On Friday the 6th, I went to the seasonal clearance sale at Glick's in Oley (Berks County). It's a nice independent family greenhouse with good prices. The clearance was 99 cents on all quart perennials and 50 cents on market packs of annuals.

I arrived early at 8 AM - the normal opening time. But they don't open on sale day until 9 AM, no matter how much you whine. At least I had a good parking space. Right across the road is a daylily farm that belongs to a Glick family member - so I went over and chatted while they deadheaded. I know very little about daylilies, and I learned a lot in just a half an hour, and got help picking out some varieties to try - thinking about "Little Joy" and "Little Zinger."

http://www.manatawnycreekfarm.com/

I had to run back across the road to Glick's when they showed signs of opening up. Gotta be at the front of the line to get a plant cart! People rushed right to the back for the perennial clearance.

I was proud of myself - I actually made a few recommendations to other people from my limited experience. I bought:

Helianthemum Nummularium "Annabel"

Hens-n-chicks - maybe "Silverine"

Hypericum moseranum 'Tri-color'

Salvia officinalis "Icterina" - Golden Variegated Sage

Salvia Nemorosa "Snow Hill"

Penstemon Digitalis "Husker Red"

Nepeta x faassenii "Walker's Low"

Alcea "Chater's Double Mix"

Helenium "Mardi Gras"

2 different lavenders (unlabeled)

Achillea Millefolium "Terra Cotta"

Agastache neomexicana

2 foxgloves I gave to my mother

I got some annuals, too, to fill in the holes left as I cut back the peonies starting to show powdery mildew symptoms:

apricot-colored zinnias (goes with the terra cotta yarrow)

light yellow Marguerite daisies

blue annual salvia

more coleus

Spent less than $20. But add to that the 4 gallons of perennial salvia I got from the Lowe's $1 clearance rack -- and I now have a LOT to keep watered until I figure out where to plant! I don't want to plant anything in this little heat wave - but the temperature is supposed drop back down to the 80's by Thursday and be overcast.

Has anyone done Hollyhocks in a pot? Did they overwinter? I don't have a lot of fence area left, but I do have some porch posts they could grow against in the sun in a pot. I might containerize some other things - I could move the coleus around as I need holes filled, and give them some shade when they need a break.

Anyhow, Glick's is all but sold out now. If you live nearby, it's worth a trip next year. Especially if you follow it with a visit to the Oley Legion Diner for breakfast. Glick's has a big poinsettia sale during the holidays. Get on the mailing list and you will get postcard reminders.

--Tracy

Here is a link that might be useful: Glick's Greenhouse