Any time you get money involved you should buy from a trusted source. ...and some people get upset about all these "government laws" that apply to seed sellers. It's to prevent stuff like this, which anyone who's been on GW long enough can tell you it happens way too much. The enforcement is lax enough that Ebay markets exist...probably because the public at large would jump on it as yet another "government keeping grandma from doing something" garden thing. ...as far as Reimer's seed-buying-from-anyone-screw-age-or-purity thing goes...I have no idea how they haven't ticked off the "wrong customer" yet. The thing that weirds me out is some of these Ebay seed dealers charge more than commercial sites...go figure.

I apologize ahead of time if this one was already stated, but how about Achillea millefolium 'Apricot Delight'? Mine blooms apricot/coral. If I'm not mistaken, it can also form dark pink or light pink flowers provided a sunnier location. Not the best photo, but just to give you an idea: http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/48629/2750746900101542237S600x600Q85.jpg

Hi carpathia, I am in Pittsburgh also and doing a hillside. I know the conditions you are dealing with and you will probably not have to terrace it to have plants survive and have a beautiful area. I did throw all my fall leaves up there every Fall and it made the soil rich and that really helped to make the soil retain even more moisture. I am using a lot of bushes. I will fill in as I go with some other plants but a large hillside I felt like it needed something more substantial than a bunch of little plants. I am using vinca as the ground cover. I have so far.... Buddleia Caryopteris Cornus Arctic Fire Hydrangea (hopeful with this because the deer love it) Physocarpus Coppertina Sambucus Black Lace Sambucus Sutherland Gold Weigela My Monet Rose of Sharon Check out Lowes Clearance rack in the back of the store. They have some awesome sales. I picked up a lot of bushes for 3.00 last fall for the hillside.

I had quite a few perennials bloom in the first year (last year). Aster novae-angliae - New England Aster Aster laevis - Smooth blue aster Aster oblongifolium - Aromatic aster Eupatorium rugosum - White snakeroot Conoclinium coelestinum - Blue mist flower Asclepias tuberosa - Butterfly weed All the Rudbeckia hirtas - Indian summer, Cappucino, Irish Eyes, Prairie Sun, Gloriosa Monarda punctata - Spotted bee balm Some of them only bloomed a little, but at least I got to see what the blooms looked like. Getting them planted out early seemed to make a difference whether they had enough time to bloom or not.