Count me in, George. I don't know how to use a grill but if I can convince Tom to come again he can help with that. Grilling is right up there with toasting and cereal pouring on his list of cooking skills.

What looks new and exctiting at Oliver's this year? The Heptacodium I scored last year is filling out nicely. I keep saying I'm out of room but...

Sue

Hi George! I would love to come - maybe I will even make it to Oliver's this time! I may bring some extra plants of my own to distribute that weren't ready by the swap, if that is alright with you. I will bring some more deviled eggs, since they seemed to be popular last time. Looking forward to it!
Deb

Sue, I'm not that good at perennials to know all those zillion plants they have, but could say that their current collection of clematises is very impressive, from rarely seen in commerce unique 'Alba Luxurians' (and many more other viticellas) to seldomly grown around here different cultivars of cl.texensis (Princess Diana, D of Albany and something else I forgot the name)
If you are in a 'hydrangea mood', you could treat yourself with just recently become available (thanks to Dan Hinkley, again) japanese serratas which doesn't look like any other hydrangeas you had grown before (Miyama-yae-Murazaki, Midoriboshi-Temari, Shijo (sp?) etc.
In azalea/rhododendron department you'll find many new introductions as well as the old good stuff...and I didn't even look into jap.maples department.

' I keep saying I'm out of room but... '
I recently told to my wife that I'll still buy plants untill one of the two happens, either I'll run out of money or out of room...
...and somehow I always still manage to find the room. LOL.

Thanks for the invite, George! I'd love to come and I'll check my work schedule. If I can make it, maybe Russ would like to come again and take on grill duty. I can't imagine the fun in standing in front of a hot grill on a day like last year's get-together, but he had a great time. I guess he can't figure out why I go out to dig holes and lug bags of soil and compost in that weather, so we're even!

:)
Dee

George, you crack me up. Yes I'll be there. I could try to run the grill but I probably won't bring a bathing suit!!

I stopped in at Oliver's today but used a lot of restraint.

I wonder if they would hire me next year part-time...

Virginia

'I wonder if they would hire me next year part-time...'

Some customers think I'm a full time employee...sigh.

Demonstrate our bathing suites, eh? Well, I guess mine might be considered big enough to be called a suite. LOL

Um, where is Olivers? (I'll be in Maine that weekend, but I'm curious where all the really cool people in CT will be then.)

Patty

Patty, Oliver's is in Fairfield-fairly high end joint as you might imagine. They have a sale every year at the end of June. Last year a bunch of us met for the sale then went over to George's house for a cookout. I don't know how cool we are but we usually have alot of fun.

Sue

Count me/us as a definite maybe. A lot of unknowns re: timing in life right now but it's on the calendar. If we do come it'll be a brief visit then back up north. IMHO: If you can't afford Olivers even at sale prices, it's worth it to poke around and see plants in person that you won't see most other places. Word is that George is right on the mark about the Clematis selection ...

Martie

I'll be there for the sale in the AM but I doubt I'll be able to come for the cookout. Brian decided to host a family barbecue that day and didn't tell me the date.

Hedy

george, somehow i missed this original post and sue was kind enough to send link to me. we would love to join you, even if it would be the 2nd wkend in a row for us in your garden-wonder-filled state. i will let you know later for sure but i think i could bring some great food (i AM a caterer, after all!)best-mindy

i guess the dilemna for me, as with all sales, is that if i truly just HAD TO HAVE something at oliver's (that i saw the wkend of 6/17, when we're down for our packed-van-full b'day present at broken arrow)it would not be likely that i could bear the suspense of waiting til the following wkend to see if it was still available. oh my, plant passion can be quite the challenge!!

Mindy, I'm not sure, but I believe that for out of state visitor Oliver could make an exception and offer slae prices one week in advance. Give them a call and talk to Scott or Jed.
At least I could offer you my 'frequent shopper' 15% discount all year around.

Ok, just bumping it up.
I think we could do the same thing as we did last year, spend time in Olivers at your own leasure and then meet each other at noon by the entrance. Then proceed to me.
I will try to arrange 'private showing' of one of the my neighbor's garden. She is a professional floral art decorator and her garden based on a classic principal of repetition is something special, trust me.
It's not set in a stone yet, but I already talk to her and closer to the date she'll see if she could have us for at least 25-30 minutes.

