Twas Spring Fever that led a relatively sane man to be rummaging around deep into skinny cardboard boxes at the New Albany, Indiana Home Depot.
Although still February – the most useless of months – early signs of the seasonal disease had already appeared; the casual, but not- quite-yet-serious perusal of garden catalogs; staring out the sunroom window cursing cold and leaden skies; the growing need that something was missing in my life that only broken, dirty fingernails could cure.
A quest for birdseed loosened the emotional flood. My nearest source was a Home Depot. The pleasant surprise was one end of the store was already stacked in garden supplies, mostly rows of fragile indoor plants in full wasted bloom and, a new gardening twist, tiny jade plants painted in horrid purple and orange colors. The Revenge of the Succulents.
But as I headed toward the birdseed department, I passed a dozen cardboard boxes filled with bulbs, each wrapped in a plastic bag with paper tag, the lead skinny boxes about 40 inches high offering “Premium” ITOH intersectional peonies—herbaceous peonies crossed with their tree cousins.
In Home Depot!
I put on the brakes and doubled back. I already have maybe 30 old-school peonies, few of them happy with me or me with them. Planted too deep. Planted too shallow. Not enough sun. Too much sun. Water more. Water less.
I was ready to compost the lot of them and try…the newer kids..ITOH…intersectionals.
AND THERE THEY WERE… Home Depot cultivars of same included the pinkish-white ‘Cora Louise’ and the world- famous yellow ‘Bartzella.’
Enormous blooms. Easier to grow.
Yes, I know what you are thinking. Real gardeners don’t buy ITOH peonies for $14.95 at Home Depot when they can be had for $39.95 and way up at the Overpriced Plants Are You store. Plus shipping, from nurseries in New England or the Carolinas.
Or such.
But what’s a Hoosier to do? This particular one began digging around deep into the bottom of skinny cardboard boxes fondling peony roots, seeking only the largest, all the while looking over his shoulder to see who was watching.
The Root of All Fondling.
SPRING FEVER!!!
So I dug out three peonies, two yellows and a white, all the while thinking chain stores can’t be selling these things.
Then I got home and fully realized I should have purchased more—I had broken a solemn vow to never again leave a plant department regretting not buying something else—or more of same.
I worried they would all be gone by morning; some garden nut buying all. I went back again the next day and rummaged around again in cardboard boxes, fondling peony roots.
.Plus coming across another great find, a wonderfully variegated elephant ears named ‘ Hilo Beauty.’
Bought eight of them. Two each for my big, shaded pots. Only $14.95 per plastic bag.
And while rummaging, I added some orange tiger lilies and dahlias ‘Red Empire,’ ‘Motto’ ‘Blue Bird’ and, and yes, ‘Crazy Love.’
Three trips to Home Depot in three days.
Maybe $300 total.
SPRING FEVER.
And what will you do with them until you can plant them? Asking for a friend, who also happens to live in zone 5 as I do, and is acutely suffering from cabin fever while watching it snow again. Thanks!
I visited HD for some paint and left with a blooming weeping pussy willow tree. For now, it entertains me (and the cat unfortunately) as we wait for a WI spring.
Ok, I’m getting dressed and heading for Home Depot.
As someone who has grown bartzella peonies, they are lovely, but need pretty much full sun to bloom nicely, unlike some other peony varieties.
Just had a fantasy flash…..Spring Fever….covered by Medicare.
It would probably bankrupt them in a week!
You wild, impulsive gardener, you!! What a great tip. Now if only I hadn’t sworn off going to Home Depot (I always spend waaaaayyy too much at big box stores!)
Awesome! I just hit the Walmart for alocasias and a few succulents for the pots – they had just come in and I couldn’t help myself
I’m so glad someone is willing to admit to Big Box browsing. Some of my best plants come from Canadian Tire.
I found your rant to be short and funny. You should retire your Emeritus-ness
Now I feel less silly about caressing those packets of my newly arrived seeds!
What am I doing, sitting in my living room and enjoying the sunshine outside my window? I must investigate my local plant purveyor’s hidden gems! (Just one more week and I’ll lose my surgical shoe and burst forth like a butterfly!)
Fondling is correct. I never pick up one of those packets without an intense pat-down that would make a TSA agent blush. Both hands. – MW
Bob Hill, keep up the scouting! I followed your lead and found same Itoh in mass quantities in Pa. I added 2 yellow because I love the one I have. And then went back for the lavender…just to ‘try’ it too.
Massachusetts resident here. We had our first snow last week (three months late). I’m so upset I’m going to Home Depot to fondle some plants ….and see there are ant ITOH peonies
You stopped me dead in my tracks…..what???? YELLOW Peonies???
It’s a little hot for peonies here in Texas – not enough winter, and they need afternoon shade here too, but that doesn’t stop people from trying. I may have to check out Lowes (naming it because their competitor was named) to see if they have the same, and see if I can fool them into thinking they’re really planted where winters last more than a week. What I like about Lowes is they actually discount clearance plants by 50% or more; many of which just need some TLC. I can’t go there without checking out the clearance racks for both the outdoor and indoor plants.
Ok – I was at HD and yes – a big box of Bartzella and Cora Louise ITOH peonies greeted me at the entrance. Yea I bought some and even got some man looking at them with me to buy one after I explained what they were. I just potted them up – they were in excellent shape and quite large. Confession – I did fondle them quite a bit.