2015 Seed Starting, Part 5

Aren't you a doll. The Swallowtail seed produced 7 germinated seeds in 12 days instead of the expected 21-30 days. Please stay tuned. That is the best crop I have ever had. I was never able to keep more than a couple in my old yard, although once established they lasted for years. I didn't bring them with me, which is why I am so thrilled to have them.

I didn't know there was a Blue Queen!

One thalictrum that did make the transition from my old yard to new was one that I bought: aquilegifolium 'Sparkler'. It's a hybrid and I had to purchase it. It struggled a bit there but it lasts much longer here in more shade.

We have not had a single measurable snow. That is a record that goes back more than 100 years. They have been slammed to the east and the north but we have had no more than a dusting. And next week they are predicting - perhaps one inch!

Wow!

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My hardy white salvias are verticillata 'White Rain', out of commerce but I just germinated the seed.

And pratensis 'Swan Lake', from Bluestone (forgive the soaker hose), as well as the tender viridis (aka hominum), coccinea and Victoria white.

I don't think you can grow too much salvia.

I just geminated some Salvia azurea. Can't wait to see the color of the flowers, it's always so hard to tell on computor moniter how blue is blue.

Good for you! I got one very weak plant from seed a couple of years ago, then cheated and bought 3 plants from a local nursery. The color is just gorgeous, a real medium bluey- blue, deeper than sky, lighter than gentian! I know you'll be very happy. And yes, it's hard to get the color right in a pic.

Rock on Dome!

I have been growing gentian sage by putting it directly in pots, which is great, since I get all that beauty without a lot of work. I forgot that I used to put it into the ground until I found this old picture. The rose is the great hybrid perpetual, Enfant du France. I have one in the ground, from Pickering, and just ordered another one from Antique Rose Emporium. With the suspension of Pickering, no other nursery in the U.S. has it other than David Austin in Texas, and wow his roses are expensive.

So I think I'm going to put GS in the pots and ground!

Goody! The mail just came and mt Hazzard order is here. Thalictrum rochebrunianum, arabis Caucausica Snowfix, Nepeta sibirica (looks like the very expensive Souvenir d'Andre Chaudron I was about to order, and Heuchera Firefly, which I didn't really need since I have two other company's seeds, but what the heck!

Joyce Hazzard enclosed the lovliest note thanking me for the review on Garden Watchdog. How nice!

They look gorgeous. Tomarrow I use tea tree oil to protect all my new seedlings from damping off. Don't ask me how much you use, I have just been putting a drop in my indoor watering can (small can). It just sounds safer to me than hydrogen peroxide.

Am I wrong...but that looks like a . patens...lol. Ok slap my hand...

Pix...think I grew mine from seed, didn't I Pam? (from you?)..lol. Also it's been allowed to reseed at it's feet so next season should put on a great show!!!!!! 3 years old, 2 years old and seedling from the upcoming season, might actually have a patch forming.

No, I got the seed from you. But I had trouble getting it going, you didn't. I think my MG mix was too soggy, yours is drier, that might be the reason. And my one little seedling was so puny... It survived one season in the garden, even showed up the next spring, but vanished over the next season. It may have gotten 'weeded' by accident by one of my trial helpers, but I wouldn't swear to it. I lost a few things that way.

Dome, I like the tea tree oil idea. Think I'll add a drop to my watering can.

Ok Pam, maybe I got it locally to begin with (sorry can't remember..lol).... Put it on the list for next spring...will ship you a baby..... Ok, just remembered I got it as a 2 1/2" pot in early spring. Bluebird Nurseries in Neb. supplies small starts in spring to a local place where I obtained it, along with my Dictamnous purpureas that I always buy more of in the spring too. They ship in some of the more unusuals and I like to try and find some new favs...every year.. But most people snatch them up quickly after they arrive so I have to hit the store at just the right time. Yup, I do keep my seed starting mix a bit more on the dry side...starting with slightly damp soil and then just mist with a sprayer til things sprout and get going....only then do I water from the can...

