The Obsessive Gardener

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Although I had promised my husband that we would not be buying plant material for the garden this year in order to make sure that we saved enough money for our trip and didn't have to worry about new plants biting it while we were overseas, did he or I, or you for that matter, really believe that that would happen? Even before this weekend, we bought three trees and a flat of perennials.

This weekend I decided that it would be a good time to get some more plants for the expanding rain garden. Along our property line we are trying to create a prairie-ish garden. When we were at Willow River State Park we saw a large patch of rattlesnake master and wild quinine. It was breath taking; a field of silver and white. I wanted to replicate that effect in my yard, so off to the native plant place to get the plants that I needed.

So I went there to buy these plants:
While he was ringing me up we got to talking about the rain garden we had put in. He had actually been by to see what we did with all the plants we bought last year. He loved the design and was very interested in the project that we took part in. He's very passionate about prairies and native plants, so when I began expounding the virtues of native plants, I must have touched a spot in his heart; because he offered me these as a gift:


They are black-eyed Susans, one of my favorite prairie plant - and there are ten of them! They aren't the same as Goldsturm. They are much taller and the leaves are fuzzy. Some even have multi-colored flowers that remind me of sunsets or leaves turning in autumn.

Although this isn't the first time I have gotten free plants after talking to a nursery owner, it has got to be the largest amount that I have ever gotten. So remember, gardeners are generous people, and they love to talk gardens and plants with people who share their passion.

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