Why don't we do some "mixed seed trades"

Lorraine - You forgot your name! LOL!

I told you I was smart!!! Do I have to remember everything, like my name? lol
Okay here is a before picture. Have started cleaning and clearing. It will be big when I get done. Remember, this is before!!

do any of you have a before.

Lorraine - I can do ya one better. I did a thread last Spring on my seed beds.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/732433/

It was a huge success and I am now hooked on growing my garden beds from seeds instead of spending a fortune on plants! ;-)

Well, you don't have to be such a smartie!!!! lol Those are really beautiful Becky.!! I didn't take pictures last year, but will this time.

You know, someone had to "start" those seeds to make those plants for us to buy, so we may as well cut out the middle man!!!

My problem is going to be knowing where to plant where. You really did a good job on yours

Just so you know a few things that are in our surprise seeds. My mix for sure has:Blackeyed susans, cockscomb, sunflowers, impatients, marigolds, datura, petunia, Hollyhock, colues, and others I've forgotten !!
If any of you know a few things in their mix, let us know a few, make us stay excited over it. Might bring us in a few more who want to join us!!
I think 10 is really enough to get a good trade, but not be overwhelmed with them.

My mix has Giant Orange Cosmos, yellow 4 O'Clocks (one of my favorites - lovely fragrance), a variety of Zinnias, Pink Bee Balm (another favorite), Marigolds, and I can't remember the rest.

Lorraine - Last year I planted the seeds by variety in groups in the bed, this year I did the toss and sow method. I have sprouts coming up in all my beds except the bed I shall use for this mixed swap. This one will be toss and throw as well since I don't expect to be digging through all the seeds to sort them! LOL! My gardening style is Cottage Gardening, so mixes do quite well for me! :-)

Your mix is a GOOD one! Looking forward to getting some of your seeds! :-)

Also, if you germinate some seeds that you don't want in the bed, just dig em up and plant elsewhere or pull em and toss! You do NOT have to grow something that you don't want. :-)

So far in one bag there are Zinnias (different colors), Calendula double flowered Orange, there are a couple of other seeds in this mix that I cannot remember. then I have a separate bag with Mexican Hat coneflowers, a separate bag with Red Yucca seeds, and several small baggies with different colored Hollyhocks (all the colors are separated) in case you wanted some of each. I'm still looking to see what else I can send off and will send it off tomorrow. Is it alright to send off full flowerheads? I have a bag with Maximilliani sunflowers that I have not cleaned and there might be another type of sunflower heads.

A.

That's it!!! A lot of people don't want to do it because it will mess up the order in the bed, but you can always move them or chunk em.
I just love it when I realize there's something in there I really like. I've found lots of plants I wouldn't think to buy, but then I see it grow and love it. And there's seeds on them too, so if there's something you see you like, you'll have it for next year.

I love meadows. You know, the kind where the boy and girl, or boy and dog are running toward each other through the meadow. I hope that's how the one under the trees looks like. There's quite a lot of space there off to the left.

I want your seeds too, maybe I'll just keep it, hee hee

Don't worry everyone, I won't

Oh there will be plenty, these are sandwich size baggies..lol some bigger and some smaller..

Did you see this thread Lorraine?

Annual Flowers for Special Uses - Adapted http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/466813/
_________________________________________

Gourd,

I would love some of those seeds of "Hollyhock, Alcea rosea 'Creme De Cassis' back!

~* Robin

That is a cool site, I'll go back when I have time to spend a few hours. It's got everything

Boy, isn't all these people that didn't get in on this going to be sorry. Like you said, after they come up, we can move them if necessary, but I can almost see my lil meadow. There's also a clearing in the woods that's so peaceful and quiet and it does get some sun, so I want to sow there and put a little bench. mmmm

I've gotten where now I actually go into my stuff and take a few out and put them in our mix. We'll probably have every flower there is.
We have 8, with me 9, so if any of you know anyone who'd like to join us, send them over, but tell them we are on a deadline!!

Forgot, be sure and remember there will be some chaff in these seeds. So sow everything or you may throw some of those little bitty things out. I know I have coleus seeds in there and you can hardly see those little darlin's.

