the final hurrah for this year...I went up to Lowes yesterday where I'd found a good supply of plants in stock, and they were all 75% off except mums. I was driving my wife's minivan so I filled it with one gallon pots.

the list of one-gallon pots (none were over 2 bucks):
3 Andromeda polifolia "blue bog"  I've never encountered this, so I had to get a few
3 Salix integra "Hakuro Nishiki"  dappled willow shrub
1 Ligustrum "Golden vicary" privet
7 Sedum "neon" these things bloom fluorescent pink
12 Hemerocallis "red rum" you can't have too many daylilies
11 Weigela florida "pink princess" big shrubs--I didn't realize how big they get 
7 Nandina domestica Heavenly bamboo (it's not bamboo, it's a shrub)
3 Chaenomeles japonica "Texas Scarlet" flowering quince, kind of a viney shrub
7 Nandina domestica "Purpurea Nana" dwarf purple nandina, very cute
2 Euonymus alatus "Compactus" dwarf burning bush, I thought I grabbed 3, I prefer odd numbers
9 Spirea "gold flame" awesome color foliage
3 Potentilla fruticosa "Tangerine" an interesting hardy shrub i've never seen
2 Symphyotrichum novi-belgii New York Aster a nice herbaceous perennial

And I also grabbed two blueberry bushes in 3 gallon pots to replace a couple of mine that died over the harsh summer.

Now I gotta figure out where all this goes, notably the Weigela, which become a 10-foot shrub. I'm planning some garden structures, so I'm working on a plan that integrates these. Meanwhile, some of it may get "parked" in nursery beds. I may go pick up one more burning bush, but I think that's it for the year.

[Rob]

[Rob]

I did make one more run today.

add:
7 Juniper 'blue rug'
1 dwarf burning bush

the BB brings me to 4--I found the one I thought I lost, misfiled as a spirea somehow. And I grabbed a redbud tree bringing that total to 3. All 3 trees cost 7.50 and were about 3/4" caliper, so I'm real pleased.

[cpemma]

They had some nice red daylilies for 3 bucks, the variety was "red rum" which was good for a laugh.

Red Rum is the only horse in the history of the Grand National Steeplechase to win the race three times, and to make that feat further astonishing, he ran in it two other times and was second.

Just something you can drop out when you're showing guests round the garden...

[Rob]

I think that's it for the year.

No, this is probably the last purchase for the year:
I obtained 12 Pyrus calleryana 'Cleveland Select' flowering pear trees. These grow fast, but unlike the Aristocrat or Bradford pears they hold up to snow and ice pretty well. And they flower profusely. The trees were about 6 feet talland 2 inch caliper. Fifty bucks got me all 12. Same Lowes where I bought most of the above material.

This weekend I'll be digging holes. I need to borrow my neighbor's augur.

[Rob]

No, the dozen more that I picked up today, that's the last purchase.

[justDIY]

how many trees does it take to call it an orchard?

[GreyDeath]

id say 10-15 trees for the actual orchard tag, Right now he's still working on a fruit Salad

[Rob]

And it looks like this installed:

[justDIY]

those minature Tonka earth-movers do good work!