Thanks virgo for that info. So that is the right dimension 2x2,and they come that way and don't have to be cut lengthwise. I suppose 8ft would be a great height for most sunflowers, thanks for another good idea. :-) I realize that squirrels are very smart. I wonder why that is? Why were 'they' made so smart? [g] They can't be smarter than people can they? I was watching Backyard Habitat on TV yesterday and they were helping to deerproof a yard. They mixed up onions/garlic/hot peppers and made a spray for some of the plants. I wondered why something like that wouldn't do the trick? The Joe Pye Weed sounds like a great idea, and doesn't it bloom about the same time? Thanks Katy and virgo. :-) Katy, I guess I shouldn't laugh about the pumpkins but can I grin a little? [g] That was very thoughtful of you to provide a snack for your friends, but I guess you didn't know what rude guests they are! So did they eat the pumpkin or did they just get the seeds out? Katy I used those milk crates filled with leaves over the hydrangeas and now the snow is covering them over fine. So I hope we get more snow to cover over all the pumpkin carcasses in the yard. You could end up with yard art. [g] I don't know, with all the squirrely stories I hear, I am starting to think Wendey has the right idea, a trained squirrel dog. :-) adam

Lord-a-Mercy! In the words of Ritchie Bell, "put this plant in a ditch, and it'll run to the state line!" IE, give em a bit of an inch, and they'll spread delightfully. Such a great plant, too! Just give them their just space. One Hint: If'n you want to make them less leggy, and more floriferous, whack 'em back by half in June, ala chrysanthemums. Fall Bloomers, so will recoup best well.

The list below are plants that have all been found growing and thriving in the wild of the most coldest gardening regions. Many have hybrids that have been bred from them...these hybrids generally will be able to also grow in the same plant zones and survive the same long and bitter winters. Please do research them if you're unsure of their hardiness in your particular zone or region, and as always, with any seeds that you're unsure can be Winter Sown in your region save some seeds to start indoors. Good luck to all! Trudi ============== Abronia fragrans - sand verbena Acer grandidentatum - canyon maple Acer negundo - box elder Acer pensylvanicum - striped maple Acer rubrum - red maple Acer saccharinum - silver maple Acer saccharun - sugar maple Aconitum columbianum - Columbian monkshood Aconitum delphiniiflium - northern monkshood Actaea pachypoda - white baneberry Actaea racemosa var. racemosa - black cohosh Actea rubra - red baneberry Ageratina altissima var. altissima - white snakeroot Aletris farinosa - white colic root Allium canadense - meadow garlic Allium cernuum - nodding onion Allium stellatum - prairie onion Allium tricoccum - wild leek Alnus serrulata - brookside elder Alnus viridis ssp. crispa - green alder, Sitka alder Amelanchier alnifolia - Saskatoon serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis - Canadian serviceberry Amelanchier laevis - Allegheny service-berry Amorpha fruticosa - false indigo-bush Anaphalis margaritacea - pearly everlasting Andromeda polifolia - bog-rosemary Andropogon gerardii - big bluestem Anemone canadensis - Canadian anemone Anemone cylindrica - long-head thimbleweed Anemone mutifida - Pacific anemone Anemone quinquefolia - wood anemone Anemone narcissiflora - narcissus-flowered anemone Anemone virginiana - tall anemone Antennaria ssp. - pussytoes Apocynum androsaemifolium - spreading dogbane Apocynum cannabinum - Indian hemp Aquilegia canadensis - red columbine Aquilegia formosa - scarlet columbine Aquilegia jonesii - blue limestone columbine Aralia nudicaulis - wild sarsparilla Aralia racemosa - American spikenard Arctostaphylos alpina - black bearberry Arctostaphylos patula - green-leaf