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Plant Fever Cured By Heart Attack

comments (4) August 21st, 2011 in blogs

KissMyAster Amanda Thomsen, contributor
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I was at the Chicago Botanic Garden with my little family, minding my own business, when I rounded the corner at the English Walled Garden and BLAM! Dianthus 'Heart Attack' gave me plant fever so bad that I knew right then and there that I was going to do something stupid to get one. That color! That height! It would be so perfect under my Rosa glauca that I couldn't even stand it. I'd never felt this way about a Dianthus before...

I ran home and went through the catalog for my favorite local garden center and came up with nothing, so I got on the computer and found a few sources. Some vendors were charging a chunk of change for the plant and had reasonably low shipping and some had an acceptably priced plant that was apparently going to be delivered by Elvis (back from the dead) it was so costly. Regardless, I wasn't getting this plant into the ground at the Asterdome for less than around $30 and that is just CRAZY for me. Even crazier? I wanted 3 of them but I eventually talked myself down and settled for one. A very full plant arrived in just a few days, in excellent condition, it was near instant gratification. Plant fever is dangerous business, especially when you can order anything you want off the internet while you're under its spell.

But I don't regret my 'Heart Attack'...

 

posted in: Kiss My Aster, Dianthus 'Heart Attack', Chicago Botanic Garden, plant shopping, internet
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Comments (4)

mgervais writes: I feel that way about Solanum quitoense, even years after I first saw it. It's an annual, so I have to search for it every year, and I get a bit obsessive... I even had trouble finding it mailorder this year! I finally found it at Atlock Farm in New Jersey. I've made such a stink about this plant at one of my local nurseries that they want me to bring it in so they can see it. Posted: 2:32 pm on August 23rd
Echo0 writes: I've had 'Heart Attack' dianthus for years. Strangers walking by used to ask me what they were all the time. I think I even had people knock on the door to ask! Posted: 10:14 am on August 22nd
KissMyAster writes: And usually I think that's nuts but this time it just got me riled up. Are you going to get that peony?
I don't have to have the newest and rarest... But I had to have this Dianthus! Posted: 6:08 pm on August 21st
PMetrinko writes: I feel the same way about a white/with purple center peony I just saw. The nursery wants $80 for one plant! Posted: 3:33 pm on August 21st
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