Plants I didn't really need

Yesterday, between work and a doctor's appoint, I had an hour to fill. I took the free time as a rare opportunity to visit Campbell's greenhouse, a long standing Charlotte nursery with a great reputation for selection and variety (and a quick google shows perhaps a less than great reputation for kindness and manners). Their plant reputation, and the fact that it's frequented by Myer's Park homeowners, kept me away for fear the plants were too pricey, the environment too hoity, and that I'd walk away disappointed or far poorer than I could rationalize.

vernal witch hazel by flickr user lobstah1977
purple basil by flickr user proteinbiochemist
Pelargonium* by flickr use louisa_catlover 

What did I take home? Some sort of purple basil -- perhaps it will end up in several of these ideas on Farmgirl Fare.  I haven't been too experimental with some of my veggies the past couple years, opting for tried and true varieties to keep us happy over the winter but the purple was way too pretty to ignore. I also bought a vernal witch hazel, I've been asking around about witch hazel, but haven't found the east coast native variety (Hamamelis virginiana). This variety is native to the states slightly west of here and has the same useful properties as H. virginiana, so I figured what-the-hey and added it to my pile.  I've been looking for a rose pelargonium because the fragrance is a natural tick repellent, but haven't found one yet. They had apple and mint scented geraniums, so I brought home an apple variety.  I spent less than $30, not too shabby considering a few weeks ago the witch hazel alone would've easily set me back that much. Since they're out of season for flowering, though, I think I got a pretty good deal on it. 


*To be honest, the picture of the scented geranium wasn't labeled, but mine looks very much like this one.