All I can say is - Wow! I'd read your earlier post about not having to move and leave your new beds, but seeing what you've created there, I have a much deeper appreciation for how happy you must have been to STAY PUT!!! I KNOW that both the seed starting and the planting were TON of work (as only one who has been there can know..) and I am so glad you will be there for year 2 of your perennials. All I can say is that in year 3, you are going to FLIP at how beautiful it is and everyone around you will think you spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars on "pop in" perennial plants and will have a hard time believing that you grew each and every cluster of plants from seed. But you'll know...and be SO proud. Oh, and can I borrow that 14 year old boy? And a few of his friends from the sports teams? I went to lift a bale of promix this morning and thought - gosh, I've gotten completely out of shape this winter. Starting the spring planting maddness is going to be rough! A crew of 14 year olds would be perfect.

The sooner you learn to toss some, the better. There was a time I always put the mama back down to get more plants. Too many plants are just too many plants. You can only give so many away. I use one of those awl (like a screwdriver only with a sharp point instead of a tip), and push holes in my solo cups two or three cups at a time. it's quick and I haven't impaled myself yet. The cutting off the cup corner sounds easier though, one for drainage and one for the yarn. Some plants grow fast and others more slowly..I think 9 months to a year you should have a good sized blooming plant. One of our violet club members has young plants blooming and I have year old plants with nothing. I did have fun trail baby plantlets on the mama leaf yet, so they were too small to separate, and they were blooming..that was neat. tish

Thank you everyone! Already I'm starting to see flower buds forming on my dianthus, the nicotiana and a verbascum has a flower stalk on it too. When it stops raining I'll take pics of the entire beds to show you what they look like. Proudgm, I got my plant markers from Paw Paw Everlast Label Co. I just used a paint marker and wrote the names of the daylilies and hostas on them. There really was no planning involved, I just grew a bunch of seeds of plants that I wanted to try and then found places for most of them. Some of them I had planned where they were going to be, like the ones in the Dracula bed, but a lot of them I just started sticking them here and there to fill up my new beds. Now I have more seeds I'm going to start to fill in the bare spots, some this summer and some this winter. Starting from seed is much easier, fun and rewarding the WS method than indoors. Plus, much easier on my bank account! Karen

medo,I do believe I read somewhere you need at least 3/4 mile to reduce cross pollination! I am keeping certain ones in pots ,I plan to bag flowers and/or hand pollinate. The pink one was supposed to be Violet Feather,but turned out pink! I am thrilled to death with it! :D One thing I really like about MG's is they are full of wonderful surprises,and I am not picky anyway,I love them all! :) So my first attempts at hand pollination will benefit my buddies! ;) mnwsgal,I would be glad to share seeds from the pink one with you. I was so happy to see it! I really wanted a MG that was a lighter shade of pink,so when that opened I was in no way disappointed it wasn't a violet color.The Honeysuckle smells fantastic,although it is crazy growing,I find it worth the effort to control it! Besides I love the look of it,I have a well established driveway wall full of it,I love the way it cascades down! :) stagerat,Thanks so much for the compliments,I love taking pics,especially of plantlife. This season you guys will be seeing lots of them, I am sure!;) Northerner,thanks so much! Actually the purple flower is Dame's Rocket. I am finding I like this one a whole lot,it seems like it compliments whatever it is near.I really love MG's too,I was so happy to see how many different ones there are. I think each year from here on out I will only plant 2 or 3 varieties at a time....lol...we will see about that! ;) Thanks Karen! :D terrene,that would also be Dames Rocket,they really love it,I see them frequently hanging around since it bloomed. I am going to have to learn my butterfly cats,I would really like for my whole yard to be a sanctuary for butterflies and birds. So far I have succeeded in providing for the birds,they really like my yard,and I have already seen birds this year I didn't see last year ,my goal is to learn more about both this year! :) Carol,I will have seed for those African Daisies at the end of the season,I potted them up with a Chocolate Mint and plan to keep them away from the others. So if you would like some, remind me if I don't contact you,you are more than welcome to them! The Gilla sure is pretty isnt it? I absolutely adore them,next year there will be lots of them,although as fast as they came up and bloomed, I probably have time this year to start some more! :) Carrie thanks so much! I only hope my gardens look as wonderful as yours by the end of the season.You are also welcome to any seeds I have at the end of the season. I will definitely post more pics, if you promise to do the same! ;) Thanks Alyse! How are things going for you? I bet things are shaping up there also for you! I have found a few deer resistant varieties I think you may like,and some I just happen to have extra seed for! ;) I will be in touch! Here is a pic of the latest MG to bloom,it was supposed to be Pink Shibouri,but I am loving the color it turned out,hopefully the other one is pink,that would be awesome! :D