They may have Boomerang at Buck Run Nursery; never shopped there but google turned it up.
http://store.buckrunnursery.com/libopure.html

I'm honestly trying not to buy plants this year in the hope that I can find the time to reorganize the plants I already have. That said, I'm out the door to Mahoney's to look at mulch. (Ha!)

I bought Gazania (crimson/orange flower but don't recall the name now), Wildsteinia, Epimedium sulphureum and Dianthus. For the rock/"desert" garden, Lewisia, sempervivum, another new sedum and an orange prickly pear cactus. For the herb area, parsley, tarragon and two kinds of allegedly hardy Rosemary, Madeleine Hill and Irene, of which I believe the latter is a trailing type.

i recently succumbed to a(nother) cypripedium.

i am both gleeful and ashamed of my lack of willpower.

but it's supposed to make a fine clump!

:0)

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1066877}}

2 Coral Bark Maples (they were pretty small, which is hard to find. MOst are in big, big pots at $100 each, these weren't)

rhododendron "Caronella"

Earlier: quite a few hellebores

Nan,
I'm honestly trying not to buy plants this year
Perhaps it is time for an intervention.
Bill,
What is your secret with rosemary? I can't even get Arp to last more than a few years? How have you sited it and what size plants are you buying?
MoR,
Now you get the award for growing the most finicky plants on the planet. So what is your secret I know these guys don't even like it if their neighbors neighbor is disturbed.
Marie,
I have a Coral Bark Maple that to be honest I fall in and out of love with every other day. On the one hand it adds eye catching color to the garden in the spring fall and winter, on the other hand it adds in your face bright pink to the landscape. Quite by accident I transplanted mine to my berm where it gets enough eastern sun and it lights up so boldly that it catches the eye even at a distance. Are you planning on planting yours on your hill?

My deep red/pink rhody succummed to the fierce winds we've had this season, even tucked into an "L" in the house, so that needs to be replaced. Shucks! This is the second time we've lost rhodies to wind (first time was beginner-dufus-ignorance not knowing about their severe intolerance to wind).

Maybe I should look into a red peony...yeah, yeah, that's the ticket! Or another weigela...LOVE the Red Prince that I have in another part of the yard.

abcd,
I am with you I am done with rhodies. I keep buying beautiful healthy plants that turn either sickly or sparse in a few short years. Last week I dug up a red R. 'Nova Zembla' that was just a few leggy branches and just as I was about to toss it into the compost I noticed a second leggy R 'Nova Zembla' so I planted the first right up against the second and now I have one very mediocre rhody. There isn't enough Wilt Pruf in the world to help the plants I have. We should have an "Ugliest Rhody" contest, I have a R. 'Cunninghams White' that just might win.

Katy,
The Rosemary "Arp" that I had several years ago grew (amazingly!) on the west side of my house. Not only was it exposed to the winter winds that blow in from the northwest, but my house is quite high on a hill that faces west. When you stare out of my kitchen window, there is virtually nothing between the glass and the far horizon! So very open. And that Rosemary grew for at least seven years, got to about a 4x4 foot (YES! Not a typo!) bush that bloomed every spring. Then in the ridiculously cold January of 2004, it died. Two years ago I planted two more which were labeled as "Arp" but I don't think they were. One in the same place, and one out front, south side of the house. They survived the first winter and grew well last summer, but succumbed to this past winter. This surprised me because we didn't really have a very cold winter this year.

I have bought two four inch pots: one of "Madeleine Hill" and one of "Irene". Allegedly both hardy. We'll see.

Re rhodies: that's surprising to hear because rhodies are so ubiquitous around New england. It must be the spot they are in. Even an "L" sounds safe, but maybe its still facing the wrong direction? What about moisture?

Also, they respond so well to pruning, leggy ones can even be cut way back and will resprout as new. It's painful til they grow in of course.

We've had some bad winters where on my street I've seen some 10-20 year old huge rhodies become 90% dessicated and lost nearly all leaves. One owner cut hers back to a few feet (all wood - about 2-3" caliper). One owner did nothing. Both behemoths are full and lush again. And those same winters, my rhodies (3 different locations) were all fine. Its gotta be something cultural. On the flip side, though, I don't get a lot of flowering.

Idabean, where did you find the maples?