Dee got your envi today....thanks will try to get those going soon!!!..Did you get the seed trade yet? Look for your envi...lol.

Was burry here yesterday, didn't get above zero the whole day! Our low last night was -19* about 9 pm, then it warmed to -13 the rest of the night. Today it actually got to about 20* ABOVE zero...sure am glad there's a nice blanket of snow on everything....

Blomma, Donna, Pam and Kathy ~ What lovely Salvias! I only grew the mealy-cup sage S. farinacea. My S. elegans, Pineapple Sage had expired. The ground had too much clay for its liking as last winter was not as cold as it is right now. It has been freezing the last couple of nights, and we will probably get more snow this year as the past couple of years we hardly got any. I did have Souvenir d'Andre Chaudron, but I think it also went the way of the others. I will have to place them better in my drought tolerant places. Do the deer eat them?

Kathy - nope haven't gotten anything from you. I forgot I sent you the other half of those Scabiosa seeds and I have another envelope in my purse to go out to you. The lady in the Netherlands sent me a bunch of goodies, some are good for your zone so I put them in an envelope for you. Hope you don't mind, or think I'm crazy or anything. Well, maybe the later a little, LOL. I haven't gotten the Robin yet either, the post office must have let go the holiday help and are back to there old slow ways.

Dome, you mentioned not finding good information for seed germination. Please look at the two following seed germination sites. When I germinate seeds, I always look at both of these websites and take a few notes before I start any seeds. I have good success. I WS which is Much easier than starting seeds inside. I've done both. When I start seeds indoors, my problem is getting light down low enough to the seedlings. They get long and lanky. Here's the websites:

http://tomclothier.hort.net/page02.html
http://www.backyardgardener.com/tm.html This is the one I like the best. It's a little more thorough. Scroll down to find the list of perennials.
When I find these two sites differ a little on what to do with the seeds, it is usually because there are many Species within the Genus. A good example is Heuchera (more later).
When there are disagreements, I go to a few more websites. Outsidepride has pretty good seed germination information. You have to read the second paragraph in the description below the picture of the plant, And the brief information on the left side. Then, I use my own judgement.
http://www.outsidepride.com/seed/flower-seed/heuchera/heuchera-melting-fire.html

Of course, as Donna said on another forum; there's nothing like word of mouth from other gardeners.

I also have good success starting seeds outside in flats etc. when the weather warms up. It's a learning experience, and everyone finds their best way to get seeds to germinate. DGs are more than willing to share their experiences.

Kathy, so sorry to hear about your hoop house. That's so frustrating! I admire your determination.

Donna, your Chicago weather sounds like what our usual weather is down here. I'm usually pretty happy with the weather here. We don't ordinarily get snow until the New Year. It's 30's here right now-that's about average.

I said I would mention the Heuchera. Per my research from the above mentioned websites:
Heuchera micrantha 68* Germination: 2 weeks Surface Sow
Heuchera americana: 68* Germianation slow and irregular 10-60 days Surface Sow
Heuchera sanquinea 68* 68* Germination: 2 weeks Surface Sow

So, there you have it. Depending on the species depends on differing germination information.

I am going to grow from seed the above Heucheras. I like them so well, and like Donna said about Salvias, (and I agree by the way), you can't have too many Heucheras either! This will be my first year to grow the Heucheras. I hope I can get a few plants. I am going to WS some. I don't keep my seeds in the refrigerator. I believe the cold WS method helps jump start the seeds for germination when the weather warms to their desired germination period. No guessing when that temperature arrives. Mother Nature takes care of it. Why do I feel lazy? :)

If the seeds are like dust, more than likely they will be surface sown. Like Blomma said, they are so tiny with a limited amount of food to grow before they start making their own food from the leaves. If they are buried too deep in the soil, they won't make it to the top to grow more seeds, then they perish.

One more thing, then I will be quite.

