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've tried all kinds of remedies for scale on my houseplants. Nothing worked until I learned that wasps love them and are attracted by the sticky sweet residue. So I put my plants outside in the summer and problem solved. You can pick them off, but you have to eliminate every last one or it will come back. I even had one plant guy tell me to watch the scale spot and when the babies make a run for it go after them with the alcohol mix. Really? I would have no life. Here's a link that should help answer most of your questions. Here is a link that might be useful: Scale info

http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq5040.html