Snobby Passalong Plants (POP)

My 5 week old gardens are still very bare but my few plantings came from a variety of sources and I've noticed that my POP's are snobs and really do not like living here.

I have planted stuff that I have ordered from online nusersies and though some of it is not growing at rates that satisfy me, some are, and those that are not are at least alive. Alive is where the bar is set for now. Next year maybe I'll try for beautiful. The 26 hedge roses I planted are doing well and I'm hoping to have an actual flower blooming for bloom day on July 15th. The lavender and clematis (also from online nurseries) have hardly grown at all but they do not look dead. The zinnia seeds (see below) I direct sowed are even coming up! And then there's the passalong plants...

The lily of the valley I got from nice freecycle.org lady is alive but barely holding on, the other unknown plant she gave me - dead! The bachelors button from garden buddy - dead! The raspberry and coneflower garden buddy gave me that just planted on Sunday - not looking good!

What is it with these POP's? I'm starting to think transplanting them to my garden is like taking a teenager who lived her whole life in a mansion and moving her to a one room shack on the side of the road. They are in shock! They hate my dirt! They are too use to living in garden utopias and I cannot give them that right now! Must thou dwell in great dirt, eat from rich compost or fancy fertilizers and drink from underground sprinklers? Is my love for thee is not enough?

Raspberry and Coneflower POP's in pots directly from garden buddy. They look okay, right?

Here is one of the Coneflower plants from this morning. WTH??

Code Blue!!! I'm really trying hard to stay organic but the miracle grow is looking better and better...

LOV Passalong

Yesterday I scored these Lily of the Valley plants from someone in my area who needed to thin hers. Thanks nice Freecycle.org lady! I split them and ended up with 6 plants!

I know what you're thinking - "WOW! That green looks spectacular up against that lovely straw colored background!" Hey, it's the best I can do for now. I planted these this morning before work but unfortunately the other unknown plant the nice lady gave me doesn't look so good.

I have no clue what this plant is, and from the looks of things, I never will. It was very close to the LOV so the lady told me to go ahead and take it. Since it is unlikely that I'll be able to fill my gardens with passalong plants, I've come up with another plan for my barren gardens and empty wallet - SEEDS! I read this great article on HGTV.com about how stupid everyone is for not just planting seeds. The article talked about how much more economical seeds are and how the selection is so much better because garden centers can really only sell what is IN BLOOM and that limits them. I'm sure it's not THAT simple but it was all I needed to hear. I'm grasping at straws here! (pun intended)

So, I planted 3 packs of seeds this morning! Giant Delphiniums, Canterbury Bells, and Columbine. Unfortunately, AFTER I planted the seeds I read on the inside of the Columbine seed packet that you should sow them outside before it gets cold, and fertilize them with something special, and call the preacher to bless them etc. I'm kidding about the preacher but DANG there were lots of stipulations with this stuff! Oh well, at least its only a couple of bucks down the drain.

So my plan for MSG 08? Plant millions of seeds. Direct sow because I'm too lazy to do pots, indoors, under lights, in the fridge, or anything along those lines. I'm not chasing off birds or squirrels or any other varmints. If they don't make it, they are not for me!

If anybody has any suggestions on things that I can plant NOW in Zone 5, please let me know.