Plant Sale Season

TEMPTATION + DISCIPLINE

It’s plant sale season…the time when carts overflow and restraint feels impossible. I’ve been making the rounds, too, scooping up clearance plants for just a few dollars each.

But here’s the difference this year: I finally feel like I know what I need. It’s taken years to get focused and understand my garden’s patterns, its moods, and especially its shade.

Because my backyard leans shady, I’ve learned to look past the bright sun perennials and focus on what actually thrives there. I try buying three, five, and sometimes event ten, of the same plant instead of one of everything. It’s amazing how much stronger a planting looks when it repeats…even when the plant is a humble, common one. Though buying in multiples is a great way to make an impact, don’t forget to also consider texture (mixing large and small leaves), striking color combinations, and plant form (low and spreading, tall and upright, and everything in between).

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Photo below right: Hitting up a spring plant sale at Plant Life Designs in Van Meter, Iowa.  

BEDS FIRST, PLANTS SECOND

All of this feels more intentional because the spaces were already established. I’ve spent several years shaping and defining my beds, one at a time. Once the structure was in place, I could finally shop with purpose instead of impulse (though there still is a little bit of impulse!). Click here to read more about this topic.

Though I love a good sale, I still have long-term goals for adding plants I can’t find on clearance. The sale plants help me set edges, create massing, and sometimes introduce something unexpected I might not have chosen otherwise.

It’s easy for plant sales to be a free-for-all, but they can also be a way to thoughtfully fill in what you’ve already imagined…a finishing touch to a longer, more deliberate story.

A FEW PLANT SALE TIPS

• Know your spaces first. Shop with a mental map (or even a photo) of the beds you’re filling so you can picture how each plant will fit.
•  Buy in multiples. Even common plants look striking in groups. Think rhythm and repetition rather than one-of-everything.
• Think texture. Mix large leaves with fine foliage for contrast, especially in shade where color can be subtle.
•  Plan for the long term. Use sales to establish structure, but leave space for special plants you’ll add later.
• Check plant health. A bargain isn’t a bargain if it’s root-bound or struggling.
• Stay curious. Occasionally pick one plant that’s new to you. You might discover a future staple in your garden.
• Be willing to fail. Some plants won’t thrive, and that’s okay. Each one teaches you a little more about your garden and what it needs

Photo above right: Another plant sale at Plant Life Designs while the image bottom right is a plant sale at Reiman Gardens in Ames, Iowa.

REFLECTION

Before heading to plant sales, consider focusing on one area each season. Read more in this blog post: One Planting Bed at a Time

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Next time you spot a cart full of clearance plants, pause for a moment. Which of your garden spaces is ready for more? What shape, texture, or rhythm could you strengthen with a few well-chosen repeats?

Sometimes the best plant sale find isn’t a new plant at all...it’s the clarity that comes from knowing what your garden truly needs.

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The image bottom left includes plants from a fall sale at Miller Nursery in Johnston, Iowa just a few days ago. :)