Gaillardia is easy to grow from seed, but they should be sowed in the fall FWIW. Have used Asclepias for rearing studies for decades, but with them so readily available wild I never grew them in a home garden. There are many on this forum who have and can help you with them though. I'll try to offer some info on the Castilleja as I've used them a lot in lep genetic studies since the mid 60's. Castilleja as a group are certainly xeric plants that not only likes but prefers poor soils and little moisture. But it is also normally semi-parasitic in nature on grasses, forbes and other plants to help it get the nutrients and moisture it needs. Can be fairly hard to get started in a home garden even from potted plants, especially the first year when it requires mulch, more nutrients and moisture than it will once established. Would think some species would do better than others in a home garden just because each species has it's own preferances. Helps to plant it with something it can parasitize. Bouteloua would be the easiest. Never tried to establish Castilleja from seeds so can't offer much there. Most of my experience is with C. chromosa especially but also C. linariifolia, C. occidentalis and C. angustifolia that were established from sprouts collected wild when they first broke the surface in early spring and were transfered to special beds I made just for them (that also contained Bouteloua and Artemisia). Catilleja is a larval food plant for several butterfly and moth species (Euphydryas, Chlosyne, Grammia, etc), but it is not highly used as a nectar source by leps. They are pollinated by bees mostly, especially bumblebees. Don't know if that is any help to you, but good luck with them. L.

Hi Suzy.....we are close. We have friends in your neck of the woods-Simmons/Penn-ish. I don't know if I'm "the real thing"! LOL Three yrs. ago, we began our garden journey after we suburbanites headed for acres of red clay. At the time, we had 5 boys who needed something constructive to do and make a little extra money. Sooooo, we grew veggies for the Farmer's Market. We were at Bethany Market for 2 yrs. and the Edmond market on Wednedays as we had enough produce that 2nd year also. Last year, we took the year off (from gardening). We had a new baby boy (boy #6) and decided we'd watch him grow instead of the veggies. That first year goes by so fast and gardening requires a lot of time, as you know. We plan to be at the market at Mercy Hospital if we can keep things growing :) It seems to always be an experiement, but we are enjoying the journey as we learn along the way. Thanks for your official welcome to the rank of "Gardener" :) Dawn-You are the "Tomato Lady from Southern OK" around here. The boys and I copied off your posts from 3 yrs. ago and they still "live" in our garden notebook. We have so appreciated your depth of wisdom and willingness to share and help. As for the "gardenerwannabe" part, I may keep it until I see how this growing season turns out :) I look forward to being around GW a little more again!

that is sooo cool!! WOW!! a lavender grow kit!! :')) now talla wants to know what color your wings are?? :')) i said i would ask you :')) now i just got this in the mail, almost made me bawl like a baby!! its so touching!! i hope it don't make anyone mad, or anything She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She said: 'How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right? When can I see him?' The surgeon said, 'I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it.' Sally said, 'Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care any more? Where were you, God, when my son needed you?' The surgeon asked, 'Would you like some time alone with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university.' Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair. 'Would you like a lock of his hair?' the nurse asked. Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally. The mother said, 'It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else. 'I said no at first, but Jimmy said, ' Mom , I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom ..' She went on, 'My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could.' Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car. The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room. She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She lay down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep. It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Lying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said: 'Dear Mom , I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say 'I Love You'. I will always love you, Mom , even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom ? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom ? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me t o give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'where was He when I needed him?' 'God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children. Oh, by the way, Mom , no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore the cancer is all gone.. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that? 'When you're down to nothing, God is up to something.' lots of love!! many hugs medo! i think we have one more box left to hear about, is that right?? from momcat?

Helene, I cannot imagine your brothers not coming. And, I further cannot imagine the grief and stress you must be under. When I was little, I was raised by my grandmother, and she also took care of her mother, who was my great-grandmother. My Great-Grandmother died after suffering from what they then called, "Senile Dementia", and contracting pnuemonia. The strife and angst of being there for her as she "let go" of this world and floated to the next, isn't a memory that rips my heart out, but it is a memory of the most loving and wonderful moments of my life, moments that we shared together that warms my very soul to this day. I know how hard it is to be there now.. to love her so much. To wish that you only had more time to tell her things that fill your heart and soul. I know that love. I know that from an unconditional point of view that is a glorious gift from your mother to you too. So, as these days pass, I will remember you in my prayers even more deeply than I first mentioned. I will pray that the love, the joy, the heartfelt peace of being together will always be what remains in your heart, and her spirit.. The difficult, but tender mercies of your loving bond will see you both through these last days..