In the past, if I were given a gift certificate, particularly one to a nursery like Plant Delights, I'd blow it all in one impulsive swoop. I wouldn't take the time to really think and contemplate what I really needed—not that rare ornamental plants are a NEED to begin with...
Impulse plant purchases are my downfall, and Plant Delights is my Kryptonite. I just love the way they take so much care in documenting and describing every plant in the catalog. And having worked there over a decade ago and frequently trading with Tony Avent, the owner, I can attest to how rigorous they are in preserving, breeding, and propagating the rare and unusual.
All that being said, the prices at Plant Delights are much higher than you will pay at the vast majority of plant nurseries. However, there is a good reason he charges so much. His mission is to endow the botanic garden and continue its work for the foreseeable future, and that takes lots of money. Plant Delights has made tremendous progress in getting rare things out there in the public, both in public gardens and with individual collectors like me. The higher prices also add to their allure. We tend to value things more if they seem valuable and expensive. But overall, in PDN's case, the high prices are largely justified.
However, as someone with a lower middle-class income, I desperately need a new approach to purchasing plants in 2025.
The first consideration I want to take is whether or not I already have the plant in question. This may seem like basic common sense, but I have a history of purchasing plants that either 1) I've already got in my collection or 2) I've already failed at growing. It can be easy to lose track of what we have and lost, and I don't want to take the time to document my whole collection, so in the future, I'm going only to purchase plants that are new to me or new to PND's catalog. Yet, as I write this, I'm embarrassed that I haven't been keeping better personal records, so I'll try to get on that!
The next important question to ask is, "Is it something I can easily propagate?" Propagation is so important to me because one of my main missions as a gardener is to share plants with my friends and other enthusiasts- I see myself as a preserver and sharer! For example, Salvias are great because nearly all can be rooted. Plants like Trilliums and Sabal minor (hardy palms) are also easily propagated because they reliably produce seeds that are easy to germinate. If a plant can be easily divided, I'm also more likely to buy it. Some examples are members of the Mint family, the Sunflower family, and Phlox and Asters.
My last question is "it something I can get elsewhere for a lot less money, or can I trade for it with a friend?" While Plant Delights primarily sells one-of-a-kind new or unusual introductions, they also sell more mainstream selections. I've noticed that many of their plants with the patient numbers will also show up at brick-and-mortar retailers. With the average cost of a quart perennial around $30-40, it just isn't reasonable to spend that kind of money on something I can get elsewhere much cheaper.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I also consider how difficult a plant is to grow in my garden. Many of Tony's offerings are suited to specific conditions that aren't easily replicated in average gardens. For example, ever since Plant Delights installed its crevice or scree garden, which is just a fancy term for a rock or alpine garden with excellent drainage, they have been offering a slew of South African, Medeterainian, and other connoisseur rock garden plants that require those specific conditions. Most, if not all, will fail miserably in my garden, so I try to research an unknown plant from multiple sources to get a better idea of how it can grow in average soil in my climate.
I know it can be challenging to adhere to a strict plant budget, especially at a place like Plant Delights. And I'm not suggesting that we don't indulge in guilty pleasures or additions from time to time. I mean, we are humans, and humans can be impulsive and irrational—I get that. But I do want to do a better job of refraining from the credit card "blow-out" purchases I made in the past.
Do you ever wonder why making online purchases is so intoxicatingly addictive? I know I get a boost of endorphins when I purchase plants online or anywhere for that matter. But something about filling up an online "shopping cart" is uniquely satisfying. That said, perhaps I should slow down and draw out the ordering process or create more of my "wishlists." By the way, PDN does have an option for wishlists, and I do use it! Maybe it's simply the process of shopping and not the actual buying that's so satisfying.
So don't fret if you have a plant-shopping addiction like me. Just try to remember these simple questions and strategies before you type in your credit card and click purchase. You can still get a lot of pleasure out of online plant shopping without contributing to more debt.
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