I wouldn't buy commercial seed. It may be old and germinate poorly. Fresh seed is a much better option. If you are averse to stealing some from plants you see in the park - now is a very good time btw, I don't know what Kent means about it being out of season - you could also always go and ask nicely if you could have some from someone's garden. Most people are flattered by the request and very few people bother with the seeds anyway. You must remember, however, you can't obtain named varieties from seed as they are hybrids and will not come true.

Hi Fighting8r, This is the only thing i can claim to have had "success" with yet. I direct seeded them in a flower bed against the wall of our house, that is pretty well shaded. The soil in the front of the bed always seems to be verry sandy, and the area itself doesn't drain well. I was told that after they get all cragly looking to just cut them to the ground and they'll come back, did that to a few and they came back full force. I also just dug some up to seperate & replant, as they grew into a massive jumble of plants. I had a few still blooming in december :) I have to agree with mboston, they are definately a no care plant!! Katie

I loved to mix purple and blue morning glories with the hyacinth bean vines--thought it was spectacular. Oh my, Dawn! When I was talking vines up the vegetable fence--I wasn't even thinking flowers! How cool. Vines, here we go! Gotta get some black-eyed Susan vines up one side, morning glories and hyacinth beans up another! Woo-hoo! Thank YOU! I was picturing vines growing up your fence, too, Canokie. What kind of light do you have in that corner? Is it full sun or is there some shade? Does it get hot hot in that corner? Dry? I love Joe Pye weed--it can get really tall--8 feet or more; but doesn't like dry soil (not wet either). I don't know if it can take heat well. Does anyone else know? I've read that it does well in Oklahoma and I know I can find a place for it in my yard--got some ready to seed as soon as I take them out of the freezer in a couple weeks. I had never before been a huge fan of zinnias, but those little flowers are workhorses, aren't they? I'm putting in some giant violet queens this year. What colors do you like, Canokie? I am also loving the lantanas, Oklahoma friends, and so do the butterflies and bees! Who knew. And verbena for low-lying flowers--I have been so delighted to see the verbena, lantana and black-eyed Susan vines grow like crazy down here. My lantana plants grew into 2 1/2 feet bushes! Lovely. The verbena spread and bloomed continually. And reseeded! I would think what flowers would do well is going to depend on the available sun, how much heat is in that corner, and how dry (or wet) it is.

Yes, the bed is mulched, HEAVILY!! We have Turbo grass here. The stuff for which Round-up was made to specifically kill (it doesn't, it can only maim it). And seeds never come up except in cracks in the mulch. I am sure I will have 1000s of blanket flower plants in the crack along the stone wall. :) I spread the seeds on the bare ground right around the base of the current plants. It may not work, that's why I kept some extra seeds. Oh to be able to garden without all this mulch! But Turbo grass is like Bermuda grass on steroids, with runner roots as thick as my pinky. Not fun to remove. It still finds ways through weed mat and mulch in areas. It is diabolical!! :) After years of war and negotiation, we have finally come to an understanding. It keeps me from free seeding and I keep it from taking over the garden. Anna