I bought Salvia nemorosa 'Blue Hill' and Salvia nemorsa 'Snow Hill' on clearance in early summer. They were in combo pots-nice, healthy plants. I took them out and re-potted them.
I took cuttings, left them in flower pots outside; they grew into really nice plants. In the fall, I planted many into my gardens. The original plants were 22 cents each on clearance.

I took more cuttings in the fall when I was ready to plant them in my gardens. The second group germinated well. They were too little to plant out before cold weather came this fall, so I put them in my upstairs and downstairs garages. Some are making it, and some haven't.

The Salvia nemorosa 'Blue Hill' has a beautiful periwinkle blue bloom. The Salvia nemorsa 'Snow Hill" is very nice also. Here's some pics:

http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/SABH.html My Salvias were a softer periwinkle blue than this picture-but it's pretty close.
and the White:

http://www.saundersbrothers.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=251&typeID=

They are very well behaved plants: don't get too big and lanky, keep nice form and like Salivas, easy to grow.

Just wanted to let you know they grow pretty easy from cuttings.

Hi Pam - an update on the Heuchera. I surface seeded jl Hudson seed from 2008 and Sawllowtail see from 2014 on the 14th, and have about 25% germination, so far, on each.

The Rose Queen Salvia from Swallowtail has 80% germination. Same date. I read that I should expect 2-3 week germination, so they are on the mark.

The salvia verticillata seeded on the same date produces 7 seedlings from 8 seeds. They were so vigorous that four of them have been potted into separate containers. They visibly germinated in four days. This is great, because this is the out of commerce plant.

Some new seeding:

On December 26 I seeded 'Pam Warren' platycodons. A special double, don't you know.

On December 29 I seeded Nepeta sibirica from Hazzard Seeds; it looks like Souvenir. I find it more delicate. It is the only nepeta I have that needs to be watched and watered, and it is expensive.

As you can see, Pam, I agree with you that you can't grow too many heucheras. I want about 20. And I promised some to a client.

And Heuchera Firefly from Hazzard. 2015 seed. Yes, overkill, seeds from 3 different years and companies. If I really love a plant and want a lot of it, I sometimes experiment with seed from different companies to see how they do.

And Pam, please DON'T be quiet! Your information is invaluable. Thank you for it!

Lazy to start them outside? NOOOOO! Lazy is just putting them in the fridge and not having to go outside into the cold!

Don't worry, I'll have plenty to say once I get going! And it sounds like all of you veterans have systems that work for you and enough experience for a good success rate.

I hope my little Platys pop right up for you. In the past I've done the 24 hour soak, 24 hour freeze first, but Kathy doesn't and has had good results with other Platy seeds I've collected and sent her. Fingers crossed!

I like hearing about all your Heucheras. My only experience with them was the year my shelf unit toppled from the windowsill to the floor. Yikes! What a mess! Anything with a good root formation was fine, but the Heuchera and Husker Red Penstemon had just germinated and were indistinguishable from each other in the mess of spilled seed mix on the floor. I potted up whatever I could, but ended up with only penstemons.

I've read that the heuchera hybrids don't come true from collected seed, there will laways be at least some variation although some plants will be quite similar. I think that's true of hybrids in general. My seeds were from T&M, and were described as a mix. Too bad I never got to see them. In later years I had other priorities and didn't try again.

In the past, since we are not at the house all winter, I have Spring Sowed. It's cold enough for long enough- and the temps swing between freeze and thaw often enough- to get good germination on plants that need stratification, especially the ones that need more than one cycle. But I find that the babies are tiny for a very long time and need nurturing all summer, which I've had problems with and have lost many. If I start earlier indoors I have much sturdier plants. This year, since I'm getting such a late start anyway, I may Spring Sow some, not sure yet.

What I really want this year, besides the Platys and annuals, is lots and lots of Epimediums. I think they are best propagated by division, not sure about seed. I've ordered a couple of plants from Bluestone already, E Roseum and E Colchicum, but only 1 of each. I'll have to research this...

