IMA's Perennial Premiere: 2016 Edition

Every year, the IMA holds a Perennial Premiere plant sale. I've gone the past several years, and this year I also volunteered to work the plant check table for six hours on Saturday. (Think coat check, but with plants. You can drop off a box of plants and then keep shopping. Volunteers then pull the prices for each so you don't have to juggle them in the checkout line and then other volunteers take them to your car. It's a well-orchestrated event.)

The IMA puts out a list of plants they anticipate being available. Inevitably something I want isn't there (this year it's the Stachys minima [dwarf betony], but the majority are. Last week I spent an evening with the list, the Internet, and a pen and paper.

I made a list of plants I was interested in. (I admit the list got quite a bit longer than what's shown here.)

I took the list with me on Saturday. I go through this process because, if I don't, one of two things will happen:

1. I will get overwhelmed by the options and wander around with my brow furrowed in concentration, not actually buying any plants.
2. I will buy every damn hellebore they have. It is a sickness, and the only cure is avoidance. If it's not on the list, I don't buy it. (This only sort of works, I admit. Still, I didn't come home with another hellebore.)

I was scheduled to work the first two shifts on Saturday, so the selection was really good while I was there. The morning is for IMA members only, with it opening to the public at 1:00. We were slammed on Saturday morning. The amount of plants that were sold is staggering.

I did my part.

Yesterday I mowed and then planted my new plants. This morning on the way to work, I stopped at the drugstore and bought allergy eye drops. Welcome to Spring, my friends!