The only plants I bought this weekend were some herbs from Pickety Place. They had them in a greenhouse, but I crossed my fingers and put them in my raised bed. Two of them, parsley and cilantro, are at least cool season plants. The mints from last summer in that bed are already up and fairly sizable.

Are you all still crossing your fingers this early spring will hold? I just placed an order with an on-line vendor and ignored their advice to request shipping for a week past the last frost-free date, which for me is the end of May.

While you all are trying to save your rhododendrums I, apparently, have a secret "kill on sight" order for mine. I have a very nice pale pink older rhodie that is pruned so it's not very high, and I snapped a huge limb off of it, actually splitting the shrub down into its main trunk. So, I did the best repair job I could right away...with duct tape. Will duct tape around the trunk lead to it fusing itself back together? I'll bet I at least get blooms off that part this season. Probably enough "stuff" stored in the limb I broke for it to continue for a while, even if that part (or the whole thing) doesn't survive.

I have bought some edging plants and am also jumping for the first time into the succulent world. I've bought
(1) Bath's Pink Dainthus (so excited about this one!)
(2) Lady's Mantle
(3) Sedum 'Angelina'
(4) Sedum 'John Creech'
(5) Veronica 'Waterperry Blue'
(6) Two kinds of Hens and Chicks. I'll be buying the cobweb one as soon as it come in.

And, on top of that, last Friday we got two other chicks. The real variety of chick! Don't know their breed as they are gifts, but they have the cutest chirping ever. They are staying in the girls' room and are getting about as much love as two chicks can handle. Can't wait till they're big enough to destroy my flower bed. ): o

I've started collecting temperennials, mostly for large clay pots, and that's about it. Picked up a flat of lavender 'Provence' yesterday to extend a bed of them and to replace some 'Grosso' that are struggling after having been stepped on one too many times. Tried to get some curry plant at Mahoneys, but it was heavily infested so I put it back.

Bill, I had an unnamed rosemary survive this winter in a large terra cotta pot on a deck on the west side of my house. Another identical plant, on the other side of the door, about 5 feet away, bit the dust, as did one I brought into my bright, cool back hall. The survivor may have had a bit more wind protection - not really sure.

DTD,

The enigma of rosemary goes on! And this year, my variegated sage, which is no less than six years old, bought the farm. And my variegated thyme, which is even older, and had formed a mat at least three feet in diameter, is barely coming back with one pathetic little sprout. And yet this winter was not that cold here! Now my spring blooming camellias had their best season ever. Not a leaf burnt, and all the buds opened with no frost damage. And my newly planted (last May) Gardenia "Frostproof" came through its first winter "showroom new"! But this only reinforces my opinion about hardiness zones. Apparently the plants aren't able to read hardiness zone maps. LOL!

Marie
I am not certain what you mean by wanting to look down into the branches? Perhaps you are considering planting it close to the house and primarily viewing it from the second floor?
Regardless I thought I would share my experience with Acer palmatum 'Sango kaku' aka Coral Bark Maple. I don't know if it was something in the translation from Japanese to English or the colors of this tree are different when growing in Japan but in my opinion there is nothing coral about this tree. While it is young (I would assume this means its first ten years) its bark turns a very bright fuchsia in the winter, this color in the winter landscape is simply startling and will draw the eye even at a distance particularly if it is lit up buy the winter sun. Apparently these guys are suppose to grow fast in their youth but this has not been my experience. The more mature tree will be twiggy rather than thick branches. I have read that once it matures and the bark turns red rather than fuchsia a good pairing for winter interest is Acer 'Aoyagi' which is green barked. I still like the idea of planting this guy on your hill so when you are viewing it from inside you will see the thickest part of the trunk as well as the cluster of twiggy branches.
A few years ago when I started this love hate relationship with Japanese Maples I was told by my local nurseryman not to fall in love with Acer p. 'Sango kaku' because of its poor local success rate. This spring I have lost three other Maples to what I believe is Verticillium wilt, I don't know if this fungal disease is happier in my more humid environment or if it is just spreading to it's neighbors, but losing three in one year has made me rethink trying to grow any others.

Runktrun, where is your favorite online shopping? I love hydrangea. I have four of the endless summer.

