Newland Nursery, Rt 1A Ellsworth-a nice selection of trees and shrubs, and a pretty place to visit with its swan pond and mini cottages.

Ocean State Job Lot just opened in Belfast-they have tools, garden furniture, pots, window boxes, 1/2 price Burpee seeds, birdseed and much more. Also live plants now: clematis, blueberry, grape, lilac, HT roses, smokebush, peony, buddleia, dicentra(in bad shape but may live) and others, from $3.49-4.99. Quality of goods is decent and sometimes you come upon a brand-name bargain. It is worth visiting for sure.

A neighbor bought box at Home Despot for $4 each. They looked healthy. Anyone tried them? I love the idea of a box hedge.

Holmes Nursery on 141 in Belfast always has well-grown veggies and flowers in their greenhouse, as well as cut flowers, seeds and supplies.

I haven't been to Johnnys in years. Has anyone been recently?

We drove up to Johnny's about a month ago. It's about a 45-minute drive from here. I got three garden hoes I had been looking at in their catalog. It turns out you save quite a bit on equipment like that because a significant part of the cost is shipping. We also brought the Johnny's catalog with all the seeds we wanted flagged and got our seeds for the year. We went last year and year before last as well, getting mostly seeds.

Locally, we shop for plants at Longfellow's Greenhouses in Manchester. They're less than 10 minutes away. A local grower called "The Pumpkin Patch" is even closer. And, of course, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and K-Mart for some seeds and supplies. I still do over half of my gardening shopping online on the Internet, because that's where the selection is.

MM

I was in Burlington, VT about a month ago, and was able to shop Gardeners Supply in person! Picked up some unique daylilies who have been potted up and are residing in the garage...awaiting planting. I visited the Bangor Garden Show last weekend, and found lots and lots of leads.....will be truly shopping. Soon!

Meandmyshadow-you can't miss OSJL. It is in the old Ames building next to Hannaford on Rt 1. I got a hand-held rake there which I love-$1.99. The plants I bought there are doing well enough in this cold and wind, i.e., still alive and budding.