Incoming
I have a massive order from Select Seeds arriving soon, but I hope it’s not quite as massive as the “saved basket” I’m now seeing when I log in, which shows over $600 and over 62 plants. Something must be wrong. That’s about 3 times what I ordered. Hmmm. I'm sure it's fine.
As always, I have blithely ordered many sun-loving plants, including some very tall rudbeckia, verbena bonariensis, castor bean, and nicotiana. I expect the best performers to be the verbena, the nicotiana, and some white heliotrope, which in past years has bloomed non-stop exactly as advertised, and with a much purer and stronger vanilla scent than any local nursery heliotrope I’ve ever bought. I’m hoping too that the old-fashioned climbing petunia will do better than it did last year. It rocked in 2005.
Select Seed does a pretty good job with their plants—but their strength lies in their name: the selection. Bluestone’s plants arrive in rather better condition, but they don’t carry annuals. I love ordering annuals. So much better than driving around from nursery to nursery, on the off-chance you’ll find what you want. So much less unthinkable than growing them from seed.
Also, all perennial action is on hold until the pond decision is made. Who knows what we may have to move and where we’ll put new plants? It’s a mystery.
Shown at top: Appleblossom Rosebud “geranium,” out of stock last year, but this year I got it. The other image is the white heliotrope.
Comments
You certainly have more fortitude with a shady garden than I would have, so what happened that turned you off seeds?
Big problem: My husband is horrified at the lights remaining on all the time. He is convinced our electrical wiring is on the verge of collapse and explosion. (I disagree, but ...) Like me, he is not handy.
I do have friends who have great success with seeds, but I've seen what goes into that success and I can't replicate it.
I would like a greenhouse. Then, we'll talk seeds.
Dealing with shade is frustrating but not really hard--you plant plants, they don't work, you try others.
The castor bean is from seed, though. Oh, here's another thing--many plants are simply not practical from seed for the home grower.
Please, weather, cooperate so I can get these in.
A greenhouse would be ideal, although it requires space I don't have. A cold frame, though -- I can see that in my future.
We used to live in a 19th century house that had older wiring -- the upstairs and downstairs tenants complained about appliance cords getting hot -- and only two-pronged outlets, except in the kitchen and bathroom.
It was a lovely apartment with 26 windows in all (10 in the living room alone), but between the electrical system and the leaky ceilings, there was definitely no place for a light setup.
Bulbs did well, but seeds were outdoors, after frost, only.
40 plants? Not bad! Have fun planting!