I had sulphurem at my former home and was very timid about division, because there is no obvious point of division. Then I swallowed and just plunged a sharp spade through them, drove 32 miles and planted them. They established immediately, so I went back and did it again. That was the good part about the 64 mile round trip I made every Friday to take care of my old garden. It looked great, and I had many opportunities to take sections of plants.

This year I am going to do it again.

I am also going to do lots of the kinds of salvia I grew in the past. I love viridis and coccinea, as well as farinacea and the hardy salvias. I grew several kinds of culinary, tender and hardy salvias for an "Idea Garden" as part of my duties as a Master Gardener. And, gee, I had to remove them. Some went to my clients and I took some home. For years I had grown salvia viridis for spring and early summer display, but it lasted through several sharp frosts. So did coccinea.

You are right about the hybrids. There are not a lot of heucheras with vibrant color that can be grown from seed that are true to the parent. I have read articles that noted that what you get can be a surprise. JL Hudson's catalog has a few in which they instruct you to remove rouge seedlings. Firefly is one of the few that comes true every time. I was thrilled to find it, because it was like my favorite 'Cherries Jubilee' but with greener foliage. It must be in great demand because he has carried it for many years and now I am finding it in other catalogs.

Hazzards has a couple of others with red flowers but Firefly is much more attractive.

Here's the seed I ordered this year (so far!):
Annuals: I grow a few of them because they are either too expensive (for an annual) or I can't find them in the garden centers.
Heliotropeum 'Marine'
I grow this every year. I put it in my "front door" garden where I and visitors can smell the nice scent. It's on the north side in bright shade, even though, directions say sun. It blooms all summer long. It's my kind of plant: easy care. The seed is a little challenging to grow. It's one of those I grow inside under lights. If mine collaspe, I buy it at a garden center at about $4.00 bucks each. So, it's one you want to grow from seed. I bought a bunch of seed this year, because I grow it every year. I believe it doesn't keep its viability very well. I am going to put the seed in my little "college type" refrigerator. If anyone knows about the seed viability, I would appreciate any advise.

Anthemis tinctoria Kelwayi (Marguerite Daisy)
Again, I grow this one every year-can't find it in stores. It blooms all summer long right up to a very hard freeze. I put it in mostly shade. even though, directions say sun. It doesn't flop and gives a lovely color of yellow. Again, it requires a little care and so pretty. I ordered the above two mentioned seeds from Outsidepride. You get a LOT of seed from them. If I'm going to plant something every year, I am going to order a lot of it once instead of every year.

Biennials:
Digitalis purpurpea 'The Shirley'
This plant supposedly gets 5-9' tall. (I ordered this from Hudson Seeds per Donna's recommendation.) I like really tall plants. I think they make a statement. My digitalis doesn't re-seed much because I use Preen and mulch. Seeds don't get much of a chance, but the weeds still manage.

Perennials
Eupatorium fistulosum atropurpurea (Joe Pyeweed).
This one is new to me. I have looked at it for a long time. It looks like a neat plant and based on others' experience, people have written positive comments. I have had trouble finding a place for it in my garden. Anyone on this thread grow it? Any comments?

Heucheras:
micrantha 'Melting Fire': I've looked at this one several times. I think it's pretty. It may not make it--but thought I would try it. What the heck, you don't loose much--not like buying them for $10.00 bucks a pop. Take a look at it:
http://www.outsidepride.com/seed/flower-seed/heuchera/heuchera-melting-fire.html
americana 'O.P. Hybrids' (JL HUdson). He said they were "choice" I believe was his comment, so I thought I would try them. I would like surprises with Heucheras. Heck, I don't really care what colors the leaves are as long as they make it in my gardens.
sanguinea 'Firefly' (per Donna's suggestion) I'm really looking forward to growing this plant. Donna has had some beautiful pictures and rave reviews. I hope it makes it in my garden.

Lavandula angustifolia 'Lavender Lady'
Lavender is really a shrub and does get rather large and "shrubby" for me. I'm still not sure how to prune it. My latest method is to prune closely the first couple of years, then, let it go. If anyone has better recommendations, please comment.
Lavender Lady stays smaller and works very well in my area. For a short time, I could buy it locally. Then, I ordered it. Now, I thought I would try it from seed. We will see--it's much more challenging. I guess I thought I needed to be challenged this year. :). I've grown a lot of different seeds and wanted to try new ones this year. Any advice about growing this from seed?

