Redsox, I said I didn't want to talk about Miss Kim, but I'll indulge you this one time . . . Olga's comments are pretty much on the mark. The primary difference between Olga and me regarding this plant is that she actually likes hers; I loathed mine. The key to Olga's satisfaction with Miss Kim, I'd bet, is that traditional lilacs also grow well in her garden. Miss Kim has been highly touted as a 'lilac for the South'. Well, unlike her cousins, Miss Kim may at least survive in the South, but she doesn't really thrive here. It's been my observation that Miss Kim achieves her potential only in those areas where regular lilacs also do well. For me, her sluggish presence was a constant reminder of the fact that I'll probably never grow 'real' lilacs again. Bummer. Regarding larkspurs and your Plan B, here's a suggestion: Sow about half the seeds you intend to sow as early as possible; then about 3 weeks later, sow the second half. For the first year's bloom, that will give you a longer season. In subsequent years, matters take care of themselves. Fall is also a good time to sow larkspur seed, and I've read that some of the showier hybrids actually should be planted in the fall. Keep in mind, though, that larkspurs do NOT transplant well.

Oh man for that room-- I'm already out of shelf space! He did agree to build double shelves in the sunroom so I can use bottom to store instead of other shelf space. Anyway, I have seeded more-- larkspur lupine delph i collected last fall more snaps blue flax Let's see from the original I have almost all my yellow pear tomatoes up this week and that gives me hope for the peppers and brandywine. Also I have foxglove and snaps up and the one single dumb early girl seed my mother left here. Just today I found some of my shade mixture up (probly foxglove too but oh well.) I also sent a set of 1-4 ft plant seeds all mixed up nicely for my aunt's meadow to her. In return she sent me seeds for old hollyhock and something she doesn't know it's name (but it was pretty in a bouquet I saw last summer!) It's been so nice outside! I have been weeding already (why do the dandelions come up so FAST?), prepping the garden for the cold season veggies, moving rocks, marking bulbs that need moved this fall, and prepping a spot for those no-name roses someone is sending me (that should be hardy - they're zone 4- where I plan them to be!) and for that plum tree I need to go get! Oh, I've also preapproved my boulevard flower beds with the city, found out they own the tree I want to kill (darn it!- it doesnt bear fruit and it shades that native flower bed I'm making) I also found that I don't want a fence as they make me come in 22 FEET! I started pruning other stuff too! Let's see Sat was spent away from home-- the HOME AND GARDEN SHOW!!! Of course a few more wall-o-waters and some seeds later, I had spent well over 3 hours there- in the middle of the day- oh well it was raining! I'm so proud of myself- I didn't buy a single bulb or lily (I already have a combo of about 300 of those!) Oh my! maybe this should be in projects LOL Anyone got a spot for shelves?

I have had good luck with English Delphinium (Delphinium elatum--seed from the Delphinium Society in U.K.). They are 4 to 5 1/2 foot beauties that get semi shade in the hot Chicago afternoons. After trial and error, I got most of mine to overwinter (for 6 years so far) by giving them excellent drainage and making sure no stray leaves or plant material make them soggy over the cold months. They like rose food. Also, they like 2 or 3 tablespoons of powdered lime. When I feel a plant might be in competition with tree or shrub roots, I sink a 16" wide plastic pot into the ground and fill with planters mix, some coarse sand, a little lime and a little blood meal. They thank me with beautiful leaves and 2 flowering cycles. (You have to cut back the depleted first blooms to get the second blooming). They get water from a drip hose , along with my roses. If I mulch, I never put the mulch within an inch of the crown (stems). This is one plant that will rot if the crown gets too wet. The biggest challenge is preventing wind damage, rigging stakes and cord that actually do the job and aren't too obtrusive. All the books on delphiniums warn against ruining the root system and crown by placing the stakes too close in, but none say how to avoid the ugliness and unnatural appearance of the stakes. I keep waiting for some clever person to invent something, some almost invisible corkscrew-like thing that will not touch the base of the plant. I've wracked my brain, but I guess I'm not that clever person. They're pretty easy; they've never had a disease problem (unlike the roses!) and the only work is the necessity to stake.

I'm not judging them all. Just the morons who brought over the invasives lol. :) But I still think that they should be more concerned for their natives, but same can be said for the people here too. I am of European decent. We have only been out of the last dark age for like 50 years. About the time we realized we were killing ourselves with all the pollution and eviromental repercussions. Their are native plant lovers in all those countries who are fighting their own battles. So it's pretty much the same everywhere. We have a member who lives in Sumatra and grows plants. It upsets her to see all the jungles plowed and drained for oil palms, but what can 1 person do by themselves. It comes down to teaching the children for the next generation!