Have you read the FAQs on Spring and Summer Sowing? I can tell you what I do for summer sowing, but keep in mind that my garden is entirely in pots and that what works for me on a (somewhat) protected terrace might not work the same for others. I use deeper containers - 5-6" of soil - and I do cover them, loosely. Lots of air holes in the cover. Until they sprout, they're kept in a shady spot on the terrace where they get only a small dose of morning sun. Watching the watering is much more crucial than with WS; my containers usually get by with a good bottom watering every couple of days. Once they sprout, I keep the covers as long as I can, adding more vents; this is mainly as a protection from the birds up here - they'll cart off a seedling in no time. Once they get some size, I pot them into bigger containers - one or two gallon sizes - to grow on. They get mulched well, and they'll get water for as long as necessary before cold weather sets in. For overwintering, I just bunch them up closely together, as close to the building wall as possible (where it's a bit warmer). Done. I've had failures, but some of the seeds I've had luck summer sowing and getting to live for the next year are malva, hosta, biennial salvia, and dianthus. I've got some lilac seedlings this year (not SS, but really slow in germinating) - at least I hope that's what they are - that will get the same treatment. Hope my method proves true with them. PV

They will be under a 15' tamarack in the morning (airy foliage) and light shade/full sun on and off all day. Most of my yard is like this. I have Maltese Cross a few feet away and it does well. Alternatively, I'm thinking of all one colour of Penstemons. I want a bright flower with a long bloom time. I was imagining something a similar height to the hosta leaves. I thought of heucheras too but maybe looking for something a bit bolder. I also considered Jacob's Ladder but it doesn't bloom very long for me. The reason I didn't used to like hostas is because I don't like the look of anything with yellow or lime green leaves. Makes me think chlorosis. Green/blue/white and any combination are the ones I like best.

I can manage the small french drains easily next door, that's not as much of an issue as it is getting my own in. Which may need to be put in sooner rather than later. We have standing water in our heat ducts now, from the storm last night (it had also been moist in there awhile, but worse after last nights rain)....I wish we had a conversations forum here so I could ask more about that (hint hint, someone please email me if they can recommend good HVAC since now I have a large replacement of duct work to do, and SOON!!!!) I didn't know they made grate ends for the end of the pipes! That is good news. I can use that for french drains that do not die into the gutter system. Kathy, do the drain boxes fill up with debris like mulch, or do you put them very close to the say, driveway where it is less likely for debis to get in? I have water that runs from my driveway into that area beside the house nextdoor too, so I could really use a drain box and can tie in that line with the french drain line going the other direction, very easily. Now, my next question would be, what about drain lines that get burried that are run from gutters? I will have some that I want to be placed either under a garden by the deck (which is where the french rains would also eventually go from my house) or come out into a swail around the garden. I'm wondering about gutter debris getting caught into this system. With lots of trees, we can get a lot of debris. Our roof pitch is so steep my hubby and I don't clean the gutters ourselves but have someone do it twice a year. Sometimes I think they could be done 10 times a year, lol! GGG

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