Papaver brachteatum (Great Red Poppy).
I've tried this one before and failed. So, try, try, again. My husband saw this in the area and has talked about it ever since. It gets very tall and blooms are suppose to be really big. I have a place by the road for that one. I bought the seeds from Diane's Seeds-it was hard to find this seed. I like Diane's Seeds. She has some unique seeds.

Dianthus arenarius
This one is suppose to stay short and is white. It looks like a cutie. I have good luck germinating and growing Dianthus. They bloom very early. When I took a walk through my garden last week, I had one putting out little pink buds--in December for peats sake! They bloom all from early spring (one of my earliest bloomers) to a really hard frost. For me, Dianthus requires little attention--just water once in awhile, deadhead, and they are happy. Since these are to remain small, and they are white, I plant to use them in borders. I need something easy and remains short, of course. Having blooms constantly is a bonus. Anyone else have border plants they really like??

Every year, I say I'm not going to grow very many seeds and every year, I grow way too many. This year, I have an excuse. Our MG club has a huge plant sale in the spring. I'm hoping they will big enough to contribute. They will be small. I will try it once. Plus, the MG's will probably want some of them. They are always very eager to get plants. Before joining MG, I couldn't give my plants away-- begged people to take them.

There's been a lot of buzz on this forum regarding Epimediums. I like plants that bloom in shade, but the blooms seem so tiny. I would think one would have to enjoy them on their knees to see the blooms. I'm interested in trying them, so maybe someone can enlighten me. Are they difficult to grow? I don't know much about them. I don't see them in area garden centers.

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This looks a lot like Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica alba. Common name "Clary Sage" it gets quite large. I grew a few from seed and they have survived for several years now. I have a few salvias on the heat mat, it will be nice to have some new ones. The "Clary Sage" was my last real sage seed success, say that 10 times fast.
And what is it with poppies? I can just toss out California poppy seeds and get dozens of them but any other poppies just seem impossible. Anyone have any ideas on Poppy germination? Do the seeds need to be super fresh?

I germinate heliotrope by wetting paper towels or coffee filters, sprinkling the seed on them, putting them in a zip lock bag and putting the bag on top of my fridge. They like high germination temps, and the top of the fridge provided it.

Birder, I hear you about epimediums. At first I thought, what's the big deal? Then I saw them in a garden center and swooned. Here is a young one from my former garden. pic 1

Pic two shows them in very early spring. Same plant three years later.

In my new yard six years after the first pic.

I thought they were some kind of snob or niche plant. Then I saw them in person!

Blomma.
Yes, I love your Heuchera with the pink flowers. So sweet. I looked on Park Seed; it's not offered this year.
I have actually heard of the Salvia argentia. I printed out a very long thorough article all about Salvias a couple of years back. I like them so much and wanted to learn more about them and which ones would work in my zone 6b garden. I had not thought of this one. I always think of Salvias not being more than 3 ' tall. My Salvia sylvestris 'May Night' gets very tall-about 3 to 4'. But the argentia, it gets really tall. I will have to think about that one since I like tall flowers.

Dome:
Annual poppy seeds are pretty easy to get going. Oriental and bracteatums are more difficult. There's a lot of talk about them on the Poppy website. For the Orientals, after unsuccessful attempts several years in a row, I sowed them in a raised bed in late fall. They came up like gang busters. I am going to put the brachteatums out very soon in the raised bed and see what happens. I will keep some seed to plant in the fall next year also. There's a thread on the Poppy Forum that's titled Oriental Poppies Mission Impossible I started. There's some good information on it.

Donna
As usual, your pictures are pretty with very nice combos. I am unfamilar with the the tiny flowers you have used as fillers for picture 1 (blue) and picture 3 (white). Please tell me about them. Re-seed? Aggressive? Sometimes, little flowers are real re-seeders.
Your Epemediums are very nice. Did you grow them from seed?

