I have dill seeds to trade for sunflowers. But I need a way to email you to arrange the trade. There is no email link in your profile.

It was a real adjustment going from east coast to west coast on this front. I was very fond of astrantias and hardy geraniums back there. Now, my favorite companions are centered on what can take the dry heat and intense sun, along with having a long bloom period, and is on the "spikey" side, or at least has a different texture, to contrast with the roses. Tall nicotianas (my favorites with roses are 'Lime Green' -- Melissa's acid green yellow, for sure-- and an accidental hybrid between 'Lime Green' and white N. alata that is pale green and so scented it wafts all over in evening). Agastaches ("Nectar" series a little more manageable and lots of colors, though as Rosefolly points out, can be obnoxious). Penstemon pinifolius: orange, short, tidy, tough. Aster x frikartii 'Monch': I was shocked this works as well here as it does -- year in, year out, heat tolerant, very easy on the water bill, blooms for like forever. Salvia 'May Night', ditto. Hardy geraniums are mostly not heat-tolerant enough, except Geranium harveyi (odd one from S. Africa) and 'Brookside'. A bunch of species oreganos, teucriums, and saturejas as drought-proof edges. Tea 'Le Pactole' this morning heading into a big flush (I expect her to eat her companions in a few short years) Also this morning, other side of the path (Penstemon pinifolius is on lower right):

Just chiming in to say I've gotten a few catalogs, but am ignoring them and seed sites this winter. I collected a lot of seed this fall, got some seeds from a friend, and have so many seeds from previous years, the packets have filled up the produce drawer in the fridge, and starting to take up some shelf space too! So I don't think I'll be buying much in the way of seeds, but you never know...could pick up a pack here and there, and last March I got crazed and bought more Daylily seeds than I should have from the Lily Auction. PS Hey Tiffy, just noticed you posted here! Glad to hear you are getting a place where you can garden again. Sweet! Are you going to grow lotsa milkweed? :)

I'm sure by now you know if they survived, up here we deal with bad cold spills more often, sometimes I put frost blankets over the plants. These I use often, also to keep birds out the ripening fruits. Here is a link that might be useful: Frost Blanket