flora_uk, I can still see ungerminated seeds delightedinco, I tried the Scotts EZ Seed too - it sometimes worked, and it's very convenient to use (I like the built-in spreader on the smaller containers - the gardening newbies this product is aimed at are not going to own seed spreaders or roto-tillers, don't know what kind of soil or fertilizer to use, and have no idea what 5 lbs. per 400 feet looks like when spread. But it is so expensive for what you get). I bought it only because Scotts used to have $5-off discounts on it. Pennington has a similar product as part of their Smart Seed line that's a bit cheaper (but not much), although I wonder why they claim much longer germination times than the Scotts product. There's also Scotts Patch Master which is cheaper and I haven't used yet. I think I'm going to try just regular seed, and watering more often (a real pain here - there's no outside garden hose faucets, so I either need to use big watering buckets or run a hose from an indoor faucet. I have a 50' coiled garden hose with a sink-faucet adapter at one end and a trigger sprayer at the other for that purpose). I have a bag of Vigoro Starter Fertilizer 20-27-5, and have applied quite a bit of new seeding soil (of several varieties depending on location) since the ground is mostly hard clay. I did my best to loosen it with a metal gardening rake before adding a new layer of topsoil. Any recommendations as to what type of grass I should use? I'm near Washington DC, which means both humid 100°F+ in the summer and subfreezing icy winters. The big-box stores around here seem to favor tall fescoe, which is also what the combination seed/mulch/fertilizer products use in this market. I like the bright green color, how fast it grows, and its tolerance for all sorts of bad weather, but not the thin straight grass blades that get matted down like cheap carpeting when walked on. The second most popular here seems to be the generically-labeled "sun and shade mix". The real nurseries have more variety to choose from but also higher prices. I don't want anything that goes dormant or turns yellow or brown in the winter. The side yard is in heavy shade due to closely-spaced houses and lots of old trees, but the backyard (which I'm more concerned about since that's the main socializing area) gets alot of sunlight. I also hear some people say I shouldn't even try to grow from seed during the hot summer. But I'd like to have a lawn by fall if possible, when I plan to have a new renter. I could plant sod - but it's inconvenient given how thirsty the stuff is when new (given the water situation I mentioned earlier) and hard to transport for someone with a small car and a bad back. Any ideas?

Marcia, I had Duchess of Albany for 3 years, but it was planted out in the open, no shelter at all. Is yours planted up against a building? If it is, it'll have a much better shot at living I would imagine. Mine did ok the first year, but went into decline the next 2 years. It's the same story for my John Paul II, and Ville de Lyon, and Jackmanii.....there's so many nice hardy types of clematis out there, I think I'll stick to them. I also just picked up Durandii, so we'll have to compare notes together.;^) Gillian, I've also noticed that my Orientals are looking really robust this year. I wonder if it depends on how far down the frost gets to in the winter, as to how well they do the next year? I expected/hoped that the ones on the south side of the house would do well, but even those out in the island bed have multiplied as well.

Connie, if your Lorraine Sunshine is only 2 years old, I'd wait another 2-3 years before you divide it, let it get established first. Well, by golly Toots... it looks like my Monarda didyma Marshall's Delight is up too! When I lived in Saskatoon I grew Beebalm like weeds and I can't tell you how many attempts have I tried to get a clump growing here in Wainwright since the year of 2000! You're right Shauna, it appears that my Japanese Painted Fern is poking thru....I just brushed some leaves back and lo and behold it's alive, it's alive....if this grow great, I'll pick up another 2 so its not so alone ;) Laurie, too bad about your other Hawkeye Belle. One thing I noticed today is that nothing is come up with the three plants of Verbascum bombyciferum Giant Silver Mullein that I bought last year....it still has the leaves from last year but nothing....Faith, if you still visit here at the FN forum, how's yours doing? Sharon