Oh Robin, I started those in December last year and they did not bloom, but I have a new package too and 6 plants from your seeds that should bloom this year... would you like three of those plants (I know we can mail them cuz I saw some Hollyhock plants for sale at HD in bags)... it will be something when they bloom. The leaves are starting to come up now I have them in a pot inside the house lol.... those were the first things I planted when we moved here. . I'm so glad I did not plant them in CA.

My stuff has some chaff too.

This is going to be a great year.

A.

Yes, it is. I just went outside and found 3 new places I want flowers, so now all I have to do is make someone feel sorry for me and come till them up. I'm staying in the house, except to take out plants.
I thought earlier, I'll never find a place to plant all these if they all come up. Now I'm in here sowing some more so I can fill 3 new beds.
You know they have places for people like me!!! I think it's called a psych ward

Lorraine, it is alright if I stick a packet of seeds in there for Naturewalker? I put her name on a Thompson & Morgan HollyHock Creme de Cassis, Ill stick it in the envelope and if you could stick it in her's when you send them out.. would that be alright?

I've got the envelope ready, it is a big padded envelope and I put in a smaller padded return envelope inside that one along with the seeds and the stamps are already on there with the label...

It will go out tomorrow. Just let me know if I can put that package of seeds for Naturewalker.

TTYL.
A.

Of course you can. Any of you can. No need in using more stamps. I'll be glad to do that for you.

Also, if you'll put a label and stamps in your big envelope and use that to send your seeds back if you like.

Now you know if I like the looks of the flowers in the package, Nature Walker may never see them. lol

Oh you need to look those up, they are beautiful.. mine should bloom this year and I should have a ton more seeds too... thank you. I'll put those in there, the bigger envelope is full to the hilt. You don't have to send me that much back...lol.. you will laugh when you see it. I already addressed the smaller envelope inside and put stamps on it too.

A.

I figure we are all going to have more than we could possibly need when I divide them up, so make sure your envy is big enough
If it isn't , I'll just take the stamps off, put them on the big one, put the little one in there and send it back full of seeds!!! How's that for service

Lorraine, This is an ok picture:

Hollyhock: Alcea rosea 'Creme De Cassis' http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/52759/

However, they are far prettier in real life.

~* Robin

OMG! They are gorgeous! So someone tell me ... Hollyhocks take 2 years from seed to bloom? I planted a bunch of seeds last year and narry saw a one bloom.

Those are so pretty!!!. I wanted a lot in my beds this year, please don't tell me they won't bloom. Oh well.

I think if you plant them early enough, they are supposed to bloom. I don't know what happened to mine, maybe they did not like being in a pot all year. There was no place that I could plant them until they finished the flagstone work so they had to stay in a pot.

I do know one thing, I fed some in CA some fish emulsion (as I was growing some gourds in the same pot) and the Hollyhocks went well over 12 feet tall, the roots went right out the holes in the bottom and rooted into the ground, and busted the pot.. it grew for about two 1/2 years and never did die down. Who would have known that it would react like that..lol. This is a true story.. I'm going to feed these some and see what happens.

Lorraine, I am sending two envelopes, one that looks like it's been thru the mill which is the second envelope with the maximilliani seeds, I could not fit them into the first envelope (you probably need a hammer to make the seedheads loosen the seeds too). So be expecting two envies..

You are a crazy woman!!! LOL I keep forgetting when I clean my aquarium to use the water on plants. They say that's good too.
I think you had the plant that ate the world, or tried too. I had elephant ears get 10 ft. tall this year and no one thinks it's true. I wish I'd taken pictures.
I wanted to move them, so when I dug what I thought was going to be a little bulb, it was 2 ft. wide. Looked like a "pod" from outer space. You don't think we're being invaded by space flowers, do you

LOL! You are too funny Lorraine!

Yes, you need to feed those babies so they can grow up..lol. and up, and up... I'm serious, I'm feeding these guys when I put them into the ground this year. I wish my EEs would get that big... I just bought some from HD and hope the leaves go for awhile, I make concrete stepping stones with them, and this past year my one plant rotted towards the end of the season.. Someone told me that my plants work for their keep..lol.

