When ornamental trees, shrubs and perennials go on sale in September and October, I feel like a kid in a toy store. I want them all.
Autumn signals the need for nurseries and garden centers to reduce their on-hand stock. Fall is a good time to add hardy plants to the garden and is a great time of year to shop for bargains.
Early autumn is a good time to buy hardy perennials, shrubs, trees, ground covers and vines. If you have considered buying a specific specimen plant but hesitated because of the cost, there is a good chance the price will be marked down in the coming month or two. This is especially true if the plant you are looking for is out of season or past its prime. Know what you want, carry a plant list with you so you don’t forget, and snatch it up when you see your favorite plant on sale.
I encourage you to go shopping with a plant list in hand and a budget in mind. Write down the exact names and varieties of plants you want and carry the list with you. Include the general measurements of the area you are planting and the extent of planting you are willing to tackle at this time. Consider hiring a garden consultant to help you through this process or ask your nursery if they have a service that can assist you.
The mistake that most of us make when creating our first garden is to build it on one impulse purchase after another.
Unplanned gardens seldom compare to the visual impact of a garden based on thoughtful planning. Ideally, you should go to the nursery with the idea of filling a specific space in your garden with the perfect plant. To do this you must first know where you intend to plant and then choose plants that will thrive in this location.
I’m particularly fond of flowering shrubs in the landscape. I know from my own experience that spireas, viburnums and abelias do well in my garden soil. Last September, I splurged on several newer introductions of shrubs from these three groups, and within a year every one of them proved successful in the landscape.
Spirea japonica “Double Play Gold” is particularly stunning with vibrant, golden foliage covered in a flurry of pure pink flowers.
One of my newest favorites is the beautiful Japanese selection, Spirea thunbergii “Ogon.” This 4 foot by 4 foot shrub flaunts bright yellow, willow-like leaves throughout the growing season. In early spring the entire shrub is covered with a mass of white flowers. The foliage turns to bronze in fall. This fine textured shrub is a standout when planted near any of the dark red or purple varieties of barberry shrubs. Look for the velvety, deep purple Berberis thunbergii “Concorde” or the equally stunning, deep dark red leaved “Bagatelle.”
A four-season shrub
One shrub that I’m particularly fond of was given to me as a gift from my dear friends, Bob and Sandra Archer, in return for a few seasons of garden advice. Abelia x grandifolia “Minipan” is sold in garden nurseries under the name Golden Anniversary Abelia and has proven to be a true four-season garden shrub.
In spring this bright, golden variegated selection comes alive with innumerable clusters of tiny white blossoms. Its compact and colorful form stands out in every month of the year, adding contrast to the many shades of green in a mixed shrub border. Mine is planted at the foot of a yellow cryptomeria and encircled by a hedge of emerald green Japanese boxwood. This combination lights up the garden bed and lifts my spirit as well.
If you buy your plants from a reputable nursery, it’s a safe bet that sale-priced hardy plants will come back next year as good as any full priced plant.
Take advantage of sale prices to buy a group of plants for mass planting. Let the store manager know that you are interested in a dozen or more plants for an even better deal. The trick is to shop late enough for good sale prices and early enough for a decent selection.
Before you know it, these bargain plants that you saved from the inevitable compost heap will make themselves at home in your garden and return the favor ten-fold in years to come.
Robb Rosser is a WSU-certified Master Gardener. Reach him at Write2Robb@aol.com.