I finally got around to doing an inventory of who's poking their heads up. I'm thinking beginner's luck really applies to me (like Hykue already mentioned for her garden), since almost everything seems to be coming back. My garden is in Whitehorse, Yukon (Zone 1a). Here's what made it: Delphiniums - 'Summer Skies', Pacific Giant 'Guinevere', and assorted miscellaneous ones that were here when we moved in. Re-blooming Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Catherine Woodbury') Asiatic Pot Lily 'Mt. Duckling' Primula cortusoides - coming up like crazy and now its blooming, one of the earliest ones in the garden, came up at the same time as the Delphiniums Columbine - Aquilegia vulgaris plena 'Black Barlow' and A. flabellata 'Ministar' (Blue Angel Fan columbine) Dianthus deltoides 'Confetti White' (White Maiden pinks) and Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Tiny Rubies (Cheddar pinks) Campanula cochlearifolia 'Bavaria Blue' (Bavaria Blue Fairy Thimble) - came up a bit later than everything else so I was worried about it but it looks like itÂs doing fine Rosy Pussytoes Cutleaf Anemone  another one thatÂs growing like crazy. Goat's Beard Sempervivum 'Emerald Express' Tanacetum coccineum Robinson's Mix (Single Painted Daisy) Subalpine Daisy Baby's Breath - a transplant from my mother-in-law's garden last year Speedwell - Veronica allioni unknown var.; Veronica RedFox; Veronica spicata 'Sightseeing Mix' (all are coming up like crazy) Aster alpinus 'Dunkle Schone' (Dark Beauty Alpine Aster), and Aster alpinus 'Pinkie' (Pink Alpine Aster) - the Dark Beauty has tons of growth, the Pinkie is slower but alive Double-flowering Almond - I really had doubts about how this one would do when I planted it last year but it's flowering! Icelandic poppy  just about to flower. Peonies 'Sword Dance', 'Sarah Bernhardt', and 'Sorbet' - I was worried about them but the ÂSarah Bernhardt is coming up like crazy and the others are alive, too. I had thought the Sword Dance was dead last year so stuck it in the ground in a patch in the middle of nowhere, pretty much ignored it, and now itÂs coming back. IÂm amazed. Common Bleeding Heart  survived but I planted it in what turned out to be a poor spot last year so IÂll move it as soon as I can this year. Alchemilla mollis (Lady's Mantle) - planted it in a very bad spot two years ago and I'm amazed it's still hanging in there. I'm going to move the poor thing this year. Potentilla nepalensis (Cinquefoil ÂMiss WillmottÂ)  another one that I planted in a really bad spot two years ago and it survived. IÂd actually forgotten it was even there and so wasnÂt watering it or anything but then went to dig up a spot for azaleas and found it! So IÂve moved it to my new shade bed while apologizing to it profusely. Hosta undulata ÂMediovariegata' is slowly coming up; still no sign of Hosta fortunei Âaureomarginata Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis ÂRoseaÂ) Lilacs  two unknown varieties that were here when we moved in Chives - these were here from the previous owners. I accidentally weeded a bunch out when we first moved in and then discovered more the other day. A few other odds and ends  raspberries that we transplanted from my mother-in-lawÂs garden last year, rhubarb that was here when we moved in, two Ashleaf Spirea that appeared out of nowhere, tons of JacobÂs Ladder and Yarrow and Oxeye Daisies, and a mixture of wild and domestic strawberries that are all in bloom now. The casualties (what doesnÂt appear to have survived or are iffy): Dwarf Arctic Iris (Iris setosa var. arctica)  two donÂt have anything but I just noticed that one has a couple of green shoots Phlox divaricata ssp laphamii ÂChattahoochee Johnny Jump-ups  maybe these will come later since they did fine last year Blue Marguerite (Felicia amelloides) Nepeta faassenii ÂDropmore Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla ÂJack FrostÂ)  I think IÂll try this again but somewhere else in my yard. Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea ÂDouble MixedÂ)  not surprised these didnÂt make it, I didnÂt really expect them to but thought IÂd give them a try False Spirea (Astilbe taqueti ÂSuperbaÂ)  another one that I planted before I knew what I was doing and that probably would have done fine if IÂd put it in a better spot. Poor thing. IÂve got some other Astilbes in a different spot this year.