I planted some big pricey ones last year and they died by mid summer. They were so beautiful, I tried again this year with inexpensive four inch pots. They looked fairly unhappy for a good month after I planted them, but now they are truly beautiful, despite our positively searing heat for the past several weeks. I have faithfully deadheaded this year (right after the petals drop) and that seems to be important. Not only does the plant make more blooms, but the stems and leaves seem to get a new lease on life too after deadheading. The other difference is we've had more rain this year. I expect that has also helped. I will be keeping my fingers crossed for them to overwinter, but even if they don't, I'll probably get more next year. They are gorgeous next to blue salvia farinacea and the so-called orange sedge.

Trudi - thanks for the great description for harvesting the BF seeds. ellenrr--thanks also for the offer of harvested seeds. If I remember I asked for them, I'll remind you end of season! (;-p) All the traded seeds I got looked the way trudi described them--like little shuttlecocks--which is what made me think they must be ripe. Maybe it's just been too cold still and more will germinate as the weather gradually warms. I'm guessing the few that germinated so far probably did so once we had a warm day or two which is about all we've had so far this year. Even the dogwoods are late blooming. It has been consistently cold--not just cool--with a rare day here and there when it warms up a bit. Corduroy, polar fleece and layers are still top of the wardrobe list.

The list gets longer every day. Here's what I've gathered so far: White turtlehead Gloriosa daisy Feverfew Shasta daisy Tall phlox Sweet William Penstemon Blanket flower Wand flower Echinacea Balloon flower Rose campion Maltese cross Ladybells Lobelia Coral bells Lupine Hosta Dogwood Columbine Cupid's dart Blackberry lily Verbascum Spirea ...plus a few others. The pink turtlehead and Painters Palette persicaria are still blooming so I'm guessing those won't have ripe seeds for a few more weeks. I wouldn't have gathered the dogwood tree seeds except with all the rain we had this year, they're the size of grapes! I spent most of the day today cleaning seeds, running them through a colander & sieve to remove as much chaff as possible. After that I use tweezers to remove any particles that get that far. I sit in a lawn chair pulled up to the tailgate of my truck. It's my perfect potting bench!

Here is an update. I was very very very doubtful about the blanketflower seeds during the time I was pulling them off of the spent flower until last night. I tried my best to put in my head that those were really seeds. I've been doubting about it for almost 11 days until last night. The reason I was doubting was because of the way we collect seeds from it. :D And also, when you hold it, it's weird. It doesn't look like a seed to me. :D Hehehe. Anyways, I sowed them in my test pot with the pointy triangle part in the soil with the whiskers showing up a little 5 days ago. The whiskers actually absorbs light and heat. LOL. Just kidding. I just made that myself. :D Last night, I saw tiny small green part. I looked at it again today, it is really green. Hopefully, it will show more of itself tomorrow. I'll take a pic for you guys!