I am so depressed that I am going to miss it again! Unfortunately I am recovering from a nasty bout of pneumonia and apparently I will be spending most of my summer in bed. My poor gardens. Thanks anyway for the invite George, I'm sure it will be a blast! Everyone should buy something at Oliver's and post about it so I can live vicariously through you!

tina

Gosh Tina, you must really be laid low to be missing most of the summer in bed! I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope you will be back in fine form soon and that we will see you in the fall. Take Care!
Deb

Take care, Tina, pneumonia is nothing to fool with as you no doubt know. Summer in bed though...man, that just stinks.

Sue

Tiiina, again?
We'll miss you a 'Naked Ladies' Queen. :-)

George

Well, the invitation to Olivers and the possibility of meeting fellow gardeners has brought me to this -- my very first post! I live only a mile as the crow flies from that wonderful spot and would love to join the fun. Can you tell me more about time and location of festivities?

Annie (I guess it is your real name), we'll meet at noon at Oliver's parking lot and from there go to my place in Westport, which is within 5 min of drive from Olivers.
Most of us will be there before that time to take an advantage of Oliver's sale, especially of 'special price' area.
Since you probably will be unable to recognize us in a crowd, send me e-mail and I'll give you some hints of how to identify me and my ph#/address just in case.

Ladies, both of my new (last year planting) japanese serratas Miyama-yae-Murazaki and Midoriboshi-Temari blooming right now, so don't miss a chance to see those beauties alive. Seldomly grown hydrangea Kaleidoscope may opens any minute and I'm anxious to show it to you.
Stewartia is in full bloom, too, so there will be something to see.
I promise.

Weather forecast for Sunday,

Sunday
Mostly cloudy in the morning...then becoming partly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70s. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Sounds like it will be much more comfortable than 92F with 100% humidity as it was last year.

George, what time does Oliver's open on Sunday?

Sue

I'll check on them tomorrow, normally at 9:00, guessing 8:30 on a sale day.
Just in case, Oliver's ph # 203-259-5609.
Sue, if you need anything in particular, let me know, by Sunday certain things might be gone.
I'm planning to be there on Saturday for some non-common rhodies/azaleas they usually have in one-twos and possibly for new japanese serratas that I'm crazy about this year, so I could pick up something for you as well.
BTW, for how much B-M Crawford sells in your neck of the woods? Here only Oliver and Young have them and both charging around $25 for 2G which I think is not a fair price for a plant that have been on a market for 5-6+ (?) years.

Not this year, gang.... Was hoping our schedules would allow a brief visit, but really need a day to stay put and regroup garden, house, etc. Busy is good until it's not :-)

Martie

George, the nurseries around me generally don't sell many perennials in 2 gallon containers. If I'm out and about before Sunday I'll take a look but I'm guessing you would pay about $10-12 for a gallon size and that would be the going price for just about any gallon size perennial.

At this point I don't have anything particular in mind that I need except maybe a Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Prostrata'. Most of the space I have left is shade to part shade.

Sue

We're heading down to Virginia for a 90th birthday bash -- NOT one of us, just feels that way sometimes ;) -- next week and there's just too much piling up that has to get done before we take off, so we're going to have to pass this year, though it sounds like fun and I've never been to Oliver's, so I'll have to check it out next time I'm down that way. Maybe next year. Meanwhile, we're looking forward to the fall Woodbury swap...

/ Marty

I'm planning on attending. Trying to get a rough head count so I know how much food to bring...

George, have you asked Jed if he has anything in particular he's trying to unload? Would you want to stop by my house here and help me decide what I might need? I had Kim Proctor over a few weeks ago and she suggested I get shade/native stuff at the sale.

Let me know. Do you have my phone number?

Virginia

Virginia, I had your ph#, but now can't find it.
Call me or e-mail and I'll be glad to visit you.
How about Friday afternoon?