manzanita Arctostaphylos uva-ursi - red bearberry Arisaema draconitum - green dragon Arisaema triphyllum - jack-in-the-pulpit Armeria maritima - sea thrift Arnica alpina - alpine arnica Arnica cordifolia - heartleaf arnica Arnica latifolia - mountain arnica Artemesia frigida - prairie sagebrush Aruncus dioicus var. vulgaris - sylvan goatsbeard Asarum canadense - Canadian wild ginger Asarum caudatum - long-tail wild ginger Asclepias incarnata - swamp milkweed Asclepias speciosa - showy milkweed Asclepias sullivantii - prairie milkweed Asclepias tuberosa - butterfly milkweed Asclepias verticillata - whorled milkweed Asimina triloba - common pawpaw Astragalus canadensis - Canadian milk-vetch Astriplex canascens - four-wing saltbrush Baptisia alba - white wild indigo Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea - plains wild indigo Balsamorrhiza sagittata - arrow-leaf balsamroot Betula nigra - river birch Betula papyrifera - paper birch Betula populifolia - gray birch Blephilia ciliata - downy pagoda-plant Bouteloua curtipendula - side-oats grama Bouteloua gracillis - blue grama Bouteloua hirsuta - hairy grama Bromus kalmi - prairie brome Buchloe dactyloides - buffalo grass Calla palustris - water arum Calochortus macrocarpus - sagebrush mariposa-lily Calochortus nuttali - mariposa-lily Caltha leptosepula - white marsh-marigold Caltha palustris - yellow marsh-marigold Caltha palustris var. palustris - marsh-marigold Calylophus serrulatus - yellow evening primrose Camassia quamash - common camas Camassia scillioides - Atlantic camas Campanula rotundifolia - bluebell-of-Scotland Campanula scouleri - pale bellflower Campanulastrum americanum - American bellflower Cardamine concatenata - cut-leaf toothwort Cardamine diphylla - two-leaved toothwort Carex stipata - stalk-grain sedge Carpinus caroliniana - American hornbeam Carya alba - mockernut hickory Carya ovata - shag-bark hickory Castilleja applegatei ssp. martini - desert paintbrush Castilleja caudata - pale Indian paintbrush Castilleja coccinea - scarlet Indian paintbrush Castilleja linariifolia - wyoming Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata - great red Indian paintbrush Castilleja parviflora - mountain Indian paintbrush Castilleja rhexiifloia - rosy Indian paintbrush Castilleja sessiliflora - great plains Indian paintbrush Caulophyllum thalictroides - blue cohosh Ceanothus americanus - New Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus - prairie redroot Ceanothus velutinus - mountain balm Celtis occidentalis - common hackberry Cephalanthus occidentalis - common buttonbush Cercis canadensis - redbud Cercocarpus montanus - mountain mahogany Chamaecrista fasciculata - partridge pea Chamaecrista nicitans - sensitive pea Chamerion angusitfolium ssp. angustifolium - willow herb Chamerion latifolium - dwarf fireweed Chelone glabra - white turtlehead Claytonia caroliniana - Carolina springbeauty Claytonia lanceolata - lance-leaf springbeauty Claytonia virginica - springbeauty Clematis columbiana - purple virgin's bower Clematis hirsutissima - leather flower Clematis occidentalis var. occidentalis - purple clematis Clematis virginiana - virgin's bower Cleome lutea - yellow spider-flower Cleome serrulata - rocky mountain beeplant Clethra alnifolia - coastal sweet-pepperbush Clintonia borealis - yellow bluebead lily Clintonia uniflora - bride's bonnet Collinsia canadensis - citronella horsebalm Collomia linearis - narrow-leaf mountain trumpet Commelina erecta - white-mouth dayflower Comptonia peregrina - sweet fern Coptis trifolia - three-leaf goldthread Coreopsis lanceolata - lance-leaved coreopsis Coreopsis palmata - stiff coreopsis Coreopsis tinctoria - plains coreopsis Cornus alternifolia - alternate-leaf dogwood Cornus canadensis - Canadian bunchberry Cornus florida - flowering dogwood Cornus racemosa - gray dogwood Cornus sericea - red-twig dogwood