So, this may be a stupid question, but does one grow them mainly for their sweet, tiny blooms or for the foliage?

The little blue plants are cynoglossum. It is one of my favorites because of the intensity of the blue. The seeds it forms after bloom, so if you brush against the plants you will spread the seeds around the yard. It took me a while to figure out how the funny seeds on my clothes related to the plant showing up in several places. But I have been unable to start them at my new home. I am working on it. I love this plant. It goes with everything in a cool color garden!

Pic. 1 with lilium regale album
Pic. 2 with Rose du Rescht
Pic. 3 a closeup
Pic. 4 in a bed with saponaria bouncing bett

It also comes in pink, but is more less effective.

If I like a plant I grow it in multiple colors to check it out!

Edited for clarity

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The white plant is Tidal Wave Silver petunia. VERY hot a few years back. I discovered that you can grow it from seed. I grew it for my hanging baskets, but had extra, so it went into pots and into ground. It blooms if deadheaded, and I grew it on windowsills in winter. Going to start this one too! Sometimes it's pure white with a burgundy heart, and sometimes the burgundy spreads.

The carnation looking flowers are double petunias, a series called Cascade. Once I realized you could easily grow petunias, I never purchased then again.

In the fourth picture, another smasher than can be grown from seed - petunia Avalanche white in the ground, and in the last picture, in a pot.

As you can probably guess, I love cool colors, especially shade of blue/purple, white and pink.

Thank you so much for asking! It reminds me to grow them here! You're the best!

And, unfortunately, my epimediums were not grown from seed. But they thrive after division.

I do like the color of my epimedium flowers a great deal. I had thought that I did not like yellow, and thought I was buying pink and white. But I was bewitched. And Pam from Chalfont PA sent me digitalis grandiflora in exchange for some allium christophii I sent her (my first gift to another gardener - and what a joy that was), and I fell in love with the color, realizing I could blend it in. I mean, as a friend of mine used to say, what's not to like? I ended up putting in at least half a dozen in my new garden as these fabulous plants seeded and provided me with material.

Then Raulston gave me Deutzia Chardonnay Pearls and I was hooked, and took it to my new house. Some of "my" best ideas were not mine at all - they were the inspirations of wonderful gardeners around me. I NEVER would have thought to put these plants in my garden!

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Birder, where do you get your Anthemis tinctoria Kelwayi (marguerite daisy) seeds? Sounds like a great plant I'd like to try!

Blomma, Lovely Heuchera!
I broke down and bought Firefly Heuchera seed (even after having way too many seeds to sow this winter already) after all of Donna's recommendations :o) Will be my first try with a Heuchera and grown from seed at that.

I direct sow all my poppy seeds in the fall/winter. I grow mostly corn poppies and CA poppies. They come up fine but I need to keep them really watered and in a location that doesn't get sun all day. If I don't the heat kills them in no time at all. I just love them, they are so pretty.

I don't have the heat problem. My California poppies come up everywhere a seed touches ground. I curse myself if I don't clean the pods off before they burst. Maybe I just haven't been getting them out early enough, or maybe the birds really like poppy seeds, LOL. I put a mixed color package of California poppies out this year, I hope they do well so I can collect some, especially the white ones. I also just put out some red and some lavender poppy seeds. We'll see.

Donna, love the blue Cynoglossum in the pictures above. It does look really nice with various flowers. I have looked at Cynnoglossum on websites. It's always much more meaningful when one shows a picture in their own garden vs. a picture of it on a website. Is there a reason you chose the Cynnoglossum instead of the Myositis? Are the blooms of the C. smaller? From pictures, they look smaller.
And, of course, the petunias are lovely. Petunias are always lovely. I also like white flowers-they always look so pristine and I especially like the fact that white flowers shine in the evening and night. I usually buy my petunias as a 6 pack or these days, becoming 4 packs or buying like, 16 in a pack. So, do you think the ones you grow from seed are nicer? cheaper? or you like certain cultivars?

valal:
I ordered the Anthemis tinctoria Kelwayi from Outsidepride. I haven't rec'd the seed yet. I will have extra and could send you some if you are interested? It is offered in yellow and orange. I ordered the yellow.

