Re: Selection

**"* F* <c*@mail.com>**

Duane,
Here on Cape Cod - closest metropolitan center Boston, an hour and a half away if you drive at 5 AM on Sunday but two hours at any other time - I just spent the day working at a local, family owned garden center. Many customers asking for 'Red Riding Hood' Mandevilla vine, Persian Shield, and heirloom tomatoes, and we have them all.  We are fully stocked with a the full line of Proven Winners and the WONDERFUL (in my never-to-be-humble opinion) Wave petunias. I helped a customer who was looking for Lychnis and her question to me was "Do you have any of the new cultivars?"  We did. Whenever someone asks for a perennial we don't have we put the request on the manager's voice mail and he tries to find a supplier for it.  I'd say that at least two thirds of these special requests are met at this time in the season.

What DON"T we have? Many customers wanted snap pea and green bean plants. We don't have them, and try to tell them about something called SEEDS even though they aren't interested.  They want these, and corn and carrots in six packs, God help us, and they are always put out that we don't stock them. And then there was the woman today who asked "Where are the tomatoes?" "What kind do you want," I asked, so that I could point her in the right direction. "Round ones." was her reply.     Yes, we have round ones, but don't stock square.

Not to paint too rosy a picture....there are plants that we've always stocked in the past and that I continue to recommend to my consultation clients that we can no longer get from our large perennial supplier, Sunny Border. Persecaria polymorpha to name the one that I'm currently tearing my hair out over.  Good plants that are no longer on their list because they don't look good in the pot, but take two or three years to show what they can do.  I'm thinking of propagating them myself so I can sell them to my garden center. 

The palette of shrubs continues to grow, however, with new variegated, purple and yellow foliage plants hitting the nursery every week it seems. Ditto with shorter plants which has me cheering because so many of my consultation clients want new foundation plantings that they don't have to prune. 

Our garden center is huge into organics - any customer who wants to know where the Miracle Grow is given the standard reply of "Over this way, but since we're passing right by it, let me tell you why this organic product might be better for your garden." 

So that's the 'News From Lake Wobegon'  on this Memorial Day Weekend at the seven acre garden center where I work.  

My feet are killing me,
C.L.
C.L. Fornari
www.gardenlady.com
"Looking for relaxation and inspiration?  It's all in your own backyard."

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