Corydalis sempervirens - pale corydalis Crataegus mollis - downy hawthorn Crataegus sericea - hawthorn Dalea candida var. candida - white prarie-clover Dalea purpurea var. purpurea - purple prairie-clover Dasiphora fruiticosa ssp. floribunda - golden hardhack Decodon verticillatus - swamp loosestrife Delphinium bicolo - little larkspur Delphinium carolianum ssp. virescens - prairie larkspur Delphinium glaucum - tower larkspur Delphinium nuttallianu - two-lobe larkspur Desmanthus illnoensis - prairie bundle-flower Desmodium canadense - showy tick-trefoil Desmodium illinoense - Illinoise tick-trefoil Dicentra canadensis - squirrel corn Dicentra cucullaria - dutchman's-breeches Dodecathon amethystinum - amethyst shooting star Dodecathon meadia - shooting star Dodecatheon jeffreyi - Jeffrey's shootingstar Doellingeria umbellata var. umbellata - flat-top aster Dryas drummondi i- yellow mountain avens Dryas octopetala - white mountain avens Dyssodia spp. - dyssodia Echinacea angustifolia - narrow-leaved purple coneflower Elaeagnus commutata - wolf willow Elymus canadensis - Canadian wild rye Empetrum nigrum - black crowberry Epigaea repens - trailing arbutus Ericameria nauseosa ssp. nauseosa var. nauseosa - rabbitbrush Erigeron compositus - alpine daisy Erigeron divergens - spreading fleabane Erigeron peregrinus - coastal fleabane Erigeron pulchellus - robin's plantain Erigeron speciosus - aspen fleabane Erigionum umbellatum - sulfur-flowered wild buckwheat Eriophyllum linatum - Oregon sunshine Eryngium yuccifolium - button snakeroot Erysimum capitatum - prairie rocket Erythronium albidum var. albidum - white trout lily Erythronium americanum - American trout lily Erythronium grandiflorum - dogtooth violet Eunonymus atropurpea - burning bush Eunonymus obovata - running eunonymus Eupatorium fistulosum - joe-pye-weed Eupatorium maculatum - spotted joe-pye-weed Eupatorium occidentale - western joe-pye-weed Eupatorium perfoliatum - common joe-pye-weed Eupatorium purpureum - sweet scented joe-pye-weed Euphorbia corollata - flowering spurge Euphorbia marginata - snow-on-the-mountain Eurybia macrophyllus - large leaf wood-aster Eurybia sibirica - Siberian wood-aster Euthamia graminifolia - flat-top goldenrod Filipendula rubra - queen-of-the-prairie Fragaria virginiana - wild strawberry Fragaria virginiana ssp. platypetal - western alpine strawberry Fraxinus americana - white ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica - green ash Fritillaria pudica - yellow mission bells Gaillardia aristata - great blanket-flower Galium boreale - northern bedstraw Galium triflorum - fragrant bedstraw Gaultheria procumbens - eastern teaberry Gaura coccinea - scarlet gaura Gaylussacia baccata - black huckleberry Gentiana andrewsii - closed bottle gentian Gentiana calycosa - Rainier pleated gentian Gentiana clausa - bottle gentian Gentiana crinita - greater fringed gentian Gentiana saponaria - soapwort gentian Gentianopsis crinita - greater fringed-gentian Geranium carolinianum - Carolina cranesbill Geranium erianthum - northern cranesbill Geranium maculatum - spotted cranesbill Geranium viscosissimum - sticky purple cranesbill Geum rivale - water avens Geum triflorum - prairie smoke Glycyrrhiza lepidota - American licorice Gymnocladus dioicus - Kentucky coffee tree Grayia spinosa - spiny hop-sage Gutierrezia sarothrae - broom snakeweed Hamamelis virginiana - American witch hazel Hedysarum alpinum - alpine sweet-broom Helenium autumnale - fall sneezeweed Helianthus annuus - common sunflower Helianthus giganteus - giant sunflower Helianthus maximilliani - Maximillion sunflower Helianthus paucilflorus ssp paucilflorus - stiff sunflower Helianthus petiolaris - prairie sunflower Helianthus strumosus - woodland sunflower Helianthus tuberosus - Jerusalem artichoke Heliomeris multiflora var. multiflora - showy false goldeneye Heliopsis helinathoides - ox-eye sunflower