The Gift of Indecision

 

One of the last things that I need right now are more seeds.

Due to my very limited gardening last year, I still have plenty. So... what does my sister get for my birthday earlier this month? A $50.00 gift card to Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

 

I have been poring over their catalog and website for the past two weeks. If I'm going to place an order, and you KNOW I will, it should be placed very soon. Don't get me wrong, they have a lot of stuff it would be interesting to grow. My tastes have been changing. I've gone from wanted to grow heirlooms and older varieties, to falling for the newest thing.

 

I NEED to have the latest petunia 'African Sunset'. It is the first true orange petunia.

Petunia 'African Sunset". Photo from All-America Selections.

 

I'd also love to get my hands on the newest filet bean 'Mascotte'.

Filet Bean 'Mascotte'. Photo from All-America Selections.

There are number of other cutting edge varieties that are at the top of my want list. I should wait and see how actually grow. Heirlooms at least have along history and their attributes and faults are well documented. Then there is the price. I am going to have to pay for newness and novelty. The petunia averages around $4.95 for ten seeds and the bean $3.95 for 100 seeds. Then we have my "thriftiness", yes folks I've become VERY cheap since the great recession.

 

Case in point-

Last year I purchased several of the mew colors of sweet alyssum.

'Aphrodite Lemon', 'Aphrodite Salmon', 'Aphrodite Wine Red", 'Wonderland Cotton Candy' and 'Aphrodite Apricot'. I also purchased seeds of my old favorites, 'Carpet of Snow', 'Rosie O'Day' and 'Royal Carpet'. I was disappointed with the new varieties. They did not spread well and the colors were only really noticeable in the late fall when it got very cool. The older varieties spread as expected and the colors were vivid. Hmn... I spent over ten dollars for the new, and less than three dollars for the old.

 

If I were to spend the same amount on the newest I'd be getting less than ten packs of seeds. I've already modeled several Baker Creek orders and for $50.00, which includes shipping, I can get at least twenty packs of seeds. My head tells me what I should do. My greedy heart tells me otherwise.

 

Thank goodness she didn't give me two gift cards!