I buy plants because I like/love them. Not necessarily because I need to fill a spot or complete a design. I'm a plant buying addict! In fact I like buying plants a lot more than I like planting them! But that is probably because I'm out of space unless I remove more lawn. Still I'm buying away.

The past few years I've been battling the urge to collect all the varieties in a series of various perennials. It makes no sense. I don't necessarily like all the variations they market. But still I feel compelled to try and collect all of them. I guess that is marketing.

Last year I went crazy on several Coreopsis series: Hardy Jewel, L'il Bang, Big Bang, Satin & Lace

This year I'm drawn in by several Dianthus Series: Scent First, Early Bird, Star, Everlast. Many of them are similar, so with limited space I need to be choosy. But part of me wants them all under the guise of "testing" them.

At least I gave up on the Delosperma series! Maybe there is hope for me.

I only buy the ones that I love. Always on a hunt for new and unusual and sometimes the new plants just are not that different from what I have. It is hard though to stop that urge to collect them all.

I also only buy the ones that I really like, plus I want them to be hardy here in zone 4. I learned the hard way that not all cone flowers (echies) are hardy here. I would rather invest money in hardy northern perennials than collect a series of plants.

Jennifer, I tend to do the same thing. I tell myself to try the first one, then if it does well, I can try more in the series. Plus, I keep looking back and forth between my bank account and the 'have-to' list. Usually manage some restraint. Note the 'usually'...

I have been disappointed in many of the new plants , finding them dead the following spring and I'm zone 7. I don't like to be tricked into buying an annual. Echibeckia what a joke that was, I'm still mad about that one.
On a positive note there are some really nice intros coming out. Loved this one


Don't be sucked in Jennifer only buy what you love.

Now is the time to effortlessly smother grass to have more planting area ready by/for next spring.

I don't collect cultivars, except for Begonias, Coleus and little Dracaena trees, but when I like a genus, I do tend to collect the various species.

Generally with series I try a couple if they do not make it I do not try any others. If they do well I get more, none I really do not like at all but sometimes I will get ones I think are ok.

I should clarify I never get everything in a series at once. Vendors rarely seem to offer every item. Maybe that should be a hint

I am not a collector of anything in general. But I can't resist a plant that I like. That might explain the patch work of lovelies I have in my assorted yard.

I do not collect a series all it has to be is a plant that I do not have.

I use to run out of places to plant then I brought a bigger property now I run I do not run out of land I run out of money. Cannot win.

I agree with the "Sold as Perennial Annual". I am there with Heucheras. I love them because I love foliage more than flowers but they just do not like to live for me.

I buy what I like also. Trademark names are meaningless. You can take any plant that is not patent protected and slap a trademark name on it. A perfect example is Ebony series Crepe Myrtles which were propagated and renamed with Black Diamond trademark. So if you collected all the Ebony series then started collecting the Black Diamond Series your are just collecting the same plants under a different name.

Outfits like First Editions and particularly Proven Winners (e.g. Calibrachoas - maybe 20 different varieties) will drive you to the poor house if you try to get everything available in a series. I don't do it though.

I would rather have 10 different species than 10 slightly different of the same series. I am very limited in space.

Purchasing in this fashion allows for a lot of variety - not a lot of only slightly different same plants.

Euphorbias that produce a caudex are my favorites. I'm always looking for the hard to find ones, especially at a price I can afford.
Next would be the Bursera and Commiphora. Really neat little trees.
During this last year I added a few Morning Glories and fatty cucurbit to my collection.
I have had to learn to tell myself no, at least not so many new plants. Sometimes I actually listen

David, I agree when I got the Hosta bug that is how I purchased them. There are so many Hosta that did not look different enough for me to try to buy all of them just because it had a different name. I did what they call a "10 ft rule". If I could not name it from 10 ft there was no need to purchase.

I have been waiting for Hosta Liberty to go down in price. I have that one coming this Spring from Santa Rosa

Reine said:
Next would be the Bursera and Commiphora. Really neat little trees.

I have a total of 5 of Bursera, Commiphora and Boswellia. One grown from seed. They are some of my Bonsai plants. Unfortunately I let the Frankincense get away from me and it is ~ 2 feet tall. But a very fat caudex.

Cinta said:David, I agree when I got the Hosta bug that is how I purchased them.

Yep. Hosta is certainly one of those "series" plants that would put you in the poor farm quite rapidly.

BTW - love yer 10 foot rule.

Ha! And Hostas have not tempted me one bit. I guess I'm not as compelled as I thought!

I almost never buy plants, but my O Seed D does drive me towards trying every variety of something I like, like snow peas or snap peas.

But that doesn't work once you try lettuce! We have around 500 varieties in our database ...

Then I found Frank Morton's lettuce series. Being new, they are a little expensive. At least they are OP so I can multiply them. And they promise to be photogenic, if the slugs leave me anything to photograph.

Flashy Butter Gem Lettuce - Early medium-size romaine type - Light green dappled with deep crimson.
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa 'Flashy Butter Gem')

Flashy Lightning Lettuce - Oak leaf / butterhead type - Dark green oak-shaped leaves with brilliant maroon splashes & pink blanched heart.
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa 'Flashy Lightning')

Flashy Butter Oak Lettuce - Emerald green oak-shaped leaves with brilliant maroon speckles.
"oak-leaf / butter-cos" type.
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa 'Flashy Green Butter Oak')

I used to be on a mission to collect Campanulas and Heucheras. Some Campanulas would survive, others not. Some of the survivors (the newer ones) tended to take over and had to be edited. I did plant C. rapunculoides, not knowing that it's one of the worst thugs in the plant world and it will forever (unfortunately) be a part of my garden. Heucheras - I learned that the parents are critical to surviving hot summers but gave up on them due to their prices. Now I make due with a few survivors and the variable 'Palace Purple' seedlings.