Seeds

I know I know  - I'm late planting my seeds. I really have no excuse.
The only good thing is that most of what I bought are perennials so if I grow and pamper them over the summer, they'll bloom next spring. Most would not have bloomed this summer anyway.

I ordered from a site I had never used before: Diane's Flower Seeds in Utah. I was a bit worried she wouldn't ship to Canada but there was no problem.

One of the main reasons I used her site is that I wanted Flowering Tobacco Nicotiana sylvestris. I couldn't find these seeds in any Canadian catalogue.

I'm quite excited about the new perennials I plan to grow! I will show you pictures of what they should look like when they all germinate and grow.

All flower photos are taken from Diane's site with her kind permission. Thank you Diane!

First - here's my only annual - Nicotiana sylvestris:

http://www.dianeseeds.com/nicotiana-sylvestris.html

I grew this annual once before and just loved it! It grows very tall - sometimes 5' - and has huge leaves, tall stems with droopy white fragrant flowers. The vanilla scent is most noticeable in the evening.

Next: the Perennials. 

http://www.dianeseeds.com/campanula-latifolia-brantwood.html

Campanula latifolia 'Brantwood':
This bell flower looked so gorgeous with its deep blue/purple colour and beautifully shaped bells. The write-up says it blooms the first year, so my fingers are crossed! Diane says it looks great near roses, foxgloves and carnations. It grows 3-4' high.

http://www.dianeseeds.com/aquilegia-magpie.html

Aquilegia vulgaris 'Magpie'
This columbine grows to 30". It has purplish-black and white flowers on tall stems.

http://www.dianeseeds.com/echinacea-tennesseensis.html

Echinacea tennesseensis 'Rocky Tops Hybrids'
Diane writes that this lovely coneflower grows 36" tall and is quite rare.

http://www.dianeseeds.com/gaura-lindheimeri.html

Gaura lindheimeri 'The Bride'
Gaura has become extremely popular in the last few years and 'The Bride' is just the one I was looking for. It is drought tolerant, which is terrific, considering the hot dry summers we've had lately. I have really high hopes for this one.

http://www.dianeseeds.com/gypsophila-pacifica.html

Gypsophila pacifica
This pink baby's breath has large pale pink flowers and blue-green stems. Diane says it looks great near roses and shrubs. It's excellent in flower arrangements. It also self sows.

http://www.dianeseeds.com/penstemon-barbatus.html

Penstemon barbatus 'Iron Maiden'
Sounds like something right out of Game of Thrones! Scarlet red flowers that attract hummingbirds.

http://www.dianeseeds.com/penstemon-cobaea.html

Penstemon cobaea
This looked like such a gorgeous Beardstongue that I just had to try it! Grows 2' high.

http://www.dianeseeds.com/viola-tricolor.html

Viola tricolor 'Helen Mount'

Happy-faced little Johnny Jump Up! Hope it self seeds everywhere :)

And as a free bonus I received Centaurea cyanus 'Tall Mix', a great light-blue Bachelor's button.

I decided to use pellets this year - no messy dirt all over the basement floor as I try to fill small pots.

I spent this afternoon planting the seeds and labelling. Some that needed 3 weeks refrigeration are out on the garage floor. It's still freezing out there.
The rest are downstairs under grow lights.
Ok - here we go! Now comes the exciting part as they start to sprout.

Check out my recipe blog: recently posted Beef Wellington and Mixed Vegetable Casserole.