There is no medical term for what ails me but I swear it gets worse every year. P.P.D. aka Plant Procurement Disorder.
You can't be a real plant-o-phile without it.
I spend hours combing through plant catalogs all winter just to get a dose of green and fill my sight with sweeps of gorgeous color.
I make sketches of areas in my all too tiny garden that I can convert to new planting beds - lawn be damned.
I plot and I scheme in my never ending search for greater garden majesty....and I make lists.
An unending parade of lists which I stumble across everywhere. Forgotten files on my computer, tucked away in magazines (of course) and books, or text files on my cellphone and Nook. I am ashamed to look at my Bookmarks list because it grows longer by the day.
Truth be told, I need none of them. Years of working in gardens, reading garden books and magazines has created a mental list a mile long in my brain. I am a dervish in the nursery as a professional plant shopper and I am always on the lookout for more plants to add to my booty. There is no such thing as too much of a good thing lol.
Last week, I was able to leave my favorite Nursery with, not one, not two, but THREE of my P.P.D list plants in tow. Woot!
Since none are in bloom and are in various states of disarray thanks to two weeks of ongoing rain, the following images are courtesy of the Net. Click on the names to learn more.
1. Agapanthus - Midnight Blue "Lily of the Nile"
2. Acanthus Mollis "Oak Leaf" - "Grecian Pattern Plant or Bear's Breeches"
3. Lupinus Perennis "Lupines"
From looking at them, it's safe to say that I dig architectural plants. These are rarely available at nurseries in my neck of the woods (or snatched up so quickly I can't find them) and so I have studied them from afar with a lustful eye. Satisfaction is sweet :).
Sometimes, it's just the plant that wows me and sometimes it's a unique feature. Love at first sight is not enough, be sure to research plants on your list to avoid planter's remorse. See GISD - Global Invasive Species Database. Many a client has complained when the little plant they brought home from the nursery showed itself to be a garden thug that defies all attempts at banishment.
Agapanthus reminds me of Alliums which I also love and are native to Africa. Acanthus is a study in contrasts and textures which as a designer I find visually satisfying. Everyone loves Hostas but they are ridiculously prolific in the landscape. Acanthus is a great shade plant with a rich, deep green that would probably look beautiful with ferns or shade grasses. Lupines, have the unique quality of converting atmospheric nitrogen and "fixing" the soil and they are spikes in the garden which is eye catching. They are breathtaking when planted in masses.
Yes, I could've started them from seed but I have to say that I am an instant gratification girl. Besides, I learned my lesson when I ordered Peonies and had to wait three LONG years for blooms. I will post pics of mine when they are ready for company.
Now, if I can find a Tree Peony, a Tree Fern and squeeze in some Banana Trees, I'll be content - for a little while lol.
What's on your list?