Hi Livvy and Bella,
I love H. ÂEndless Summer too as a matter of fact I had some hardscape work done last fall which entailed the landscaper removing a hedge of thirteen. They were out of the ground for a few weeks and the landscaper insisted on cutting them all back by one third which of course included this yearÂs blooms on last yearÂs wood. I will be interesting to see just how many blooms I get this year.

I have bought Hydrangeas from Hydrangeas Plus http://hydrangeasplus.com/home.php a number of years ago the stock was large and healthy but the shipping even then was outrageous. I just ordered for the first time from Wilkerson Mill Gardens a very well known southern Hydrangea nursery http://hydrangea.com/ I will report when I receive the order. Although I have never order Hydrangea Hydrangea http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/index.html I do know folks who have been happy with their order and the shipping from Nantucket canÂt be that bad. You might also be interest in this older thread about Hydrangeas in New England  2007 Banner Year for Hydrangeas in New England http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/neweng/msg0719523023282.html

A few other places I have ordered from and was happy are;

1. Lazy S Farm - http://www.lazyssfarm.com/

2. Plant Delights - http://www.plantdelights.com/

3. Forest Farm - http://www.forestfarm.com/

4. Joy Creek Nursery - http://www.joycreek.com/

5. Avant Gardens - http://www.avantgardensne.com/

Where do you like to shop for plants?

Below are couple of photos of the ugly rhodies I have tried in vain to use primarily as screening so like Dee I am hesitant to chop them down to 6" if they are going to grow back in three plus years into another ugly leggy rhody. Looking at the photos below do you think they are worth cutting back?
Sick Yak ÂPrinceÂ

Was a nice plant until this winter which was its second.

Two leggy R ÂNova ZemblaÂs

Rhododendron 'Cunningham's White'

Leggy older Rhodie

Flattering photo of another leggy Rhodie

Katy, several thoughts for you.

Re: Japanese maples and verticillium wilt. Once planted never, never dig around or near a Japanese maple. Verticillium wilt is naturally present in most soils and enters plants through roots that have been nicked or cut. The same is true of dogwoods.

Re: your rhody problems. Are you top dressing them every spring with cotton seed meal? You should be. Have you tried growing the old time rhody variety named America? It thrives in coastal areas.

Kt -
>> I'm honestly trying not to buy plants this year
> Perhaps it is time for an intervention.

LOL, and who better to stage such an event? Let's go to Avant Gardens & Haskells again, SOON!

If I have a chance to get a photo of my ugly rhodies, you all will feel way better about yours. Mine are 2 giants just outside my front door, and they definitely make yours look good by comparison.

I second Runktrun's list of nurseries. I use Forestfarm mainly for small trees, the others for all sorts of things. Lazy S has a very good record for customer service, at least in my experience. I still miss Heronswood something fierce, mainly because I loved reading the catalog; no photos, just very interesting, sometimes hilarious commentary on plants, gardens, and gardeners.

KT -

Re:' . . . the landscaper insisted on cutting them all back by one third which of course included this yearÂs blooms on last yearÂs wood. I will be interesting to see just how many blooms I get this year.'

Not to worry. I don't think I've ever gotten an old wood bloom on my H.'Endless Summer' since it is regularly killed to about 6 inches. However, I regularly have flowers nonstop on my ES from the beginning of July until hard freeze. I love it!

I'm sure I'll do some impulse plant shopping (is there any other kind?) So far my impulse buying has been limited to several succulents for pots and a few perennials from the open house at UNH's greenhouses. However, I was at my local nursery last weekend shopping for a present for someone else and found a Stewartia, something I've long coveted. I think I'll be returning to buy it. They will also be getting in some of my favorite trellises and I'll need a few clematis to cover them . . .

My favorite internet/mail order nurseries include 3 of KT & DTD's favorites (Lazy S, Forest Farm, and Avant Gardens) along with Silver Star Vinery for clematis (huge & healthy). I've in the past used Garden Crossings (though their prices have jumped considerably since then) and I've also bought from Bluestone perennials, but their packing drives me crazy, having to disentangle styrofoam peanuts from plants - I always damage something, so they won't get my business any more. I guess I'm trying to shop locally if I can right now since I really appreciate being able to actually see the plants and would like what good local nurseries there are to continue to be around. However, there are always plants I want that aren't available locally, so I usually do some web shopping as well.