Hepatica nobilis var. acuta - sharp-lobed hepatica Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa - round-lobed hepatica Heterotheca villosa var. villosa - golden-aster Heuchera americana - American alumroot Heuchera parvifolia - little-leaf alumroot Holodiscus discolor - mountain spray Houstonia caserulea - Quaker ladies Hydrastis canadensis - goldenseal Hydrophyllum virginianum - Virginia waterleaf Hymenoxys hoopesii - owl's-claws Hypericum prolificum - shrubby St. John's-wort Hypoxis hirsuta - eastern yellow star-grass Ilex verticillata - common winterberry Illiamna rivularis - streambank wild hollyhock Ipomoea leptophylla - bush morning-glory Ipopmopsis aggregata ssp. aggregata - scarlet gilia Jeffersonia diphylla - twinleaf Juglans nigra - black walnut Kalmia angustifolia - sheep laurel Kalmia latifolia - mountain laurel Kalmia polifolia - bog laurel Koeleria macrantha - prairie koeler's grass Krascheninnikovia lanata - winterfat Ledum groenlandicum - rusty Labrador tea Leersia orysoides - rice cut grass Lepidium montanum - mountain pepperwort Lewisia reviviva - oregon bitter-root Liatris aspera - tall gayfeather Liatris punctata - dotted gayfeather Liatris pycnostachya - prairie blazingstar Liatris spicata - dense gayfeather Lillium canadense - Canadian lily Lillium columbianum - wild tiger lily Lillium michiganense - Michigan lily Lillium phildephicum - wood lily Lindera benzoi n- northern spicebush Linnaea borealis - American twinflower Linum lewisii var. lewissi - blue flax Linum rigidum - large-flower yellow flax Liriodendron tulipifera - tulip-tree Lithospermum canascens - hoary puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense - hairy puccoon Lithospermum incisum - friged gromwell Lobelia cardinalis - Cardinal flower Lobelia siphilitica - great blue lobelia Lobelia spicata - pale-spike lobelia Loiseleuria procumbens - alpine azalea Lonicera ciliosa - orange honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata - bearberry honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens - coral honeysuckle Luetkea pectinata - Alaska spirea Lupinus caudatus - Kellogg's spurred lupine Lupinus nootkaensis - Nootka lupine Lupinus perennis - wild lupine Lupinus polyphyllus - meadow lupine Lysimachia ciliata - fringed yellow-loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia - prairie loosestrife Lysichiton americanus - yellow skunk-cabbage Macaerathera tanacetifolia - tansy aster Mahonia aquifolium - holly-leaf oregon grape Mahonia repens - creeping Oregon grape Maianthemum canadense - Canadian mayflower Maianthemum dilatatum - two-leaf false Solomon's-seal Maianthemum racemosum ssp. racemosum - false Solomon's-seal Maianthemum stellatum - starry false Solomon's-seal Malus ioensis - prairie crabapple Mentzelia laevicaulis - giant blazingstart Menyanthes trifoliata - buck-bean Mertensia ciliata - mountain bluebells Mertensia virginica - Virginia bluebells Mimulus guttatus - golden monkey-flower Mimulus lewisii - great purple monkey-flower Mimulus primuloides - primrose monkey flower Minuartia arctica - arctic stitchwort Minuartia obtusiloba - alpine stitchwort Mitchella repens - partridge berry Mitella diphylla - two-leaf bishop's-cap Monarda fistulosa - Oswego tea Monarda punctata ssp. punctata var. villicaulis - horsemint Morella pensylvanica - northern bayberry Myosotis asiatica - Asian forget-me-not Myrica gale - sweetgale Napaea dioica - glade mallow Nuphar lutea - cow-lily Nuphar lutea ssp. polysepala - pond-lily Nymphea odorata - American white water-lily Nyssa slyvatica - black gum Oenothera albicaulis - pale evening primrose Oenothera biennis - common evening primrose Oenothera caespitosa - tufted evening primrose Oenothera flava - long-tube evening primrose Oenothera nuttallii - Nuttall's evening primrose Oenothera rhombipetala - diamond-petal evening primrose Oligoneuron rigidum var. rigidum - stiff goldenrod Opuntia humifusa - prickly pear Opuntia polycantha - plains prickly-pear Ostrya viginiana - eastern hop-hornbeam Oxytropis campestris - northern yellow locoweed Packera aurea - golden ragwort Packera cana - gray ragwort Packera obovata - round leaf groundsel Packera paupercula - northern ragwort Packera plattensis - prairie ragwort Panicum virgatum - wand panic grass Parthenium integrifolium - wild feverfew Parthenocissus quinquefolia - Virginia creeper Pedicularis groenlandica - bull elephant's-head Pedicularis verticillata - whorled lousewort Penstemon albidus - red-line penstemon Penstemon angustifolius - whorled penstemon Penstemon deustus - hot-rock penstemon Pentsemon digitalis - foxglove beardtongue Penstemon fruticosa - shrubby penstemon Penstemon gracilis - slender penstemon Penstemon grandiflorus - large-leaved penstemon Penstemon hirsutus - hairy beardtongue Penstemon pallidus - pale beardtongue Petrophtyon caespitosum - Rocky Mountain rockmat Phacelia serica - purplefringe Philadelphus lewisii - California mock orange Phlox andicola - plains phlox Phlox diffusa - spreading phlox Phlox divaricata ssp. laphamii - sweet william Phlox glaberrima ssp. interior - marsh phlox Phlox longifolia - long-leaved phlox Phlox pilosa - downy phlox Phlox speciosa ssp. occidentalis - showy phlox Phragmites australis - common reed Phyllodoce empetriformis - pink mountain-heath Physocarpus opulifolius - Atlantic ninebark Physotegia virginiana - obediant plant Platanus occidentalis - American sycamore Podophyllum peltatum - may apple Polemonium occidentale - western Jacob's ladder Polemonium pulcherrimum - alpine Jacob's ladder Polemonium reptans - Greek valerian Polemonium viscosum - sticky Jacob's ladder Populus balsamifera - balsam poplar Populus deltoides - eastern cottonwood Populus tremuloides- quaking aspen Porteranthus trifoliatus - bowman's root Potentilla arguta - prairie cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa - sticky cinquefoil Potentilla nivea - snowy cinquefoil Potentilla simplex - common cinquefoil Potentilla occidentalis - western pasqueflower Potentilla patens ssp. multifida - pasqueflower Prenanthes alba - white rattlesnake-root Prunus nigra - Canadian plum Prunus serotina - black cherry Prunus virginiana - choke cherry Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium ssp. obtusifolium - blunt-leaf rabbit tobacco Ptelea trifoiata - common hoptree Pulsatilla patens ssp. multifida - pasqueflower Pyrola asarifolia - pink wintergreen Pyrola elliptica - shinleaf Quercus alba - northern white oak Quercis coccinea - scarlet oak Quercus macrocarpa - burr oak Quercus michauxii - swamp chestnut oak Quercus muehlenbergii - Chinkapin oak Quercis palustris - pin oak Quercus rubra - northern red oak Ranunculus abortivus - early wood buttercup Ranunculus alismifolius - meadow buttercup Ranunculus cardiophyllus - heart-leaf buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis - tufted buttercup Ranunculus occidentalis - western buttercup Ratibida columnifera - red-spike Mexican hat Ratibida pinnat a- grey-head Mexican hat Rhexia virginica - meadow beauty Rhodiola integrifolia ssp integrifolia - rosewort Rhododendron canadense - rhodora Rhododendron maximum - great laurel Rhododendron periclymenoides - pink azalea Rhododendron prinophyllum - early azalea Rhododendron viscosum - swamp azalea Rhus aromatica - fragrant sumac Rhus copallinum - winged sumac Rhus glabra - smooth sumac Rhus typhina - staghorn sumac Ribes aureum - golden currant Ribes aureum var. villosum - buffalo currant Ribes laxiflorum - trailing black currant Rosa acicularis - wild rose Rosa arkansana var. suffulta - praire rose Rosa carolina - Carolina rose Rosa nutkana - Nootka rose Rosa palustris - swamp rose Rosa setigera var. tomentosa - Illinois rose Rosa woodsii - Wood's rose Rubus odoratus - thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus - western thimble-berry Rubus spectabillis - salmon rasberry Rudbeckia hirta - black-eyed susan Rudbeckia laciniata - cut-leaf coneflower Rudbeckia triloba - brown-eyed susan Ruellia humilis - fringe-leaf wild petunia Sabatia angularis - rose-pink Sagittaria latifolia - arrowhead Salix discolor - pussy willow Sambucus nigra ssp. caerula - black elder Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis - common elder Sambucus racemosa var. racemose - scarlet elder Sambucus racemosa ssp. pubens var. arborescens - coastal red elderberry Sanguinaria canadensis - bloodroot Sassafras albidum - sassafras Saururus cernuus - lizard's tail Saxifraga bronchialis - yellow-spot saxifrage Saxifraga oppositifolia - purple mountain saxifrage Schizachyrium scoparium - little false bluestem Sedum ternatum - woodland stonecrop Senecio pseudoarnica - seabeach senecio Shepherdia argentea - silver buffalo-berry Shepherdia canadensis - russet buffalo-berry Silene acaulis - moss campion Silene douglasii - seabluff catchfly Silene stellata - starry campion Silphium integrifolium - entire-leaf rosinweed Silphium laciniatum - compass plant Silphium perfoliatum - cup plant Sisyrinchium albidum - white blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium - narrow leaf blue-eyed-grass Sisyrinchium campestre - prairie blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum - strict blue-eyed grass Solidago caesia - wreath goldenrod Solidago canadensis - Canadian goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis - zigzag goldenrod Solidago juncea - plume goldenrod Solidago missouriensis - Missouri goldenrod Solidago multiradiata - Rocky Mountain goldenrod Solidago nemoralis - gray goldenrod Solidago odora - anise scented goldenrod Solidago rugosa - rough leaved goldenrod Solidago sempervirens - seaside goldenrod Solidago speciosa - showy goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia - elm-leaf goldenrod Sorbus americana - American mountain ash Sorbus scopulina - Cascade mountain ash Sorghastrum nutans - yellow Indian grass Spartina pectinata - prairie cord grass Sphaeralcea coccinea - scarlet globe-mallow Spirea alba - white meadowsweet Spirea alba var. latifolia - meadowsweet Spirea douglass - western spirea Spirea splendens var. splendens - subalpine spirea Spirea stevenii - Alaska spirea Spirea tomentosa - steeplebush Sporobolus heterolepis - prairie dropseed Stanleya pinnata - golden prince's-plume Streptopus lanceolatus var. roseus - rosy twistedstalk Stylophorum diphyllum - celandine poppy Symphoricarpos orbiculatus - coral berry Symphyotrichum ascendens - Pacific aster Symphyotrichum drummondii var. drummondii - arrow aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum - white wood aster Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides - heath aster Symphyotrichum foliaceum var. foliceum - leafy aster Symphyotrichum laeve var. laeve - smooth aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae - New England American aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium - aromatic American aster Symphyotrichum oolentagiense - sky-blue American aster Symphyotrichum pilosum var. pilosum - frost aster Symphyotrichum puniceum var. puniceum - swamp aster Symphyotricum sericeum - western silver American aster Symplocarpus foetidus - skunk cabbage Tellima grandiflora - fragrant fringecup Tephrosia virginiana - goat's rue Tetraneuris acaulis var. acaulis - butte marigold Tetraneuris grandiflora - alpine sunflower Thalictrum dascycarpum - purple meadow rue Thalictrum dioicum - early meadow rue Thalictrum pubescens - king-of-the-meadow Thalictrum thalictroides - rue anemone Thermopsis montana - golden pea Tiarella cordifolia - heart-leaf foam flower Tiarella trifoliata var. unifoliata - western foamflower Tilia americana - American linden Townsendia exscapa - Easter daisy Tradescantia bracteata - long-bract spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis - prairie spiderwort Tradescantia ohiensis - Ohio spiderwort Tradescantia virginiana - Virginia spiderwort Tridens flavus - tall redtop Trientalis borealis ssp. borealis - starflower Trillium cernuum - nodding trillium Trillium erectum - purple trillium Trillium grandiflorum - large flowered trillium Trillium ovatum - western wakerobin Trillium undulatum - painted wakerobin Trollius laxus - American globeflower Typha latifolia - broad-leaf cattail Ulmus americana - American elm Uvularia grandiflora - large flowered bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia - merrybells Vaccinium angustifolium - late lowbush blueberry Vaccinium caespitosum - dwarf blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum - highbush blueberry Vaccinium ulignosum - alpine blueberry Vaccinum vitis-idaea - lingonberry Valeriana sitchensis - Sitka valerian Verastrum californicum - California false hellebore Verbena hastata - blue verbena Verbena stricta - hoary verbena Veronicastrum virginicum - culver's root Viburnum acerifolium - maple-leaf arrow-wood Viburnum edule - moosewood viburnum Viburnum lantanoides - hobblebush Viburnum prunifolium - smooth blackhaw Viola affinis - sand violet Viola canadensis - Canadian white violet Viola glabella - smooth yellow violet Viola labradorica - American dog violet Viola langsdorfii - Alaska violet Viola missouriensis - Missouri violet Viola palmata - early blue violet Viola pedata - bird-foot violet Viola pedatifida - prairie violet Viola pubescens - downy yellow violet Viola rostrata - long-spur violet Wyethia amplexicaulis - northern mule-ears Xerophyllim tenax - western turkeybeard Xyris ssp. - yellow-eyed grass Yucca glauca - soapweed glauca Zizia aurea - golden alexanders

I only grow by winter sowing. Tried normal spring/summer sprouting in small plastic pots and have a talent for killing. It's like I'm my own branded pesticide. No matter how careful my sprouted seedlings either had too little or too much moisture, too much or not enough sun. I was not successful at all. For all the amazing things people say about WS, me included, I must honestly admit that I lose a lot of stuff that way, too. Slugs are a huuuuuuuuuge problem for me. At least 90% of my losses by WS are slugs. This year was not good for WS for me. Not exactly sure why. The April weather was slightly too erratic, combined with a nearly 2 week trip in May during prime planting season. I did lose some to April weather that just got too low, but not many at all. I would say that from germination to planting I had many seedlings that didn't make it, e even in their jugs. For all the seeds I planted, I don't have that many plants to show for it this year. Who in a colder climate grows Agastache aurantiaca? This is my second year trying with those, and once in the ground they stubbornly hunker down and refuse to grow. I don't know if they need more heat, or what. I don't overwater them, but I don't ignore them. What's the secret? Some of them are actually supposed to be winter hardy to zone 5 (Agastache aurantiaca 'Tango' and repestris 'Apache Sunset') so I feel like if I could get them going they'd have a chance. This year I'm going more natives for woodland edge and shade. Last year 85% of my new perennials beds were seeds or my own transplants. What a money saver. Couldn't do it without the seeds. I've ordered from Swallowtail for a while and their quality is excellent. Their seeds count is lower, but I've noticed that with many seed companies. Many of their plants with low seed count are "fancier" plants which are difficult to find in seed form. I've grown Pow Wow Wild Berry Echinacea seeds from them for a couple of years, as an example. Only 10 seeds in a pack, but that's cheaper than what they cost at the nursery. Big Swallowtail fan for the variety they have.