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ostrich0001

Many new hydrangeas at Canadian Tire today!

ostrich
11 years ago

Shazam is really the one to blame.... he started all this by introducing me to the Canadian Tire Garden Centre on Southland in Calgary!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

I was there today as they have 20% off all 2 gallon pot hydrangeas this week. Guess what I found? I could not believe my eyes when I saw a few pots of Vanilla Strawberry hydrangea!!! They were still on the crates and not unloaded yet, but I just grabbed the healthiest looking one and then ran to the cashier!!! I don't care that it's listed for zone 4 but I just want to try it...

Then I also grabbed some Incrediball's, too. I wanted Little Lime but they did not have them. Instead, they had many healthy looking Invincibelle Spirit, Pinky Winky and Quick Fire.

I also noticed a few Bombshell and Fire & Ice - has anyone had any experience with these in zone 3?

It was a very good trip... esp. at 20% off of these healthy looking lovelies! :-)

Shazam, you are to blame... :-) Thank you, really!

Comments (18)

  • ostrich
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    In case anyone would like to see my Vanilla Strawberry H...

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    11 years ago

    That's pretty! Is it really hardy here? I planted Kyushu a couple of years ago, but it has never done very well.

  • ostrich
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    marcia, yes, it is so pretty with the lovely red stems and the perfectly shaped leaves... the flowers are supposed to be spectacular but I have not seen them in real life yet. It's supposed to be hardy to zone 4... but I will plant it in a very sheltered area close to the foundation and then baby it over winter and see what happens.... hopefully it will be OK as my yard is south facing and is pretty protected.

    WOW! Kyushu did not do well in ON!? Good grief....

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    11 years ago

    I haven't really looked at it lately - will have to go out and see how it's doing. Last summer, it leafed out okay but didn't seem very strong at all.

    Darn, i think all my sheltered areas around here are taken....

  • ostrich
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Hmm.... have you ever tried extreme "pruning" with a shovel in your sheltered areas at all!? LOL

  • shazam_z3
    11 years ago

    Keep us updated on that Vanilla Strawberry, I've known of the cultivar for a while now but have never found it here.

    I'm happy to be your enabler :)

  • ostrich
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    shazam, I surely will keep you posted! I am glad to be enabled... LOL!

  • diane_v_44
    11 years ago

    I am planing on a stop today to Canadian Tire

    I am in Barrie Ontario I think that is zone 5 and have quite a number of Hydrangeas
    Seems the more showy ones are not quite as hardy as say Pinky Winky or that lime one you mentioned. And then there are the old snowball white ones that do so well
    The fancier ones survive for me but are slower and take more fussing Mostly I have to cut them right back and wait for new shoots to come out Am going to look for Vanilla Strawberry Looks like one of those tougher Hydrangeas

    I have edged some of my flower beds with a one foot high wall of concrete block
    It looks nice and formal but I believe as well it shelters plants somewhat from winter weather.
    Thanks for the news re Vanilla Strawberry
    I bought some of the black earth in bags now I forget the name but was two dollars and change a bag and it is really very nice to use in the garden Going to pick up more today.

  • ostrich
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    diane_v_44, I so wish that I could still grow those macrophyllas that I miss so much! Sigh....

    Yes, raised flower beds look nice and warm up faster too. So your plants would do better there. Vanilla Strawberry is a paniculata that is hardy to zone 4, so you should grow it without any problem in zone 5! :-)

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    11 years ago

    Ostrich, I have one spot on the south side of the house that isn't designated iris territory. I am going to find a Strawberry -Vanilla hydrangea and then I am going to make a Strawberry -Vanilla smoothie, plant the girl and wait for her to bloom. I have lots of patience and lots of time. I'll post pics of the progress.

    Thank you for the second hand enabling. Shazam.....you are good!! :)

    Reporting from Edmonton, in the rain......this is Ginny Garden for Garden of Angels news. :)

  • ostrich
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Ginny, good for you!!! Go get a Vanilla Strawberry H, girl!!! LOL Be sure to post pics too!

    Yes, that shazam, he is something else.... so good at enabling us and we love it... LOL!

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    11 years ago

    Oh my! I didn't get to CT today but that pretty little Miss at Superstore was talking to her friends about hitchin' a ride to my garden. Her name was/is Twist n Shout. Right outa the Beetles strawberry fields! Hmmmmm. Better get to CT and see if I can find that little strawberry blonde to keep her company. I think my daughter was wondering what I wanted for my birthday. :)

    Ginny

  • diane_v_44
    11 years ago

    Was not at the CT in Newmarket Ontario yesterday

    Did purchase another though , of course

    Will try more Canadian Tire stores this week yet

    Name of what I purchased I forget and it is sitting outside yet with its name tag, but is yet dark outside.

    A white one though that looks and is described , interesting. and as a show plant.
    Have space yet for Vanilla Strawbery

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    11 years ago

    Well, no such luck finding a Strawberry-Vanilla here so I got a Pink Diamond instead. Since I haven' had much luck with hydrangeas in the past, I thought it best to purchase one for $10 vs $26. We'll see how she does on the south side there now that she has a few foxgloves to keep her company. And a repeat of last years Nigra hollyhock. ;)

    Again, reporting in the rain, this is Ginny Garden for Garden of Angels news.

  • rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
    11 years ago

    ostrich wrote: I also noticed a few Bombshell

    Thanks for this...when I read it yesterday on a whim I stopped at a CTire and did pick up a Bombshell on sale for $14.95.

    I posted a picture of it in the pot and someone commented that it didn't look much like the "Bombshell" they had planted in their garden so there seems to be some debate as to whether it really is a BS. I don't like having that nagging doubt.

    (For the picture go to the thread below and scroll down to my July 12th post with the included photo)

    Here is a link that might be useful: BShell?

  • FrozeBudd_z3/4
    11 years ago

    Super Store had a ton of Little Limes and Incrediballs on drastically reduced prices, Little Lime going for $3.50 and just a buck more for the Incrediball and Limelights ... eight healthy plants for only $34.00, basically what I had paid for just one measly new hydrangea variety from a reputable mail order outlet.

  • ostrich
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Hi rouge21! You lucky thing, you are in zone 5b!!!

    I bought a couple of bombshell in 2 gallon pots from Canadian Tire last year at the end of season clearance. They were a bit dried up but the price was good so I just had to buy them. They were overwintered in my dark and cold garage, and they survived! The top growth was all dead though. Now there's a lot of new growth from the base and they are looking healthy and nice!

    The CT's around here don't take great care of the plants and they don't have great sales like yours. I am so envious!

    twrosz, I bought a Little Lime from Super Store a few weeks ago at $13. They only had a few left and most looked terrible and tiny. So I bought the healthiest looking one and now it is doing quite well. Once again, we don't have many healthy looking plants in SS here in Calgary....

    Is it a Calgary thing that these big box stores don't take care of their plants!? Sigh...

  • FrozeBudd_z3/4
    11 years ago

    Ostrich, the lady at the greenhouse checkout was complaining of the lack of attention the plants receive. Though, the funny part was that despite having selected specimens in good to excellent condition, she just shook her head and said "poor awful pathetic things, I'm sure you're just gonna die, I think we're gonna have to further reduce the price on you!" Then she'd state the hugely slashed prices and ask if was okay with it? I'm sure if I had said no that she would have reduced them even further, lol. I was extremely pleased to swipe my card and leave with big healthy plants at next to give away prices!

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