They say it will grow to bigger than a basketball player.

My dear wife Karen and I decided a little drive down the road to neighborhood nursery Ballantyne Gardens would do us good last weekend.

Our friend, owner Lisa, was happy to come out from behind the register and talk about what would make us happy to add to our backyard collection this spring, filling us in on the Central New York tendencies of each species my we were curious about in 2024.

Yes, it will bloom here.

After our happy 2024 education, we loaded into the back of our car, three pretty pots designated for the backyard and one smaller plant to help fill in the wide front garden.

Already spring-pruned by Ballantyne’s folks.

Once home, I grabbed the spade out of the spade, we decided upon the best spots against the far left fence, and into our ground the three went.

May I present, from top to bottom, our new butterfly bush, hydrangea and hibiscus.

The front sedum will get its planting and unveiling here at a later date.