Seeds

Usually I propagate by root division. It's easy and dependable. Last year, though, I had incredible luck starting plants from seed. No damping-off as in the past. So this year I am a sucker for the seed packets that are sprouting up in all the stores.

So far I purchased apricot colored foxglove which I think I'll plant near the apricot colored mullein I purchased last year. The two packets of rock soapwort (saponaria) are for the rock garden at the site. The cerastium (snow-in-summer) are also for the site as an edging to the daylily bed and the Blue Mink Ageratum is to edge the site's blue bed. The moss rose will go somewhere. The Heavenly Blue morning glories will be planted around the bay window as we loved the effect last year. Since I bought two packets of the morning glories, I think I'll plant some along the split rail fence at the front of our property. I also bought a bush-type morning glory which may go into pots or as an edging. The two types of nasturtiums are for the site since they did so well last year. I bought the annual buttercup daisy (sundrops) because the white and yellow flowers looked so charming. I'm sure I'll find a place for them. Two packets of delphinium Giant Pacific Blue Bird are also for the site. The two packets of verbena are for my container gardens. Bells of Ireland were an impulse purchase because my mother grew them when I was young. The unusual colored columbine (William Guinness) will probably go in the purple bed at the site, with seeds collected next summer for my garden. We had two amaranthus (Love-Lies-Bleeding) self-seed at the site and I bought another packet to supplement them. These were truly eye-catching. Three different types of sunflowers will look lovely in the butterfly garden at the site. Finally, a nod to cuisine - a packet of sweet basil. We are still enjoying the basil I harvested last year.

These are my seed contributions to the site, but I'm also scouring catalogues for plants to purchase. We have several rather empty beds in the garden and I'm trying to find the plants that were originally planted in the garden to start restoring the garden to historical accuracy.