I spoke with Jed, their shrubs/trees inventory pretty much clean and not much has to be 'cleared'. They simply bringing more fresh goods for event and will just work on a lower profit margins across the board.
Contrary, in perennial dept, especially in a 'shady section' you could find some 'too many' and I'm sure Marlese will be more than glad to unload them.
Surprisingly, huge inventory of clematises they had just a few weeks ago depleted to only 30-40 pots as of this Tuesday. Still a good selection there.

Virginia, I'll be at George's for a little while but I have another party to go to back up in my area that starts at 3. As far as food goes, what is needed at this point?

Sue

Still trying to figure out if we can make it this weekend. We're piling in the car on Monday for a trip to Boston, so I keep going back and forth as to whether I can pack all on Sunday evening. Funny, I never have weekend plans, (or go on vacation, for that matter) and now this get-together and a Saturday evening concert on the green in New Haven are on the same weekend, and all before a trip!

I certainly do not need another plant at this point, lol, but would love to browse and of course see everyone again.

:)
Dee

Ladies, let's not make a big deal out of the food.
I'll provide selection of wines, beers and soft drinks and probably some light snacks.
Whatever you'll bring is fine, but don't go out of your way with that.

I'm bringing shrimp cocktail-I hope that works for everyone. George, I hope to be at Oliver's somewhere between 10 and 10:30. Will you be there then?

Sue

Jeez, I just looked at the weather for tomorrow and it stinks. George, feel free to pull the plug on the get together if you don't want to entertain in the rain. I know we originally planned this as a pool party...lol. I still plan to go to Oliver's as long as it's not raining heavily.

Sue

Drat - I won't be able to make it tomorrow after all. Actually, I've been so busy the last two days, our get-together slipped my mind until this evening - still haven't caught up to the date on the calendar yet, lol. I think I'm still back in May somewhere.

I hope the weather clears up for you guys, and hope you have wonderful time.

Regrets
:(
Dee

Yeah, weather is not cooperating.
I'll be at Oliver briefly at opening (have to check something) and then again around 11 am.
If anyone still would like to visit my garden, rain or shine, I'll be at Oliver's parking lot at noon and will gladly lead you to my house.

Sorry folks but I'm going to pass. If it wasn't a two hour round trip drive I'd be game but the weather is just too gloomy and I have a few things I can get done around here. Maybe we can schedule something again later in the summer?

Sue

Oh well. Too bad the weather didn't cooperate. Thank you so much George for the offer to host. I hope we can all reschedule too.Good luck at Oliver's.

Deb

Well, not all came as planned, but still some brave souls show up and took a brief stroll along the garden (and many unplanted pots, LOL).
I'm pretty much sure that people at Oliver are very disappointed with their attendance, but for us it was a great opportunity to find some bargains without being overruned by another 'hungry' gardener.
I ended up with hydrangeas 'Nightingale'(Nachtigalle) and 'Preziosa' (another one, how many do I need?), two Rhododendron macronulatum 'Nana', Rh. kiusianum 'Alba' (my 3rd), buddleia 'Honeycomb' and ....(drums, please)...4x4' Acer palmatum 'Hanami Nishiki', one that have probably the tiniest leaves of all dwarf jap maples.
Virginia also bought hydrangea, jap.maple and some dwarf blue conifer (name escapes me).
Hedy become a proud owner of several maples, hydrangeas and weeping styrax plus something else.
Overall, I'd call it a good hunt.
I don't know about rescheduling the party later in a summer since I'll have a lot of long-term stay family visitors this year, but always open for garden tours on individual or small group basis.

Yes, it was lovely. I missed our regulars but enjoyed meeting Annie. A good day anyway.

George,

My hubby, Paul was impressed with your garden and ENCOURAGED me to buy larger specimens in the future! I told him I could only handle certain sized stuff myself. He told me to find someone to help me. Wohoo hooray!

Thanks again. We had fun.

Virginia

George thank you for your hospitality. I loved seeing the garden again because it's always changing. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have bought that lovely hydrangea serrata. Thank you too for the english bluebells. That is one of the plants that I loved and had to leave at my last garden when I moved. (I seem to be trying to recreate that garden I had for 25 years.)

Hedy