If there were no deadheading needed, I probably wouldn't be as interested in the plant! I love to fuss, and pull off dried/yellowing leaves, and dead head. That's my time (in addition to the watering and weeding) to spend unwinding from the day, for me it's like therapy. But on the other hand it can be time consuming if there's too much of it to do (and I get real cranky when I see the need to clean up my containers/garden but don't have the time). This year I grew a sweet little plant called gypsophilia (miniature baby's breath), and only periodically ran my hands over the mound to shake out the seed and bugs (aphids, although it didn't appear the bugs slowed the plants at all). Then I got to them a day late with the watering can and they looked a bit fried, so I took my scissors and sheared them back by half, fertilized and was faithful to future waterings and within 10 days they were well on their way to being covered with little pinky/purple flowers again. Another colorful addition to your containers that need little care and are not bothered by any bugs (in my zone 3 area anyway) is coleus. Such an array of designs and colours, and the colour is there right away when you plant. On the seed grown ones you would need to periodically pinch off their flower spikes, but the work involved is minimal compared to deadheading petunias! ~ k ~

If pink "pink" is acceptable, then the following might work for you. In the foreground below is ornamental purslane, easily found at the big box stores when the weather warms. Right now, after our cold weather, mine look like dead strings. In years past, those "strings" return to bloom beautifully. It's also an easy plant to propagate - break off a stem, stick it in the soil, and very soon you have a new plant. Two other suggestions are pictured below: In the foreground is portulaca, a.k.a moss rose. Like purslane, it's easy to propagate - stick a stem in the soil and you soon have a new plant. It's also easily found at the big box stores. Centered in the picture is a low growing vinca: Nirvana Cascade Pink Splash. Again, I found it at one of the big box stores. It's a lower growing variety of vinca so you wouldn't have to prune it to keep it within your 12" height requirement. This is a young plant - it does get wider than this. It also self-seeds in place, an attribute for which I am grateful as it's allowed me to have the plant growing in several spots in the garden. All the plants I currently have are from the original plant pictured here. The Nirvana series - and sometimes this particular one - rated among the best at the University of Georgia Plant Trials in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. It's got my vote too. June

I thought I'd post the list again. I know I missed someone either sending or receiving. Please double check your name and let me know if I made a mistake. Fran/ncgardengirl-received Frances/fcoffill-sent & received Mariann/galium-sent & received Alana/poisondartfrog-sent & received Tammy/greenthumbgrow-sent & received Karen/Kalena67-sent & received Linda/ibartoo-sent & received Shelly/sred98-sent Michelle/micyrey-sent & received Jeanne/sandlapper_rose-received riley17/Holly-sent Annie/canyonwind-sent & received Margo/smitties-sent & received Sue/sguanzon-sent & received So, has anyone started their new seeds yet??? I did-I started Rudbeckia 'Goldilocks' that I received from Margo plus a few other seeds. Hope everyone had a good weekend, Mariann

I received a surprise today from Chris (grolikecrazy)! Thank you. :) The plain letter envelope had holes in it- looks like it was damaged in transit. There was no bubble wrap or other padding inside of it to cushion the seeds. Seeds sent to me with no bubbles almost always do get destroyed like this, because the PO runs mail through some hard metal rollers unless it's in a bubble mailer marked FRAGILE in big red letters. :( The Dianthus barbatus seeds were about 75% destroyed and the Red Noodle Yard Long Bean seeds were completely dust. Thank you grolikecrazy, for kindly sending to me. I can still sow the few Dianthus seeds that made it, and hopefully get some plants! Excited about that. :) I'm sorry this happened, Chris. You were so kind to send seeds to me. I'm very glad you were thinking of me, and some of the Dianthus seeds do appear to be usable. It made my day to receive this, even if it is just a few seeds. : ) Thanks, Grovespirit Wondering why the surprises I mailed out haven't shown up here yet. I do hope they didn't get lost in the mail.