I did not harvest any larkspur seed this year, Mel, and don't know if I have any from previous years or not. I will look, and if I do, you are certainly welcome to some of them.

Thanks Carrie. I just got back from running errands and was able to purchase several packets. :)

I'm going to have to order those peony poppy seeds on line though. Marshall's was sold out. :(
I did manage to force myself to only look at seeds while there and also at Calloways.

My Larkspur self-seed in spring every year so if you get some going you're good.

I always forget to get them started... so I've never had them.. this year I am determined to get them going!

Did you get different colors???

Also columbine, sweet peas and bells of Ireland.

After watching the beds yesterday, I've decided to wait to sow my seeds until after the leaves have fallen and I've somewhat cleaned up the mess. Usually I just leave them be.. but I want these seeds to take hold... so I won't be doing a full bed mulching, I'll mulch only the plants that need it and leave bare soil everywhere else.
I'm going to plant sweet peas in a large planter so I can move it under cover if need be if it gets really cold.

The day I got the keys to this house I scattered larkspur, poppies and columbine. That was my birthday. 10/18 of 2007.
I may still have some peony poppy seeds. If I find them, I'll let you know.

k

When I was in Pennsylvania a couple weeks ago, I got some poppy seeds that my mom had saved. I don't know how old they are, or whether they're viable, but I scattered them around the beds last week to catch whatever rains we'd get. I hope they sprout - what a lovely memory they'll form!!!

So help me out here... You sow them now and the grow all winter? Or they need to sit outside all winter to sprout in the spring? I'm intrigued. Never grown any of those things.

The ones that fell from the plants are coming up now. They do pretty much like bluebonnets.

They way I understand it is you can sow hardy annuals and perennials in fall. They come up, establish a root system and then take off in spring. You don't plant tender annuals or vegetables until all threat of frost is over and the soil warms up.

So right now I have that you can plant Larkspur and Snapdragons and Pansies right now, any other suggestions for planting now? I don't have a lot of experience planning ahead with my spring garden.

You can also throw some bluebonnet seeds out. Its a little late but worth a shot.

You can throw poppie seeds now too.

Roselee's larkspur photos spring 2010:

Here is a link that might be useful: Double Larkspur and other interesting things ...

I see both snapdragons and pansy nursery plants, set out in fall, blooming all through winter in zone 7 when its mild, so they are definitely fine. Sometimes if it gets very cold they will shut down and then come back around when the temps warm up some. Anything biennial should also be sown in fall. I have lots of hardy annuals coming up thick right now and am going to have to thin a lot. If its a native annual, I would definitely sow it in fall and I think snapdragons and larkspur are both natives. Johnny Jump Ups are nice to sow because they smell so good and are very cold hardy.

Great time to remind people to sow larkspur...it's a beautiful spring bloomer. I have direct sown (actually broadcast the seeds)larkspur, cornflowers, poppy, cilantro, dill,and blue flax seeds. I didn't harvest seeds from my bells of Ireland, unfortunately. I will sow my sweet peas this week where I am able to cover them during periods of hard frosts. Purchased plants for winter/spring bloom for me are: lobelia, johnny-jump-ups, alyssum, dianthus (tall varieties), petunias, snapdragons, stock and nemesia. My anemone and ranunculus bulbs should come in this week and I will plant them immediately.
Molly

I love larkspur but only have a few pink ones when they come up. Do they sell pink larkspur seeds?

I have bought them mixed which includes pink ones.

Molly, how do bells of Ireland do in TX? Full sun, part shade, or? My grandmother always grew them, and that's one plant that I'd love to have in my memory garden.

Thanks!
Lin