What kind of plant shopper are you?
Do you make a list of exactly what you want, including quantities and specific varieties, before you go to the garden center?
Do you have a "sort of" idea of what you want and then go to the garden center and see what they have?
Do you just show up at the garden center to buy plants and buy whatever plants catch your eye?
Do you go to the garden center for something other than plants, and end up buying a plant anyway?
I had one of those $10 project starter cards from Lowes that expired on Sunday, those cards they send you in the mail to buy $25 or more and get $10 off. I decided that I would use it to buy 25 bags of top soil to have on hand for Gardening Vacation 2007, which by the way starts in less than 24 hours, actually it starts in about 20 hours, but who's counting?
Anyway, I figured I'd use the card to buy 25 bags at about $1.19 a bag, and I would end up paying about $20 for those bags, which is a pretty good deal around here. With this specific goal in mind, I made my way to the garden center and got in line to pay for the top soil. I didn't allow myself to browse around (much) and look at plants because I knew I was not yet ready to buy them. (I'll be ready in a few days). However, while I was waiting in line, I did admire a great big fern that the customer behind me had. She said they were just taking the ferns off the truck and setting them up. I'm telling you, it was a beautiful hanging fern. I started to sweat a little.
I finally got to the front of the line and there I saw the neon colored paper sign. One day special on top soil, 89 cents a bag. A sale! I hadn't counted on that. I was going to be short of spending $25 to get $10 off. My truck's limit is 25 bags (1,000 pounds) so I couldn't get more top soil. I needed to buy something else for about three dollars. I got out of line.
I went around the tables with the three dollar perennials, but none of the plants seemed quite right. They weren't big hanging ferns. I made my way to the ferns. Many of them were still in their protective wrapping. The staff had not had a chance to mis-handle them or not water them for days on end. I succumbed. I bought one.
In my defense... do I really need a defense? I'm sure you all understand and have been in a similar situation and would have done the same thing.
When I shop for plants, I have an idea of what I want and then go and see what the garden centers have. Occasionally, I go to a garden center with no intention of buying plants, but end up with a plant anyway. When I want something specific, I mail order it or start it from seed.
What kind of a plant shopper are you?
Do you make a list of exactly what you want, including quantities and specific varieties, before you go to the garden center?
Do you have a "sort of" idea of what you want and then go to the garden center and see what they have?
Do you just show up at the garden center to buy plants and buy whatever plants catch your eye?
Do you go to the garden center for something other than plants, and end up buying a plant anyway?
I had one of those $10 project starter cards from Lowes that expired on Sunday, those cards they send you in the mail to buy $25 or more and get $10 off. I decided that I would use it to buy 25 bags of top soil to have on hand for Gardening Vacation 2007, which by the way starts in less than 24 hours, actually it starts in about 20 hours, but who's counting?
Anyway, I figured I'd use the card to buy 25 bags at about $1.19 a bag, and I would end up paying about $20 for those bags, which is a pretty good deal around here. With this specific goal in mind, I made my way to the garden center and got in line to pay for the top soil. I didn't allow myself to browse around (much) and look at plants because I knew I was not yet ready to buy them. (I'll be ready in a few days). However, while I was waiting in line, I did admire a great big fern that the customer behind me had. She said they were just taking the ferns off the truck and setting them up. I'm telling you, it was a beautiful hanging fern. I started to sweat a little.
I finally got to the front of the line and there I saw the neon colored paper sign. One day special on top soil, 89 cents a bag. A sale! I hadn't counted on that. I was going to be short of spending $25 to get $10 off. My truck's limit is 25 bags (1,000 pounds) so I couldn't get more top soil. I needed to buy something else for about three dollars. I got out of line.
I went around the tables with the three dollar perennials, but none of the plants seemed quite right. They weren't big hanging ferns. I made my way to the ferns. Many of them were still in their protective wrapping. The staff had not had a chance to mis-handle them or not water them for days on end. I succumbed. I bought one.
In my defense... do I really need a defense? I'm sure you all understand and have been in a similar situation and would have done the same thing.When I shop for plants, I have an idea of what I want and then go and see what the garden centers have. Occasionally, I go to a garden center with no intention of buying plants, but end up with a plant anyway. When I want something specific, I mail order it or start it from seed.
What kind of a plant shopper are you?
Comments
I'm a pretty stodgy shopper - going for mulch or compost would be a planned trip for me, I'd look for a coupon, too.
There'a a running mental list of plants I'd like to grow, so that if they show up on sale, I check something off the list - like my recent 'Julia Child' rose purchase! The most impulsive buy in the last year was a Gardenia that was half price.
Happy Gardening Vacation 2007!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I'm terrible. I need help.
Great haul by the way. Sales rock.
I'm mostly staying away from garden centers this year, because I have a huge new space to fill, and vowed to myself I wouldn't fill it with cash from my bank account. I was totally undisciplined when ordering seeds this year, however. A couple hundred seedlings and counting.
I'm not allowed to walk into any place that sells plants if my hsuband is with me ;)
However...when he's not around....I SPEND HOURS looking at all the plants and usually walk out with a couple lol
Normally I mail order plants and think very carefully about what I buy. If we had better quality nurseries perhaps I would have more fun impulse shopping.
We'd be a garden center's dream... they'd have a record sales day!
Thanks all for the comments!
I'm looking for trellises, too!
I've also been known to put them in my cart and then change my mind before check-out. That gives me time to "cool down" from the initial thrill of spotting it and perhaps realizing it has some need I know I'll never fill. Like consistently moist soil? Not in my garden!
Good buy on your bags of soil. Darn, I think I had that coupon, wonder what I did with it?
Yolanda Elizabet... since you asked, the fern was $12.98. I remember when my Dad used to buy them for $5.00!