Welcome merryrose!! We're happy to have you with us. The only Mainer I know of on this forum goes by silverkelt. Not sure where in Maine. I'm in north-central CT. If I have any seeds you'd like, they're yours for a SASBE. I don't have a whole lot for the shade but I've got astilbe seed heads I harvested back in November. I also have lots of coreopsis and balloon flower seeds. Let me know if you'd like me to put any aside for you.

Welcome merryrose. Glad you joined in the fun.

Karen

Not from Maine, but surely a neighbour. Hello and welcome from Nova Scotia! Happy you joined us!

Good Afternoon !

Always nice to see another mainer,

While you are looking through your woods next year, there are several wild flowers you can find and transplant, one is NOT endangered at all, its spreads fairly rapidly and can be found all over the maine woods, its easy to transplant and will come back for early spring flowers.

Its Eastern Starflower.. take a look around you will find it someplace, if not let me know and Ill get you some. Also look for Lady Slippers, there are always new buildings going up around me, I just ask permission to move them from the foreman before they level the area, its kind of hard, you have to catch these are recognize the leaves later one. But they do wonderful in woodland gardens.

Jack in the pupilts can be kinda fussy at times. They like moist dappled sun conditions. There is also trillium. Blood root is very pretty, though I tried the single white variety and I think the flashier red types are prettier.

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I dont know what your growing conditions are, but astibles, hostas , columbine are do well in dappled light conditions, most of them like moist conditins which hasnt been a problem for us.

Im actually in the process of cutting more trees down for more room fo roses and daylilies and other sun lovers...

(I hope you have more success with primroses than me! Im 0-3 in trying to wintersow them, but they were all from value seeds and probable were not as fresh as need be!)

Have a great time wintersowing in your first year!

Silverkelt

Hi Gardenweed--I'd love astilbe and baloon flower seeds. I think the way it works is I send you a bubble envelope with a self sddressed label and postage. Correct? And how do I calculate postage? Excited that I'm here and actually getting a response! A trip to a new world. Also how do I get your address?

Hey Silverkelt--Great pictures! I've searched the woods and when construction was going on spotted a lady slipper. It was in a protected spot--looked this yr, not there. Hear they can appear and disappear. I'm pretty sure no trilliums, but I have done well with Jack in the Pulpit--moving from woods to woods. Will keep my eyes wide open, of course, in spring. Mary

Hi merryrose. Send me an email--go to MyPage and you should be able to email me directly. Yippee!!! I'll be happy to send you astilbe and balloon flower seeds. I harvested SO many back the end of November. I'll help you with the postage question--it's no biggie.
Eileen

About primroses--Silverkelt, you mentioned you were 0/3 with wsing primrose seed. These are my heart's delight. Read Eck and Winterrowd's "Our Life in Gardens" and they describe wsing primrose seeds. The new White Flower Farm catalogue features their candelabra primroses--North Hill Strain. Anybody had success wsing primroses?

I think alot of us that bought from value seeds didnt have much success a few years running.. I shouldve just purchased them from swallowtail... it was just the darn price I couldnt get around =)...

Silverkelt

Hey there and welcome. I live right by you in Nevada....okay, so I am not right by you (I don't think I am right by anyone here) but welcome anyways!

Hi merryrose,

This is my first year for WS as well - despite being an 'old' gardener. I've never been to Swanville, but when I saw your post I thought,"Holy cow! Isn't that where Carol moved to?" Yup. So you're not alone in Swanville loving woodland gardening, merryrose. She's really outgoing, friendly, and new to your town so you could give her a call.

I bought my seeds from Swallow Tail as well. Bought Primadonna deep rose Echinacea and this is my first attempt at growing Penstemon (Rondo). Anything for more bees and butterflies.

Kindly,
Jane

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardener in Maine