@Debra I'm slowly going through your list, do you grow the bulbine outside? Everything I'm reading says zone 9. I like the way it looks!
@ Karen I'm going to have to try the video on my desktop, Kindle says no plug in. Goldens are the most awesome dogs ever, Buddy is our 4th.

Kabby, yes, it is outside. Will double check it in the morning, but I think it has survived our below freezing overnight temperatures okay. Will see how the Winter does.

Kabby,
Hello. Maybe you could plant some butterfly weed and or milkweeds for your zone. Monarchs migrating back into your area from Mexico would benefit greatly and give you much joy!

@lori thank you for your reply. Santa Rosa had a fall sale of butterfly weed and I think I ran right over it in my haste to order. I do plan on ordering a few so I can get a good clump going. I also bought bronze fennel seeds, I think it is also a host plant. I love the feathery beautiful foliage.

Another suggestion to go check out someone else's plant list or image submissions for ideas. Also check the Multi-Plant images.

Pssst, FYI, ya need to use the user name when you tag someone rather than their real names. If you click on the ones you made here, Lori and Debra, they link to another user and now they will have been tagged and notified.

Oops @Calif_Sue. And I thought I was being so refined by mentioning names. Well maybe the other Lori and Debra will join the thread lol!
Do you know of a way to search members tradelists without going through all of the "have" plants, just see the ones that are available to swap? I have made a new available for trade category for mine but will have to move the list over one by one. Thanks for the heads up!

Eventually Dave will refine the trade feature. Right now you can go to the Plant and Seed Trading forum http://garden.org/forums/view/... and let others know what you have available.
I have separate Trade and Wish lists as well as categories by plant types rather than one big cumbersome list

You can back into it. If you have a specific plant in mind, search it in the database. If anyone has indicated they have it, those names will show up as a clickable list.
I'll use Thin Man Daylily as an example:

Here is the main entry.
Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Thin Man')

See where it says 16 members have this plant? Click on that and you will get this list.
http://garden.org/lists/plant/...

The list shows several people who have it for trade.

You can also use the database to search out plants you have and see who might have indicated they want it. Then click on their plant list to see if they have anything you want in trade.

What damage hath ATP enablers wrought? Let's begin.
@pirl LA iris Peaches in Wine and Red Velvet Elvis
@daylilydreams MORE phlox! Through a trade Flame Coral and The King. Then Blue Paradise and Eva Cullum.
@lovemyhouse ordered Strawberry Fields gomphrena and centaurea seeds. Plants Dark Towers Penstemon, Baptisia, veronica Royal Candles.
@gemini_sage columbine Origami Mix and Clementine Dark Purple, geraniums Pink Penny and Havana Blues, larkspur seeds.
@lorishell Have milkweed seeds coming from a friend.
I think.

You will feel thankful come Spring when the blooms start.

We've pulled you out of that rut! What are garden friends for? LOL

It usually isn't mentioned on the seed pack, but Larkspur are best direct sown in cool soil. I direct sow in March, but in your zone I think you could sow any time in winter. Self sown seedlings appear in my garden in the fall, and just sit there through winter unphased by cold temps. They don't transplant well, so direct sowing is advised. They will typically survive transplanting, but are stunted afterword and won't reach full height.

Thanks for the heads up on the larkspur Neal. I'm going to try poppies AGAIN and they both sound like they need to be sown the same way. I've heard of mixing the seeds with sand to better cover the area being planted and not to cover with soil. I think January will be an appropriate time for my region.

January should be perfect, and I do sow them when I sow poppies, so that's a good plan.

Neil, where did you get your Alstromeria 'Mauve Majesty? It's gorgeous! I got some from easytogrowbulbs last year but not that variety and mine all croaked!

Neal , Thanks for the Larkspur tip. I wondered why transplants were a disappointment.
Kabby. Neal is right about sowing poppies in cold weather and dont cover. They also do well with a well fertalized soil. I use compost before I sow sometimes.

Arlene, I got Mauve Majesty from Brent&Becky's last spring. I saw a mention on the website that they wanted to gain more info on culture of Alstroemeria, that gave me the impression they may not offer it again this year. The new catalog will be out soon, so we'll see. I just did some searching, as I thought I'd seen it offered elsewhere, but I'm only seeing results from sources no longer offering it. It is one of the few hardy to zone 5, but since you're in a warmer zone, you've got several more options- LazySS's is offering some nice looking varieties. I plan to try a couple from the "Inca" series this year.

JoAnn, once you've got some Larkspur growing, let them go to seed and sprinkle them around where you want them in September. They will germinate in fall and the seedlings just sit there and survive the winter with no problem, then in spring they have a jump start and reach nice heights and perform beautifully.

Here's a perennial I've been wanting to try, commonly known as Red Yucca. It would offer such a great contrast in form with so many other plants. LazySS's is offering them for spring.

Red Yucca is beautiful,really dramatic in a mass.Take pix when you have a nice growth.

Thanks Neil! I am going to check it out. I wasn't thrilled with the ones offered at Easy to Grow Bulbs.

I had considered ordering some from Easy to Grow bulbs last spring, but decided against them since they were all tender varieties for my zone (I'd considered using them as potted plants and bring the pots in for winter, but I already have too many of those to deal with). I'm glad I didn't because the other things I ordered from them were all mislabled.