Newbies (and some controversy)

This year I have been surprisingly resistant to making purchases for the yard and garden beyond bales of peat, bags of compost, and a bit of this and that. However, there were a few holes to fill, so some plants followed me home the other day. (Sorry for the quality of the photos - the light was not ideal.)

I am crazy for Coreopsis, but most cultivars crap out after a couple of years, so I have been replacing them with other loves. Somewhere along the line, the Penstemon disappeared from the yard, so I added some into the bed by the front walk, to fill the spots absented by some Coreopsis. This variety is 'Red Riding Hood', purchased at Arbor Farms. I hope the hummingbirds like it.

I am also a sucker for Sedum. While visiting a new-to-me nursery north of Auburn (Garden Gate), I saw some new-to-me Stonecrop, 'Blue Spruce'. Thinking I had no room for it, I passed, only to succumb when I saw it later at Home Depot. It too is now in the front bed.

I have also added some calendula and white alyssum, with the hopes they will self-seed next year. At any rate, I think this bed now is as full as it can be (until something else dies off).

Another full bed is the hosta bed on the north side of the garage. That did not stop me from picking up another Heuchera, this one 'Zipper', to contrast with the darker two in this bed.

I'd also like to add something tall, maybe Ostrich Fern, maybe even replacing the hostas in the back as they are an older variety that is susceptible to slug damage, but that idea will have to wait for another year.

No photos, but I added three Purple Coneflower plants to the south side of the house, all 'Magnus'. This is the bed that contains the Catmint that is spreading every which way. Maybe if I fence it in, it will stay put?

When I started seeds for the vegetable garden this year, I aimed to produce the exact number of plants needed. Unfortunately, this did not allow for the fact that some transplants would not survive. Something has eliminated a few marigolds and 'Roma' tomato plants, so I purchased replacements.

Now for a controversial topic: Neonicotinoids. Some of the plants I purchased from Home Depot came with the following tags, tags I noticed only after I pulled the plants from their pots for transplanting.

My first inclination was to return the plants to the store. But after reading HD's policy online (their suppliers must include these tags for plants that have been treated), I realized that while I now *know* these plants had been treated, I have no idea if any of the other plants I have purchased now or in the past from wherever have also been treated. I could ask, but I would be surprised if many of the local nurseries even know whether their suppliers use Neonicotinoids. And if they do know and the answer is yes, do I stop buying from them even though they are local businesses, which I try to support? It's a bit of a quandary. What would YOU do in my place?