I'm Confused....

But then it doesn't take much....Are Clarkia and Godetia the same flower. If not, are they in the same family and does one bloom earlier than the other? Thanks for any help. Old Lady, New Gardener - vic

Vic

Yes, it is confusing!

Godetia and Eucharidium are now under the Genus Clarkia but under different species names. Godetia amoena syn grandiflora is now Clarkia amoena and Eucharidium breweri is now C. breweri.

The Clarkia most of often seen in gardens was C. elegans but is now listed under C. unguiculata.

In my garden they tend to flower at the same time. All are summer flowering here.

Don't know the technical stuff vic. Different plants but both are pretty and grow in similar conditions and near the same time of year. I grow both in my garden. They're very pretty in cotage gardens alongside cornflower and love-in-a-mist.

Yes they are pretty.

Here's a useful site for synonyms and they have an incredible list of seeds too.
http://www.b-and-t-world-seeds.com/syncada.htm

Oh thank you so much...I learn so much here. What would I do without my dg friends...

Vic
I grow both godetia and clarkia (elegans doubles) here in Southcentral Alaska. I start the seed in my basement under lights, then into my greenhouse until danger of frost has past. Here that can be as late as June 1st. The season is generally over in late September. My favorite godetias are the Satin Mix, and I've had them come back true from seed, though they are hybrids. You can see my pics by visiting the plant data base for both clarkia and godetia.

Weezingreens, Welcome to Dave's! I've noticed all the gorgeous pictures you've loaded into the database! You must have some beautiful gardens in Alaska.

vic you can sow the seeds outside too!!

Thanks, Poppysue: I love taking pictures of the gardens. Lately my family albums are full of flower pictures rather than people!..but then, the flowers are my children, as well.

Vic: A fellow gardener recommended godetia to me a few years back, and they have become one of my favorite annuals. I like to put them in pots and let them drape over the sides. The hibiscus-like blooms tip their faces upward, so it's quite elegant. I tried the clarkia elegans when I realized that godetia are in the clarkia family. I've enjoyed them as well. Both have woody stems that can be brittle, but they always earn an exclamation of approval from garden visitors. Their seed pod is interesting, as well, looking somewhat like a little green cucumber before they ripen. The clarkia seed pod developes along the main stem and the godetia pods are at the end of the stem...quite interesting, and not hard to collect. Maybe I'll add some seed pod pics to the data base sight...WZ

A couple of years ago I received some Clarkia seeds free (I forget from where). Not really being too bothered about them (I'd grown them before) I just sowed them on the bedroom windowsill and the whole lot germinated in 2 days flat. My bedroom rarely gets above 55F on warm days and that was in a cold February! Definitely a great annual to grow.

Weezingreens

I bought a kiddies digital camaera and while the pics aren't great I love using it to take pics of the garden. Being a bit strapped for cash this Christmas (ain't we all!), I made a calender with the flower and beasts pics from the garden for a close family friend (with the aid of MS publisher). This Christmas I'll be making more.

Baa, and Weez..I just bought some Godetia seeds yesterday..
Never had them before..Mr. Fothergill Dwarf mixed..it says it has 1000 seeds in the packet..tiny tiny..
Any tips on how to distribute these seeds into the soil..or should I just use patience..and try to put one at a time..
I saw that pic of Weez's and just had to have some..
Cheers,
Carol

here's url, i hope will help u ... http://www.gardenguides.com/seedcatalog/flowers/godetia.htm

Hey MaVieRose,
Thanks for the quick response..
that's the first info that I have read that says not to sow indoors..my packet says to sow indoors five weeks before setting out..or outdoors when the ground is workable.
I am just itching to get back to seeing things grow..we had a blowing snow yesterday here..but I had to go to the Garden Centre..bought some seed starting soil and a nice galvanized, brass trimmed watering can and a resin statue of a boy and a girl reading a book..(I like to think of it as a gardening book :)It's about 14in. high..

***

Starzz

Most annuals don't transplant too well anyway but if you have a good soil which has been well prepared and weeded it needn't be a big problem. I sow annuals both indoors and out, seeds sown indoors just need a bit of extra care for the first week or so of planting out.

My method of direct sowing consists of throwing the seed on to border and hoping for the best. Hoping for the best is a very important ingredient in Baa's garden. The soil does have to be dug and raked to a fine tilth for optimum chance of the seeds surviving.

I tend to mix a whole bunch of annuals and broadcast them onto the prepared soil, other people mark out shapes in the border with sand or spray paint (washable) and sow the seeds in individual groups of one species. Either way is good, all depends on what kind of summer picture you want to paint.

One good tip is to sow a few in a pot indoors so you know what the seedlings look like when they come up. That way you won't have to sow in rows to see which are weed seedlings and which are the seedlings you want to keep.

u're welcome Starzz, my pleasure to give a helping hand. Thx Baa for covering all the grounds. i couldn't say any better.

Baa..thanks for all the great info..I have just put a few seeds..about twenty, in some seed starting soil and I will see if they germinate as quickly as yours..I put them in the window like you did.
I'll post here if and when I get anything>

You're both welcome :)

I'd love to hear how you get on with the germination!

Hey Baa....I have little green things (Godetia)sprouting..I took the plastic wrap off now as the soil is quite damp..it is amazing that they came up in two and a half days..mind you they are very tiny..but I can see them! Thanks for the inspiration....and Weez..I hope they look half as good as yours in the future.
Cheers,
Carol

Thats great news Starzz! Thanks for letting us know :)

I love my Godetias, never grown clarkias, but i do not sow any annuals in the garden in spring because they always rot but sow them in pots singly off course and have never had any trouble with them,I sow some hardy annuals in august so they can get a spurt on until the cold weather comes and then you get early flowering.