Hey all, So far I've planted: Alcea rosea 'Fuschia' Alcea unknown Aster  ÂAdoration Aster - Michaelmas, Pink Aster - Michaelmas, purple Buddlea 'black knight' Buddlea  med purple Buddlea  med purple with hints of blue Buddlea  purple Cleome  JudyÂs garden Cleome  Sparkler Cosmos ÂSonata Cosmos 'Sensation Mix' Delphinium  mixed Echinacea - white Eupatorium (Joe Pye Weed) Foxglove - pink Foxglove - x2 Kiss me Over the Garden Gate (polygonum) tall, pink Ligularia dentata Lysimachia punctata Millet  ornamental Monarda  pink Monarda (Bee Balm)  Panorama Mix Nicotiana Quadruple mix: gaillardia, rudbeckia, coneflower & monarda Queen of prairie  tall, astilbe like heads Ratibida Columnifera Triple Mix: gaillardia, rudbeckia & monarda I separated my seeds into back of the border, mid border & front of the border, and then those are split into either winter sowing or spring sowing. So far these are my back of the border seeds. I also have back of the border Spring sowing (ornamental grasses, etc). Last year I was left with alot of stuff not sown, because it seemed so overwhelming. By breaking it down into 6 smaller groups of seeds, it makes each group a goal that I can concentrate on. I'm also trying something new to last year. I'm plopping the containers right in the beds where I want them to be. Last year I weeded alot but never got over to where the mass of winter sown stuff was - again too overwhelming with all the containers. This way, I figure, as I'm working in the beds, I can transplant the containers when their ready. Some people at the WS forum were worried that my containers might dry out, but so much died from neglect last year, that I'm determined to try something else, something that will work for me. As for what I'm going to do with it all, well we have 37 acres, 3 or 4 just around the house/barnyard, so I have alot of lasagna beds that I've started in the last 3 years since me moved in, so I have lots of room!! I would love to sell any extras, but with everything else (we're also doing lots of work on the house), I'm not sure I'll have the time. I may just plant everything & next year sell divisions. Well, that's all from me for now. I have 4 more back of the border seeds to go, then I'm starting on the front next - starting with the poppies! All the best, Gail

Question: Several people mentioned the importance of zone - whether a weeping blue atlas cedar will be hardy in a particular zone. How do you factor in other conditions? I live in southeastern VA on the Chesapeake Bay. The water that surrounds us moderate temps on both ends. In spring, temps warm up slowly. In winter, temps get cold later. Usual 1st frost is in late Nov - early Dec. This year, our first hard frost was in late Dec. The big issue here (and it's a BIG issue) is wind. It's not usual to have winds of 30-35+ mph to blow for days, causing plants to dry up and die. In winter and early spring, NNW winds are the main problem (we are fairly well protected from NNE winds). Although this situation is comfortable for people, several days of warm/hot wind aren't good for trees that are under stress and must deal with these conditions - or die. Given these conditions, would you grow a weeping blue atlas cedar here? How would they handel an occasional salt water bath from a tropical storm or hurricane? Thanks, Pam

Pennisetum is my favorite grass (or is it Calamagrostis foliosa)... ive been growing Pennisetum alopecuroides for perhaps 30 years, first the species, then the smaller Hameln. I find it an indispensable mixer at the mid-size level of the garden. It has almost 11 months of interest in my California garden. A fine textured mid green in summer with an extremely graceful fountain shape, then it bristles with pretty flowers in late summer. Then in fall, my favorite season, it turns all shades of straw and russet and brown, gradually bleaching out to straw as winter comes in earnest. But it holds a nice shape and has "presence" until it needs to be sheared to a few inches from the ground here in late January. In milder winters it will start to grow in early February and it isn't long before it is looking really pretty.

Resurrecting an old thread. So should I cut the seed pods off when they are still green, or let the pods turn brown/black first? On my daylilies, I usually cut them off when they're gree. I have a whole bunch I am saving and plan to open up and stick in some pots in the spring. I want to not let them go to seed and lose their spots, but I'd like to have some more plants started from seed. I got 2 from SpringHill and only one plant has bloomed so far. I'm not going to try that hard with the seeds - I'll probably just open the pods, maybe soak the seeds, then keep them moist in a pot in spring and see what I get. Has this worked for anyone? And should I wait until they turn brown to open? Just noticed this is the MN forum - I am in MD, but found the thread via search! Some bloom pics to share (click on thumbnails):