Thanks Nandina I read your post yesterday afternoon and ran up to SBS and picked up a bag of cotton seed meal. Should I be applying this to other evergreen shrubs as well?

Re: Japanese maples and verticillium wilt. Once planted never, never dig around or near a Japanese maple. Verticillium wilt is naturally present in most soils and enters plants through roots that have been nicked or cut. The same is true of dogwoods.
Well that makes sense and I now understand why I lost a Rutgers Dogwood as well.

Nan I am ready for a road trip anytime you are. I want to pick up the Daphne x transatlantica 'Summer Ice' that Nhbabs bought at Avant Gardens, it looks like a real beauty.

nhbabs That sounds very encouraging about the bloom on H. ÂEndless Summer actually I was just thinking if I am happy with the amount of flowering I may just cut them back each year as I would prefer the hedge to be a little shorter.

However, I was at my local nursery last weekend shopping for a present for someone else and found a Stewartia, something I've long coveted. I think I'll be returning to buy it.

Last summer my local nursery was selling two different Stewartia pseudocamelliaÂs one is a silver leaf variety, and the other is a pink flowering variety from a grower I wasnÂt familiar with. I will look around for the tag because I know it mentions the womanÂs name and the name of her nursery. I think Nan went home with one as well. The trees are all of one foot tall so not much first hand info to report any time soon.

I have a stewartia and I'm anxiously awaiting the flowers and that incredible bark it gets as it ages. Mine was about 10' tall when it was put in and came from Avant Gardens. They say they ship 3'-4' tall, but I was just there and saw that they had larger ones at the nursery for pickup.

Here is a link that might be useful: stewartia

Yes indeedy, I have one of the unusual Stewartias, I think it might be the pink one Kt mentioned, but the tag is ... MIA.

I've collected maybe 4 (OK, it could be 5) "plain" S. psuedocamellias over the years; the largest is about 15' tall. They do have wonderful bark and a great form, clean foliage and, last but not least, really sweet flowers. But the exciting thing, for me, is that last year I found a seedling not too far from one of these trees. It's about 2' tall now and I'm hoping it does well this year - I'm really proud of, it even if its just an indication that I don't weed very thoroughly.

Cottonseed meal just went on my shopping list - thanks, Nandina!

Katy, you can top dress all your acid lovers and evergreens with cotton seed meal. I just checked and the following is not available in MA but you all should be agitating local nurseries to carry it as it is an outstanding organic product out of Texas known as Back to Nature-Cotton Burr Compost. I can't rave enough about this. It helps to break down clay soils, works well on sandy soils, provides the right type of goodies to plants such as rhodys, camellias, azaleas, heathers. Plants thrive on a spring application each year.

Stewartias are my favorite tree. Very easy from seed if one has a cold frame. Use freshly fall collected seed. Sow it in a row on one side of the cold frame and mark the row well as it takes two years to germinate. The second spring it will pop up and grow quickly. Wait until that fall to pot up or row out for further growth. If potting leave the young trees in the cold frame for the winter.

A little late to this but here's what I got... now to wait about 5 years until they look really good!

Mail order from direct garden, so I don't know if they will survive or thrive:
ZD roses
Hawthornes
sourwood
Mahonia

Mail order from Gossler Nursery:
Robinia frisinia (to outcompete the knotweed!)
Dusty Zenobia (new to me plant!!)
Lemon Wave hydrangea
(going for a yellow them with the first and last in this list and zenobia for a trial run).

From Boston tropical:
Olympic fire MT. Laurel, hicks yew, 12 ($3.00 rhodies! (1-gallon size)), two yellow broom (this is a new to me plant!! invasive else where but not in NE).

Blueview Nursery (Norton, Ma)
citrus broom

Isabella,
That is quite a interesting list I had to look up Dusty Zenobia it looks as though it will be very happy in SE MA. It is so good looking I wonder why it hasn't made a big splash in commerce. Please let us know how it does and what you think of it.
two yellow broom (this is a new to me plant!! invasive else where but not in NE)
It is definitely invasive in my neck of the woods but is very short lived (about 7 years). If you are hoping for fuller shrubs I would strongly suggest you shear back (take each branch and cut back the green hairy growth by two thirds from the top to the bottom of the branch). You can't beat the texture of a broom.
$3.00 gallon size rhodies now that is a steal.