More Plants!
I got home from work today to find two boxes waiting on the steps for me. Both contained plants. One was from Prairie Nursery in Wisconsin, the other from Prairie Moon Nursery in Minnesota.
I like how Prairie Nursery packs its boxes with thinly shredded wood, which kind of looks like extremely al dente angel hair pasta. This is a big improvement on those styrofoam peanuts.
(Here’s some expert advice: If you get a shipment of plants packed in styrofoam peanuts, do not open the box outdoors on a windy day. The results are not dignified, though they may prove diverting to any members of the family who happen to be watching.)
Most of the plants that arrived were White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra). This is a tall plant with white flowers that likes sun and moist soil.
I ordered five White Turtlehead bareroot from Prairie Moon. Then I ordered five plants of the same species from Prairie Nursery – because I had forgotten about the purchase from Prairie Moon. The upside is that I will now have 10 White Turtlehead, because accidents happen. Also, I can compare the relative vigor of bareroot versus plugs.
One reason I bought the White Turtlehead is that they are the host plant for Baltimore Checkerspots Butterflies. I have never seen one in the garden, but their range does include northern Illinois. So, maybe we will see them in the next couple of years.
I also ordered some some seeds for False Nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica). False nettles are not much to look at, but they lack the nasty hairs of Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica).
Like Stinging Nettle, however, False Nettle is a host plant for several butterfly species: Red Admiral, Question Mark, and Eastern Comma. False Nettle likes part shade, so my plan is to spread the seeds in a few discreet and shady nooks where they will not be the center of attention.
Other plant purchases include Early Meadowrue (Thalictrum dioicum) and Sulivant’s Milkweed (Asclepias sulivantii).
My question for you is this. Have you ever forgotten about ordering a plant from one source, and then proceeded to order the same plant from a second source? Is this some kind of new malady – Gardener’s Dementia?
gardeninacity 
Re the styrofoam pellets sometimes used for packing: these are doing dreadful damage to our environment and we could all put a little pressure on suppliers not to use them, if the environment is a thing we care about. Your new plants look as if they will be wonderful additions to your garden.
I’m hoping they will be!
On occasion I have received goods packed in packing peanuts made of some kind of biodegradable material that dissolves in water. Wish more vendors would use them.
I’m glad to know I’m not the only person to have done this.
Distracted people, unite!
I have white turtlehead and it’s a wonderful plant. I’ve forgotten about plant orders, too. It’s called being too busy!
I’m glad I’m not alone.
Yes, I too have ordered the same plant twice, but then you have twice the pleasure!
Very true. The only downside is you have to find more space for the extra plants.
i haven’t ordered plants twice – as far as I remember!! As these were the only things you ordered I would say you just wanted to be sure you got some.
I like that. A backup order, as it were. I’ll keep that excuse in mind for the future.
Love the fact that you are planting for butterflies, Jason! Keep up the great work 🙂
Thanks.
No, I haven’t done that; but I’m still planting plants I bought in May. No, I’m not lazy, but i had to enlarge old beds or herbicide aggressive plants to make room for the new plants. I vow to finish by next week.
I wish you success!
That is one gorgeous butterfly – don’t think I’ve ever seen one before although apparent they are found in Southern Ontario. I’ve not forgotten about plant orders, probably because I’ve done so few up until now as I usually grow everything from seed. Purchases of wool, however, to feed my knitting addition is a whole other story 🙂
I think auto-correct was trying to be nice….that should be knitting “addiction”
I’ve never seen one either, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
I don’t do much ordering of plants but I have certainly bought plants from one nursery. Then a few months later bought the same plants once again. Ha… It does happen.
Glad I’m not alone.
Yes, I’ve also bought the same plant twice. For me it sometimes stems from having a debate with myself about whether to buy it or not, and then I forget what I decided! I haven’t seen any Baltimore Checkers in my yard, but my Chelone has suffered what looks more like insect damage than deer damage, so maybe there are a couple around.
Let me know if you spot one! Happily there are no deer where we live
Never done this with plants. However, I blush to admit I have done this with books. I’ve forgotten I have a certain book and get it again. Darn! I always get so disgusted with myself when that happens.
Yeah, I’ve done it with books also. I once bought someone the same book as a present two years in a row.
Oh, too funny!
How about the “Gotta have it RIGHT now no matter what syndrome?”
That’s a pretty accurate name, too.
White Turtlehead looks like an interesting plant to grow. Not sure I’ve ever seen it. I’m more likely to procrastinate and not order at all than to duplicate an order. Have a great day Jason.
I do lots of procrastination, just not when it comes to buying plants.
You are not alone! I’ve actually purchased a plant at a nursery only to find that one already was waiting to be planted in my pot ghetto. Oops. The butterflies will be thrilled with your new additions!
It’s good to know one is not alone. I certainly hope you are right about the butterflies.
We’ve all done some version of this. I did this with a peony. Well, that would be two Peonies. As Pauline said, twice the fun. Impressed with your planting for butterfly diversity.
Thanks. I guess we’re all prone to mistakes.
I haven’t done that but I constantly plant things and am astonished when they pop up! Those butterflies are lovely, I do hope they are attracted by your new plants.xxx
I’m the same when it comes to planting stuff and then forgetting that it’s there.
I once received some hops roots and I have absolutely NO memory of ordering them, no idea what I might have been thinking at the time, or where I planned to plant them. But they were from a seed house I order from regularly, so they weren’t entirely out of the blue.
So did you plant them?
You are going to have some happy butterflies in your garden. I am constantly amazed at the number of fabulous butterflies in your gardens in America.
Do you really think you don’t have as many in the UK?
I can’t remember ever doing that but I have forgotten the names of plants in my own garden.
If I were you I wouldn’t plant the turtleheads in full, day long sun. I have a pink one that gets only morning sun. They grow naturally in shaded areas and along forest edges that get maybe a few hours of direct sunlight each day. Of course it’s possible that they can take full sun but just can’t get it in nature due to all the competition.
I’ve put the Turtlehead where the base of the plants stay pretty shaded, the tops will be in sun. The soil is nice and moist, but not wet.
I’m afraid that I do duplicate ordering and not only with plants. (have three copies of Old Filth by Jane Gardam but was able to loan them for a book club choice!). Found aromatic aster and anise goldenrod at a native plant sale today along with spotted beebalm, still in bloom.
You will have a busy weekend planting your purchases and your remaining daffodil bulbs! Good luck.
I have a few duplicate books myself.
Styrofoam peanuts outside on a windy day: been there, done that, had to listen to the smart-ass comments. I’ve also done the duplicate ordering thing, many times, with plants and seeds.
Then I consider myself in good company.
I don’t order as many plants as you do, but I seem to suffer from that disease when it comes to moving a plant and not getting it in the right place the first time I move it. 🙂
Yes, I have a lot of nomadic plants also.
Well, you have inspired me in many ways with your gardening blog, but now I really must start planting for butterflies. We do get an annoying white butterfly that eats all the vegetable plants, I guess we just need to use netting over these plants?
Around here we call that butterfly the “cabbage white”. I sort of feel it hardly counts as a butterfly.
Please let us know how each performs- bare root/potted. Also, thanks for planting the false nettle. It’s good to see bloggers (people of some authority) planting non-showy plants in the interest of nature.
Well, I never thought of myself as a person of authority. In any case, I’ll let you know about how the bare root does in relation to the pots.
Wow! beautiful~~ I’ve just started out and this is absolutely inspiring!!
Thanks! Glad you like it.