Wagonwheel - wow - love the image of 'Prairie Sun.' Thanks. I sowed both varieties from seed and had poor germination. Another weird spring too hot too cold not enough water, etc. I have a single 'Irish Eyes' I'm nursing and expect to plant soon. I've been debating where to put it! I've been very happy with the way the 'Cherry Brandy' looks in and among the other Rudbeckias I have which are common R. hirta and fulgida. I have R. triloba all over the place - self sown - and love it wherever it pops up - as for 'Prairie Sun' - there is something green in one of the containers so I'm hoping I have one. Funny how precious a single seedling can be when it's the only one. Dee - I have wondered about the perennial/annual listing of all the Rudbeckias, but here in zone 7b/8a they almost all overwinter in sort of a semi-evergreen rosette stage.

Hi Dot, Love in a Mist is an annual that reseeds and I just love it. It's so airy and delicate that any sprouts that you don't want, they pull so very easily. I usually just let them grow at will. They are Nigella. You can search on either. I'd post some more pics showing the beautiful seed pods, but my other computer is dead and until I get it fixed my last year photos and before are also dead. Send me an email, please.. Mona(mlwgardener@hotmail.com)

I got some Repels All and put around them and I also got some garden staples to hold them down so the deer won't knock them over when they walk through the bed. I will take these off when their roots grow. I hope the Repels All keep the other things away too. I have squirrels and gophers. The squirrels haven't bothered them yet (too many pine nuts for them to eat I guess)but the gopher ate two of my older iris. Came right through the wire my husband laid down. I'll let you know how it goes. I will be getting more iris later. I am planning on lining the outside of my fenced garden area with them. I am going to lay down smaller sized chicken wire and then put the garden mix I order by the truck load right on top of it. I will lay soaker hoses out because you have to water iris here in California to get them to bloom. Especial now when we are in a drought. I love el nino years here because I get the best Iris blooms then and they stay around longer.

Yep. You should be able to buy it if you have any kind of high end market, food craft shop, or similar. My very favorite is from Vermont Creamery (nee Vermont Butter an d Cheese Co.). They make a log, which is regular cultured butter, and a ball wrapped in blue plaid waxed paper sold in a little wood slat basket which has sea salt, and is saltier. The latter is excellent for bread and butter or toast, but a waste and too salty for anything where the butter isn't the point. The regular log is good for any kind of table use. I use regular sweet cream butter for cooking and baking. Organic Valley makes cultured butter with wider distribution. I can usually find it, whereas the Vermont is hit and miss. Organic Valley also make pasture butter. I'm sure there are plenty of other makers as well. Other than for the experience, I can't imagine it being worthwhile culturing your own butter if you can buy it easily. :)