Thanks for the compliment Karen. :) Stillwelljill, Yes, I have winter sown them. I live in a coastal area of Nova Scotia, Canada sheltered by the woodlands. The poppies took three years to bloom and generally bloom for most of the month of July. Our soil is acidic and our summers are cool compared to most. The poppies get sun until 11 am then dappled shade the rest of the day. The soil never goes dry in this garden, but is not soggy wet either, and it is always cool. It is rich in organic matter, especially leaf mold which the poppies like. (Not rich as in fertilizers which I don't use in the gardens.) Altitude doesn't really matter to the Blue Poppies, but cool summers and well drained but moist cool acidic soil does matter. There is a garden in Quebec which has the most beautiful gardens full of them and they are on the St. Lawrence River, Zone 4 I believe. They are called Les Jardins De Metis and are also known as the Reford Gardens. No altitude there nor here. Your Zone 7 might be a challenge simply because of the summer heat and/or the alkalinity of the soil. That is not to say you shouldn't try them if you get seeds. Just plant them in a cool spot on your property, dappled shade all day might be best, and keep the soil moist. You might also try to get a soil test done to see if your soil is acidic or not, then act accordingly. I have some seeds but they are all spoken for. I only collect one pod every year since I want my plants to 'perennialize'. Basically if you let them go to seed they may not return. This year I divided three plants into 10 and they are all doing well. :O) I also winter sowed more last winter and they are pouting a bit yet I expect them to return.

The following is a summary of my prearranged trades. If I have missed anyone or have left off something, pleae let me know asap. # The following are prearranged special trades for the April 21st, 2007 Raleigh area swap. # ---Nancedar; Disporum sessile 'Variegatum'& wildflower seeds &Hecherella for veggie seeds(have) and Blue-eyed Grass. # ---BrendaEno; Caryopteris 'Sunshine Blue', Disporum sessile 'Variegatum', Heucheras (3)'Mocha Mint', 'Creme de Menthe'& Heucherella 'Strike It Rich Gold' and ? for Silver Pen, Impatiens zombensis & I. arguta, Blue Lobelia seed, cascading Fuschia cutting, Bloodroot, Salvia 'Love Child', Marigold of the Dead, if available, var. Hypericum 'Albury Purple', Tiarella 'Iron Cross', Rain Lilies, Scabiosa, Lemon Slice Hibiscus, Braveheart Malva, Salvia koyame, Tricyrtis 'Variegata and Datura seedlings. # ---Tammy; Veronica 'Waterperry', Tiarellas 'Snowflake' and 'Chocolate Mint', Cuphea 'Batface', Colacasia 'Black Magic', Disporum sesile 'Variegatum'& Orange Mint for seed of climbing zuch., Sprite melon and Armenian cuke, Raspberry & Winebery plants, kiwi & Jujube cuttings; fragrant Nicotiana and Arbutelon 'Marion Stewart' # ---Hollycliff/Dana; Veronica 'Waterperry & Euonymous fortunei (Winter creeper) for Pardancanda. Butterfly weed (A. tuberosa), Salvia 'Blue Hill' & tall, purple var. # ---Dirtrix/Shannon; Asclepias curassavica/Mex. Butterfly bush/Bloodflower(5-?), Heucheras # ---JohnB.; Giant Bicolor Portulaca(How many?), Cardinal flowers # ---Amyflora; Impatiens omeiana for blue flowered Monarda # ---Magick; EE/Colacasia 'Illustris' for Green & Yellow Hosta # ---Rootdigger/Debra;White Brugs for Armenian cuke seed, crocosmia, wallflower & Evening Primrose # ---Dellare/Adele; ? for Basella rubra (climbing spinach) # ---Tietie/Tanya; Arum italicum, Tricyrtis, Swiss Chard for Salvia 'Hot Lips', veggie plants # ---Moka_jo; (2)Portulaca 'Giant Bicolor' for 2 culinary sage # ---Dogridge Two bronze fennel for purple Heuchera # ---Ais; Impatiens omeiana, Lysimachia congestiflora 'Outback Sunset', Portulaca 'Giant Bicolor', Mexican Petunia, Asclepias curassavica & ee 'Fontanesii' for Hosta 'June', Viola 'Mars', Tasmanian violets, Lysimachia 'Golden Globes', native Solomon Seal and Asian lilies. # ---Hightider; Cardinal flowers, Mazus reptans, ee 'fontanesii', Illustris & Black Magic, Bleeding heart, Brug 'Charles Grimaldi', Bronze Fennel and Ajuga ' Chocolate Chip' for grasses, daylilies, Hosta 'Bright Lights' and White Butterfly weed.

I have orange and red habanero seeds if you want to trade Peace Mendi

I have two bhut jalokias and one naga dorsett growing, that I started on 2-1, and are already flowering - indoors, under HPS. The BJs are larger, but not by much, and the ND is the first one to have flowers that opened. Still have no idea when they will produce and ripen, but I started them very early, so I won't have to wait until Oct.! And I have a guy at work who is going to be the first to try them, that eats my gold bullets and makes comments like "I thought that was a gold bullet, not a cold bullet!" The red savinas definitely aren't what they used to be, and the testing confirmed my "unscientific" testing, though they used to be much hotter. One chocolate variety got him pretty well, but still wasn't what the RSs were years ago. I am hoping these will call his bluff... Here are the photos of their growth. It is strange, in that both loose many lower leaves, then where the leaves were, another stem is beginning to grow. Maybe this happens with habs out in my garden, but they are so packed together I don't notice, as when right in front of me like this (I usually don't start them this early). http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c18/pepperhead212/Bhut%20Jalokia%20and%20Naga%20Dorsett/