I have. I grew some from seed of rare Andean strains - that didn't work out so well, I was never able to get large tubers. Then last summer I started some seed that I took from a fruit off of mid-summer plants. By late fall they had matured some smallish tubers, which I'll plant out with the others this spring. I also plan to start more seed early in flats and get the plants set out by mid-may to produce new potatoes. Of course, open-pollinated TPS makes unpredictable tubers, which is kind of fun. I havn't tried any of the hybrid seed that supposedly sets consistent tubers.

Good on you florauk. According to my perennial books, Rudbeckia maxima is the botanical name altho' they're not an Echinacea as are coneflowers that are traditionally referred to by that name. Rudbeckias are normally lumped into the 'brown-eyed susan' family rather than coneflowers altho' the flower form is similar. If they're anything like the ordinary Rudbeckias growing where I am, they thrive in full sun, heat, & dry soil that isn't necessarily rich in nutrients. I checked Hazzard's Seeds' website and they do offer them. You might also check Swallowtail Garden Seeds. I offer those seed-source suggestions merely because I've had good experiences with both. If you grow them from seed via winter sowing, it's generally a good idea to sow the seeds in spring since (according to my notes) the seeds don't need a cold period in order to germinate. If you don't want to go that route, you might check your local nurseries when Spring rolls around altho' I can honestly say I've never seen them for sale where I am, I'm guessing because my growing season is much shorter than where you are. I have no experience with open sowing them in the ground. Best of luck to you!

OK .... i have green giants... that i started from 6 inch peat plugs in 2001, or so .... and abused them greatly .. lol ... they are about 15 feet tall ... and about 5 to 8 feet wide.. and are just getting rolling .. no tree/conifer ... is going to magically stop growing ... on my 5 acres.. they are going to be just great ... especially when they are 30 feet tall by 10 feet wide ... or 15 ... i was thinking your yard was a bit smaller .... but i cant see it .. so you are going to have to decide... if they are of proper proportion to your yard .... are you willing to give up 10 or 15 feet .. back where you want to plant them???? white pine .... ALWAYS ends up shedding lower branches... as it get 30.. 40.. 50.. 60 .. 120 .. feet tall ... you can leave them .. but they can get really ugly ... and then you are left with big stinkin trees... but not the privacy you wanted .... are you willing to give up this much space???? please.. consider this .... YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PLANT ALL OF ONE THING .... do two pines... do a few GGiants .. and a few spruce.. etc ... diversity rules .... and if somewhere down the line.. some dont please you ... or get too ugly .. you remove just those... but still have the privacy you want... and keep in mind ... trees planted... half way out to the property line... can be correspondingly smaller.. to offer teh privacy you want .... no one says.. privacy barriers have to be lined out at the fence .... a picture would sure help .. good luck ken

Bill, I couldn't help but take a minute to respond to this post. If you want to grow salvia farinacea, the best variety I have tried is the one called Victoria Blue. It is often sold as an annual at Home Depot, even though down here it is really a tender perennial. It should last through several seasons, and really adds a great look to the garden. Mine make big clumps reminiscent of lavender, which I can't seem to grow at all. (Except for fernleaf lavender.) Salvia azurea was stunning...for about six weeks. And then it went downhill quickly. For my money, the hardiest of the blue salvias are salvia leucantha (Mexican sage), salvia guaranitica Black & Blue, Purple Majesty salvia (I think it's a guaranitica, too, but not sure), and for a couple of seasons, salvia farinacea Victoria Blue. Good luck! Marcia