I am very interested in some of your flower seeds! I will not be able to check what all I have until in the morning but think I have quite a few things you may like. These are the ones I am interested in: clarkia lynchnis diamonds and rubies mix white swan echinacea statice lavatera columbine-do you know the type? bachelor button gazania mix coleus- do you know the type? I will check my seeds in am and get back with you on this! Thanks, Melinda

I use a large tub of water, hold a bunch of flowers by the bottom stems and swish them heads down into the water. This works very well with peonies, lilies and sunflowers.

Did they perk up at the end of the day? Could just be tranplant shock and they need time to adjust. Make sure the root ball is able to wick in the water. Since you just planted it, it should be easy to check. Water it and after a minute or two, dig around and see if the roots are getting wet. I've had to shake off the potting mix with a few of my plants, especially the ones with coconut coir, peat moss or large pieces of bark. If it is wet and they don't perk up, it could be a root problem. Make sure they weren't somehow severed or there isn't any root rot. Check the roots for darkened growing tips.

Red- or gold-twig dogwood (Cornus) shrubs would add winter interest, and there are several selections which are smaller than the usual type. If your soil is neutral to acid, you could look at some of the midsized Rhododendrons or mountain laurels (Kalmia). There is quite a range in size for both genera, so you should be able to find something that works for size, but neither likes alkaline soil. Leaf size, color and shininess vary, and the rhodie leaves curl in the coldest temps, changing the plant's texture. There are some selections of winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) such as Red Sprite or Berry Poppins that have been chosen for smaller size, and even some where the male and female plants are in the same pot and grow together. The male doesn't have to be in the same bed, so alternatively you could find another spot in your yard to tuck in the male. Winterberry is deciduous, so the berries really brighten up the plant until the birds come to strip the berries. There are always evergreen conifers, though they may or may not be what you are looking for. They will provide shelter for birds. Planting some hard prune (type3) clematis on ornamental trellises is another strategy since once you prune back the clematis after winter starts, the trellis will provide interest. A frost-free birdbath with a heater can bring a lot of life to a winter garden, especially if there are nearby shrubs the birds can use coming and going. You could also consider a small tree which would reach up above some of your smaller plants as well. Without a photo, I don't know that this would work, but there are a fair number of smaller trees that have interesting winter form such as dogwoods, hawthorns, and Japanese maples.