I "caved", but in a perennial way. Sears outlet here had really healthy perennials for 70% off..couldn't resist. I mostly replaced w/s items that I really wanted, but failed due to our cold spring, and bunny attacks.

Don't beat yourself up about it. It's been a wacky weather year.

I still have to buy geraniums and impatiens every year, 'cuz there's no way I can plan out the perennials to have colour in all my beds all summer.

Just enjoy your bargains..(isn't that what w/s is all about?), and look forward to all those seeds that will bring you and others so much pleasure! (happy face)

I had the same situation this year, Nan - WSed mostly annuals, planted them out and they just sat there! The petunias and snapdragons, which usually start flowering in June for me, did nothing until the last few days in July; my zinnias have just now started putting on some growth, so maybe I'll see flowers before the end of August. Everything else just got fried.

Unfortunately, nurseries in NYC don't seem to know the word "SALE", so no bargains for me! Boo hoo.

But my tomatoes are doing great! Just wish they'd hurry and ripen - I've only gotten two ripe toms so far, with tons on the plants. Now, the peppers - they're another story ....

PV

I bought some annuals before we went on vacation and then again about two weeks ago.
Lowes had their Pansies marked down to 50 cents a 6-pack the beginning of July, so I snatched them up.

They also had a "dying plant rack" that had a red Verbena on it in a large hanging planter. I snatched that up. I think I paid 2 bucks for it, and got a bonus dark purple Wave Petunia out of it because they had stuck that in there to make the planter look fuller.
And then, I had to do my yearly "save a Gerbera Daisy" thing. I have yet to have one of them bloom for me, despite bringing them in over winter and nursing them. But I'm going to crack the secret yet!

Then, while at Walmart, without my husband, you KNOW I had to go look at plants. I picked up two Cordylines for a buck and a half each, and then MORE Wave Petunias that were red (because I think I lost my WS container of red). They were marked down too, and I'm hoping for reseeders on the Petunias.

Since I'm doing a lot of summer sowing, I hope it keeps me away from any more garden centers.

Linda

I did this past Tuesday. My two main window boxes have looked so sad the past several weeks. For some reason I had totally wrong plants in them this year and was never happy with the look (note to self - Parks Dreamland Zinnias are not for windowboxes). Home Depot had beautiful wax begonias so I got some, added WSown alyssum and pulled some creeping jenny from a flower bed and made up really pretty window boxes to get me through till viola time......

Lynne

I confess! I have picked up a few annuals, (and also a couple of perennials). Most of the stores around here have their plants marked way down, especially if they don't look "pretty" anymore. I can't help myself, sometimes they are just too cheap to pass up.

Rhonda

i can't pass up a cheap plant either. i bought 3 wild rose bushes for $1.25 each, a tibouchina for $3.49, 2 daylilys for $1.25, also a whole tray of dwarf mondo grass for $.25 a plant, 3 iron with metal ivy on them garden stakes for $3.25 each. i wsed lots of things. most made it into the ground before the heat took them out. any perennials that didn't make it into the ground i am putting in small pots until next spring cause i am going to redo my 60ftx3ft border bed in the fall or early spring so that i can have something close to my dream yard.

I bought $11 worth of annuals in early July. Some Melampodium (1st year in garden, love these!) and some Marigolds. Those are the only plants I've purchased at a nursery this Spring!

I confess that there are a few "holes" in the garden I'd love to fill. I got some of this generic pink Geranium at a swap last fall, planted it around some edges, and don't like it. After digging it out, there are some holes.

Is it too late to buy annuals at a nursery? I've never done it this late - would think they'd be terribly potbound.

I'm absolutely planning on annual shopping in the VERY near future. My windowbox are starting to look alittle rough around the edges (as they generally do at this time of year, considering that they all face south...full sun).

I'm glad to hear the sales have started. Come fall, I want to start going w/ "fall themed" flowers in the windowboxes. So I'm hoping to hit some good deals on "summer themed" annuals at the moment.

After the destruction of my front garden caused by the roofing crew, I feet justified everytime I buy a new plant. I have purchased a few annuals for the quick color but I have also bought several perennials. This weekend I came home from a trip to Bangor (2 hrs away) with a Wine Delight daylily, a Little Women daylily, a Twilight echinacea (this is almost red and so pretty), a Summer Sky echinacea and a Honeycomb butterfly bush. I was not able to winter sow last winter but am getting geared up for this winter. I will always buy annuals though. Our winters last so long and the summers are so short that I don't get color from winter sown annuals soon enough. I will be sowning annuals though because when the purchased ones start to fade the wsn ones take over. I just love the constant challenge. ;'))
Bonny