Martagon Lilies(recurved petals) Orienipet Lilies Trumpet Lilies Limelight and Tardiva Hydrangea Pinky-Winky Hydrangea Butterfly Bushes Veronicas Liatris Balloon Flowers Russian Sage Zebra Grass Showstopper, Rugosa, Fairy Roses Globe thistle (Sea Holly) Hibiscus Rose Campion Various Daylilies Sanguisorba Clematis Tantigua Oakleaf Hydrangea Phlox, Various Agastache, both kinds Periennial Salvias Rose of Sharon shrubs Butterfly weed Gallardia Tall Sedum, flowers almost open, seems early Milkweed in the fields Hostas Mullien Geranium, pink and blue Red allium about gone Lobelia, Salmon Delphinium, new, planted in spring Guess that is more than I thought! I do have annuals interspersed for steady color. Planted a bunch this week after purchasing on sale, $1 a 4 inch pot, very full plants. Added a lot of fill for the price, along with steady color. Got some very interesting morning glory plants with attractive varigated leaves, purple with white edged flowers, get about 12" tall. Used for a whole row of seeds that didn't sprout. Nice colored Coleus, Bonfire begonias, new style geraniums with dark pink, white edge flowers, blue phlox, blue salvia just keeps blooming. I got a lot of soaker hose laid last fall, sure paying off now in watering. We are getting rain, but deep dirt seems dry. Heat is pretty high, need the water. I love the perennials for variety, but count on annuals for being in bloom, color all the time. I do place a number of potted annuals around the place for bright spots. You can change them around or leave in place as anchor color.

A pick ax? Seriously? Actually, I don't think I need one for the soil in the hightunnels. We'll be out there soon tilling the beds and getting them ready for the lisianthus and Karma dahlias. BTW -- In the dead of winter someone shovels paths to the hightunnels. We have to keep the snow load off. These structures in our climate are like children. They need to be babysat all the time. When you least expect it, one will collapse from the weight of snow. This has happened even though these structures are built for our climate. Well, maybe not the one that collapsed. But, we learned from our experience. Good that we did because when we don't, we get to repeat the lesson all over again. In our climate, the hightunnels cannot have three purlins running the length of the structure. Only one, and the snow is supposed to fall off on its own. The emphasis being on supposed to if you put the structure up correctly in the first place. Another lesson. Anyway, back to Zantedeschia aethiopica. I am thinking planted directly in beds in the hightunnel. And, they will probably get taller than if planted in the field. Thinking the catalog suggested planting in the fall because it's geared toward growing year round in a hightunnel. That would be the reasoning for planting them in the fall. They'd get a jump start on growing earlier in the season. As far as the Dutch grown color callas, we would highly recommend growing these in bulb crates. Shipment begins this week on these callas. FWIW We do leave the miniature gladioli in the field. And, as you mentioned, Steve, we do plant these deep.

kr 222 Some plants in my book are a waste of time for hummer use, such as heuchera, day lilies, petunias, fuschia, maybe some people have but not me. Most of the plants I use are annuals but they work once they go into full bloom. Following is a list of plants I have in my main garden every year and they all work. coral honeysuckle salvia coccinea [lady in red, coral nymph, subrotunda] salvia guaranitica-- black and blue , blue ensign salvia greggii -- pink, white and red and purple salvia microphylla hot lips agastache-- rupestris agastache-- tutti frutti agastache-- heather queen cuphea-- david verity, shumannii Obviously these are not all annual as rupestris and heather queen come back each year regardless, tutti frutti is borderline. But the others are annual and they grow fast and by july are in full bloom and all are used by the hummers. Untill then my feeders get a workout. It just pains me to see plants mentioned by people that they have and they dont really work at least not for me. Im also leaving a link to a short vid I observed this morning of a hummer using my coral honeysuckle. This plant is not fully bloomed as I mentioned before I cut it way back last fall no leaves and 3 1foot stems. I have been told this vine has a high sugar content which is important. I also want to add theres nothing special where I live. I have a small yard in a subdivion with very few trees in the area. In fact you have to walk a mile to find a grove of trees but yet come july/august I get more than my share. It didnt happen overnight its a gradual process over the seven years Ive lived here. It takes work but its worth it. Good luck to you in your efforts Here is a link that might be useful: hummer on coral honeysuckle

I received a surprise today from Chris (grolikecrazy)! Thank you. :) The plain letter envelope had holes in it- looks like it was damaged in transit. There was no bubble wrap or other padding inside of it to cushion the seeds. Seeds sent to me with no bubbles almost always do get destroyed like this, because the PO runs mail through some hard metal rollers unless it's in a bubble mailer marked FRAGILE in big red letters. :( The Dianthus barbatus seeds were about 75% destroyed and the Red Noodle Yard Long Bean seeds were completely dust. Thank you grolikecrazy, for kindly sending to me. I can still sow the few Dianthus seeds that made it, and hopefully get some plants! Excited about that. :) I'm sorry this happened, Chris. You were so kind to send seeds to me. I'm very glad you were thinking of me, and some of the Dianthus seeds do appear to be usable. It made my day to receive this, even if it is just a few seeds. : ) Thanks, Grovespirit Wondering why the surprises I mailed out haven't shown up here yet. I do hope they didn't get lost in the mail.