Hi,

I saw that plant today at the IES plant sale, up in Millbrook. But, many of the plants were cleared out, and there's no guarantee of what they will still have in stock. The sale goes on Saturday and also Sunday - I've included a link below with their information. Best to get there as early as possible items like the tree peonies were all gone within the first 10 minutes today !

philomena

Here is a link that might be useful: IES Plant Sale info

Hi Philomena, thank you for the link. I think I will take a drive up today, I hope they have some selections left. I've always wanted to go there, I just never remember that it is there when I do have some spare time. Thank you... JoAnn

Have you checked "The Phantom Gardener" in the Rhinebeck/Red Hook area (on Route 9 North)? Their selections are unusual.

Hi All,

Thanks for the links and suggestions. I did pick up a masterwort at IES, although it wasn't the color I was looking for. Of course I knew I'd find a home for it in one of my borders. I bought "Magnum Blush", which opens pink and turns ivory. I still would like to get both the white one and a deep red one..so I'll continue my search.

Thank you for pointing out Lor Jons and the Phantom Gardener too. I've never been to either of these nurseries. I love new places.

I am planning on a trip to Broken Arrow Nursery in CT soon, but I think I will try the closer ones first. I love Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden CT...I usually come home with a Jeep-full of perennials.

Does anyone grow masterwort? I'd love to know what you think of Astrantia. Bloom time, length of bloom, spread, pests or problems..the usual. I recall seeing one in bloom at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx last fall and thought it was really pretty, especially for that time of year.

Thanks again for all your help...JoAnn

Here's a link to share for Broken Arrow Nursery. It is about the same time in travel to White Flower Farm for me here in New Windsor. About an hour and a half. I learned about it from a fellow GW member and am so glad I did.

Thanks for the above link and recommendations..I will be going to Lor Jon's site after I type this.....JoAnn

Here is a link that might be useful: Broken Arrow Nursery

Carol, Thank you so much for the link to LorJon's in Pine Bush. I went there first thing this morning. WHAT A HIDDEN TREASURE!

First, I did get my astrantia there...they had one left and now I have it..(not Ruby Wedding, but beautiful Claret).

Of course they had so many beautiful perennials there so I did a little shopping....I will definitely be going back. They have healthy plants, a great selection and wonderfully helpful staff. ( I also enjoyed the classical music playing while I browsed) The prices are reasonable too!

I know, I sound like an advertisement, I was just so pleased to go there. Wish I had more time to look around. I only had about an hour. Definitely not enough time.

In case you are curious..I bought a replacement Carolina Phlox..Miss Lingard ( lost mine over the winter for some reason..maybe the drought last year stressed it) I also bought three clematis ...panniculata, for the white garden..and a viticella and a tangutica, another maiden hair fern and a cimifuga "the Pearl", Russian Sage Little Spire, and a campanula Chettle Charm. They have such a wonderful selection, I am sure I will be going back again soon.

So, thank you again. A very nice find. Who knew? JoAnn

JoAnn,
I'm glad you found your astrantia. And I'm glad you like LorJon's. I can't go there shopping alone; I have no self-control.

I got my Louisiana iris 'Black Gamecock' at LorJon's. It is my first attempt at growing it and I wanted something local, rather than something shipped in the mail from hundreds of miles away.
Carol

So far I've tried five astrantia and only one has survived but that is thriving. Chettle Charm is a winner and flowers over a long period though mine died back considerably this past winter.
The next time you head east on I-84, try going north on Rt 22 to Haviland Hollow Road and turning right to Clare's of Patterson. A huge collection of annuals and perennials and some truly choice stuff. Tends to be pricy but worth the trip.

Wow, five astrantia...what do you think went wrong? Location? I have two now. May I ask where you have yours? I have both in part sun with moisture retentive soil. I found a small division in one of the pots that came away easily, so I took it off and planted it separately in full sun with moist soil most of the season. I hope they are happy..the flowers I had seen were really pretty.

Thank you for directions to Clare's of Patterson. Do you happen to know the exit number on 84? I'm not that familiar with Dutchess County.

As far as self control goes..ha ha ha..not me. I always find unusual things to come home with. That's how I got my amsonia and my sneezeweed last year..saw it and had to have it. I printed up the plant list from LorJons and had a little shopping list of things I wanted to get. I forgot, I also picked up a Coral Reef Monarda. The campanula wasn't on my shopping list but I had to have it. I only had an hour to spend there, so that helped im the restraint department. I think I will be going back next week. I didn't get halfway through my list.

By the way, can I aak if anyone has shopped at Matterhorn? I have gone there three times..twice last fall, and once this spring. I have to say, I was disappointed. The plants all looked awful and full of weeds, snails and slugs. In the fall I just thought that it was the end of season and maybe it was just leftovers they were trying to get rid of. They had deer get into their hosta houses and eat all the hosta down to nibs last September. Good for me, I bought a Sagae, for 9.95 that had a $40 price tag because there was nothing left to it. I picked out the weeds, and my son was glad to help collect the snails. When I got it home I separated it into 4 nice divisions, removed the soil and planted them. They came up fine this spring. So my question is: Are the plants always like that there? I thought they were pricey and I really got the impresseion they didn't take care of the plants that well. What have your experiences with them been if you don't mind sharing? The place looked like it had potential, it is huge. The gardens are lovely, and they had some great bonsai.

Thanks...JoAnn

The exit to Route 22 north off I-84 is, i think, Exit 20 - the last one in NY.
Yesterday I went to Manza Family Farm in Montgomery and they had a red astrantia on sale so of course it is now sitting in my driveway, waiting to be planted. Also got a good-sized purple smoke bush for $22.95 less 10% senior citizen discount.Ran out of time before I could buy more.

Thank you, I'll have to make it a point to get there.

I happened to be at Manza Farms myself the other day and saw the one you picked up. Nice sized plants. They have quite a bit at Manza Farms, more than I recall in the past.

I am getting to a point this season where I am just about done adding anything new. ( Ha ha ha, like that actually happens....ok, I am at the point where I start thinking about not adding anything more this season.) I have a few items that have to be planted sitting in my driveway. ( a couple of clematis, a galliarda, an unknown plant I got at Adams at the begining of the season..two gallon pot marked down to $3..some sort of campanula possibly. I want to wait and see how it does and see if I can figure out which it is before I plant it anywhere. Some other things and some vegetable starts.) With all the rain, the soil is just too wet to dig.

Thanks for the info on Manza about the astrantia and for the directions off of 84.

Comment about Matterhorn...went into chapter 13 last fall...they are struggling...they were A BEAUTIFUL place with BEAUTIFUL plants..hit hard times I guess...support them when you can