And Donna, Pam sent me my first Digitalis grandiflora also! Mine has not re-seeded, but I probably don't recognize the leaf and pull it out as a weed. I love the soft yellow. Even though it is "yellow", it blends with many colors of flowers. I have it in both sun and shade. It's pretty tough. I have grown it from seed (WS) several years.
I like the D. 'Chardonnay Pearls' I didn't know about that one. I notice it is in the Hydrangea family. Is yours in sun or shade? The description says very small compact. Is that true? Often shrubs get much bigger than description.

Corn Poppies and California Poppies are totally lovely annual poppies. My Goldfinch absolutely love poppy seeds. I will have 20 of them feeding on them when the seed ripens.

Valal:

Heuchera Firefly is really easy. I love surface seeders because they are so obvious. The seeds are tiny. I use my little finger nail to put them on soil. It's has another advantage. Most people lose their heucheras in winter because they heave from the soil, dry out and die. While Firefly does heave over time it is incredibly forgiving and doesn't die. I add compost to the sides of it to make it lower in the soil, but last year I actually took all the heaved ones, broke off the woody sections, divided them and replanted them with 100% success.

I was given the purple opium poppies by Old House Garden as a freebie and was told to start them in fall outside. I adore California poppies and tried them years ago with no success, but I didn't know what I was doing then. The Chicago Botanic Garden always has an incredible display of Iceland poppies in the spring.

Hey Birder!
For whatever reason I could not grow myosotis. Neal (Gemini Sage) sent them to me in blue and white and I planted them but they almost immediately faded away. Of course, that soil had more clay, and I had a fair amount of sun. I was growing them with mertensia, which I managed to grow for a while. I should probably try it here. But anyway, I wanted that beautiful blue, and I wanted it in full sun and shade. Cynoglossum blooms longer, reblooms and it is that startling blue. Sometimes when I am looking for an effect I will compare plants. I choose cynoglossum over anchusa because of plant shape and form and color. I do those kinds of comparisons all the time. I purchased " A Book of Blue Flowers" by Robert Geneve, compared the two and cynoglossum won.

http://www.amazon.com/Book-Blue-Flowers-Robert-Geneve/dp/B001KZHGQU

A $40 Timber Press book you can now get for 1 cent!

This is an amazing book, written in 2006. When I bought my house in 1996 I was obsessed by blue and white flowers. I see white as a color, and established a white section in my garden just off the front porch, to enjoy at night. I asked my landscaper to do it but she put it west and everyhting dies so I reestablished it starting with once blooming Damask Rose 'Madame Hardy'. (pic 1) Then I added a mess of white flowers - feverfew, borage, salvia cocinea (this second pic is actually one year earlier), then added two white reblooming roses for continuity of bloom and discovered lilium Crystal Blanca (B&D Lilies) a tougher, shorter version of Casablanca, and plunked it to one side.
A new Madame Hardy is in my front bed. I have every other plant here, or the seeds for it, and I am going to recreate it.

The great part about it was that it was on the north side of my house and gave me privacy from some very prying neighbors, whose expensive but neglected plants were worked in to my design (nice white pine - but there were three and two died). It was east of my prunus yedoensis and at night the soft shade cast over the bed was amazing.

The other book that is amazing is "The Garden Color Book" by Paul Williams.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/garden-color-book-paul-williams/1112507905?ean=9780811828345

An astounding book, it takes plants through the color spectrum from lightest to darkest. I concentrated on blue.

These two books are absolutely amazing, and dirt cheap. I was lucky to get them at the beginning of my design period.

Pam:

My petunias are 90% as nice. I would sometimes supplement them with purchases since I was using them in my hanging baskets. Since they are so inexpensive, I advise buying them. I'm just one of those crazy people who likes to see what is possible to grow.