By the way, the envelopes went out at noon today...

Becky, those Hollyhocks are so pretty, I hope they bloom this year, they should... we have alot of patience don't we??? with the MGs and all, I guess gardeners have alot of patience and they have to, otherwise nothing would grow from seed.

Here are some of the stepping stones, I also used Banana Canna leaves for other stepping stones. I planted 500 small species yellow tulips at the edge of these and they are not even peeking thru, I wonder if I planted them up-side down?

OMG Antoinette! Your patio area is simply stunning! I love the stepping stones! All the work you have done is amazing! What talent and patience you have to create all of this in your yard! Did you ever finish the hummingbird birdbath?

LOL about possibly planting the yellow tulips upsidedown. I grew tulips one year, but they have never come back. I don't think it gets cold enough for them here to re-grow every year. Temps have been in the mid 80's here lately. (sigh) It's going to be a HOT summer in Florida!

I used to be an immediate gratification gardener. Had to always have plants. Would've never considered growing seeds at all.

Last year I did a very long bed bordering my backyard fence. No way could I have afforded to purchase lots and lots of plants to fill it all in. So other friends here on DG suggested seeds and sent me seeds! It seemed like it took forever for the plants to grow. (My impatience showing here!) But it was actually just a couple of months and then it all grew and bloomed. I couldn't have purposely planted a prettier garden if I had tried. It turned out just beautiful! Now I prefer to grow my garden using seeds. And I have gotten some very unusual seeds! I just love Cottage Gardens, which is fast becoming my garden style to go along with my butterfly and hummingbird garden beds! :-) I am totally hooked on seed gardening now!

Don't ya just love gardening and all the little surprises that pop up!????! :-)

Becky,
I have five cups full of Butterfly weed seedlings, they already are starting their first true leaves.. I'm very excited to start a butterfly garden. I also got 125 tomato seedlings that I potted up today. and alot of other seedling flats to go into the beds in a couple of months or sooner I hope. Lots of perrenials... This fall hopefully, I'll be able to harvest a lot of seeds. Lots of poppies are popping up, I don't know what happened to the columbines, I think the birds ate them and some other seeds too.

I don't know if you can see the details here, but I had one heck of a time taking off the black grout. My son and DIL took it with them to Montana during the holidays, so all I have is a photo. Thank you for the compliments... it has been one very long year in the making of the courtyards and rockwalls. Finally finished, and now the planting has begun... I don't know if I'll start 250 pots of MGs this year, probably NOT... just some of the crosses and the platycodons.. mostly (100 pots or so) but that is it. lol.

Oh my gosh! That turned out beautiful! So the birdbath was for them?

I definitely want to see photos of your courtyard and all your garden beds. It looks amazing even without plants! Your artistic eye for detail is wonderful and something I sadly lack. No imagination here. Well ... maybe a teeny bit ... but not a whole lot! LOL!

I don't know how in the world you grow so many MGs every year! Even a 100 for me is a lot! LOL! I can't wait to see what we get this year in blooms. I've been potting up seeds lately to see what I get! Can't wait to see blooms!

I'm glad to hear that your seeds are sprouting nicely. Once the butterflies find you ... look out! You'll never look at gardening the same again! (And that's a good thing!) :-)

Ok, now I'm jealous and very tired from "thinking" about all that work!!!
Every time I start to pat myself on the back I see where a "real" gardener has done so much work!!! Ya'll got to stop it and give me a break. Your're killin' me
The courtyard is really really beautiful. It's a good thing other people do stuff and show me how, don't have an original bone in my body, just a copy-cat one!!

Lorraine - THIS is how it all starts! Ya see someone else's garden ... and ding ding! You are off and running with your own ideas! I do copy-cat, too. No creativity here either. But I am very good at copying other people's ideas and even adding my own touch to make them unique! I love looking at other folks garden photos! I need all the help I can get! :-)

Me too. What I really love is to copy it and then add that little unique thing and act like I thought of the whole thing!!! lol

Awww ... there ya go! My kinda gardener! :-) :-)