My digitalis was so tough that after I pulled it to move it to my new house I went back and found literally a dozen seedlings and started pulling them out. I didn't notice the reseeding until the original plant was pulled. There was no way I was going to leave a gift.

My deutzia is mature and it is under two feet. I grew it on the north side of my house in half day sun in improved clay and it thrived. It is now at the feet under a PJM rhodie on the SOUTH side of my house and it is thriving. Don't hesitate. That is one amazing little plant, and after the rhodie blooms it does its thing. It is fully hardy in zone 5a. I can't take credit for it - I chose it from a Raulston Arboretum Connoisseur plant list. It's a freaking stunner, and believe it or not, very low maintenance. I have had to dig it up twice since I planted it too high. Didn't miss a beat.

I had always though the Proven Winners designation was just marketing. Not in this case. I recommend it to everyone. And our favorite site loves it too.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c591

Donna, I love your extensive use of white! Such light and sparkle, especially in shadowy parts of the garden. I almost lost all my Myosotis here during the neglect years, but a little stand of blue seedlings showed themselves in 2014, and one lonely white plant. Seed may be a better way to establish them, but I have never been able to capture the tiny seeds before dispersal. But I agree that Cynoglossum is a much more vibrant blue, and I love the long bloom season and additional height. I will get more of those going in my "Sky Garden" (of blues, white, and soft yellows) this year! And thank you for the lovely holiday card- what a sweet surprise!

Thank you Neal. I LOVE your insights, I never know what plants will establish themselves. A friend gave me Geranium 'Bevan's Variety'; and it went nuts. So did nepetas 'Joanna Reed' and 'Six Hills Giant'. She also gave me about 50 galium odoratum, and I have TWO. You never know.

I was thrilled to send you a card. We traded plants - I have your address. And you're BACK!

Birder- 2 years ago I planted Epimedium pinnatum ssp colchicum, on the advice of Graham Rice's book Planting the Dry Shade Garden. I had previously had an opinion like yours. This one was particularly recommended, and he warned about the Asian species, as they need more water. Anyway it is indeed perfectly drought tolerant. I thought that since the flowers were so tiny (always photographed with huge magnification) they would be barely visible. Not so. There are many, and they are held above the foliage, and are BRIGHT yellow, to the point I may have to alter the planting scheme. It is spreading ever so slowly, but then again it is dry shade. I also have e. davidii, also yellow also very slow expansion, and also very yellow. And E. x warleyense which has lovely soft orange flowers. I have never tried any of the others.

Donna- I have some Tidal Wave Silver petunia seeds that I never sprouted This is the year. I also have the Purple seed. I have grown the purple ones in pots previously, got plants at Lowes. The Most Outrageously Fine petunia I ever saw. A single plant becomes a huge shrub that blooms until cut down by frost, then you can put a stem in water on the windowsill and it will root in time to have another the next year.
I have the Book of Blue Flowers, agree it is a fun read (my sister "momlady" gave it to me when it came out, as I also lust for blue flowers. Someday I will have that blue garden I want. I bought the Garden Color Book at Half Price Books this fall for $7. I had never heard of it. What a great concept-the pages are thick and stiff, and each page is cut into three, so you can flip through and put the colors next to each other as you get ideas. The author should make a computer program.

Blomma- I planted one of those Salvia argentea Here a few years back. Sadly, like every other Salvia I have tried here, the clay soil was too much for it. I love the huge furry grey leaves.

Mimi - so cool. I have been dragging out garden books I purchased to try to get a grip on gardening when I bought my house - I grew up in condos - and I was amazed at how enjoyable it was. How neat that we have the same books. Isn't it amazing the great garden books that are sitting out there unloved. Well, you and I can love them.

Yes, I found that the Tidals will bloom and bloom if fertilized and deadheaded. The main reason I like to grow them myself is that garden centers used to turn the plants into nitrogen "junkies" by pumping them up with so much of it that the plants declined after purchase. It's much better now.