Sure, Phillip! I've already got Nora Barlow in the garden, but I'm quite sure you've got other plants I'd love seeds from. I see some interesting seedlings show up from time to time from natural crosses. That is one of the fun things about a casual cottage garden style that I love. The garden is full of surprises, and not just the ones that come from my forgetfulness, LOL!

I'm seeing some sawfly larvae activity on a few of the columbines. Several years ago they demolished all the columbines I had (only had a few at that time, and they were just a couple of years along), and they did it almost over night. The following couple of years I treated the plants in mid April with Bayer systemic, and a single treatment was all it took to protect them. I have since stopped using chemicals, and specifically didn't want to endanger hummingbirds that visit the columbine. After that I didn't see any sawfly larvae activity for some years until this spring. Now I have a lot more columbine out there, where I've tossed the seed around, so its my hope that I have plenty to share with the hungry little beasts and still have a nice display. We shall see...

Here are some pics from last year of various columbine in the garden.

Beautiful colors, Neal. Columbine will grow here, and are routinely found in the garden centers, but they take more water than I am usually willing to provide.

Debra, some do well in dryer climates, like those native to the Rocky mountains and their hybrids. I can send you some seeds or plants to experiment with. The soft red/yellow one above is the native species to this area, that I see growing on ridge tops and dryer locations.

That would be fun, Neal, thank you.

Beautiful columbines Neal, lovely colors.

Hi Margaret,
Yes that columbine surprised me,..its a beauty.

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Hi Neal,
Lovely Columbine blooms,..those very tall blue ones are spectacular,..yes i think i would have lots of seeds you could make use of,..would you be interested in Tigridia pavonia,..Mexican Shell Flower/Tiger Flower,..i don't see many members showing them though some do have them in the Plant Data,..oh nearly forgot,..i am on Apple Juice with Cider Vinegar and lots of Beetroot,..just to let you know i acted on your link.

Ah yes, I'd love to try Tigridia, such an interesting bloom! Hope the remedy does the trick, and you're in tip top shape soon!

Those rich blue columbine are hard to capture in photos, they're just about to start blooming again and hopefully I can get better pics. They are stunning, I'd describe the color as cobalt blue. I moved some to the bed of blue, white, and yellow, where no other columbine are growing. Seeds from that spot should produce all blue offspring.

Capturing a few photos this morning and yesterday before the rain sets in. Especially enjoying the play of light with the rising sun and the setting sun.





Maggie seems to think the garden is there to be her photo backdrop.

Lovely, Neal, and what a pretty cat posing beautifully.

Love all those, Neal!

What a gloriously patterned cat.

No doubt: Maggie enhances the beauty of your garden!

I too love the play of light & shadows -- set off perfectly in your gardens Neal. Maggie is a VERY pretty kitty.

Maggie loves to pose in the garden, I think she knows she's a pretty girl. Hard to believe she's 16 years old, she certainly doesn't act or look it.

Funny story about Maggie, she's a very willful cat. She does not appreciate having "her space" violated by any dog she doesn't know. They don't have to bother her in any way, she just doesn't want them in her house. About 5 years ago some friends had been here for the weekend and brought their dog. Sunday night after they had left, I was in bed watching tv, and she hopped up on my lap, as she often does, but this time she stared me right in the eye and peed on me! So I stuck her face in it and put her outside. That was in October, and she completely disappeared. 5 months passed without any sign of her. The following March I was at the bottom of the hill sowing seeds in the leach field where a new septic system had been installed, and I heard her very distinct meow. She popped out from the growth around the creek, and followed me back up to the house. I couldn't believe it, and actually wasn't even sure at the time if I was happy or not to see her!

Later I put the pieces together. There is a duplex at the bottom of the hill, next to our driveway, where at that time an elderly man in a wheelchair lived. A couple of weeks prior to Maggie showing back up, I had seen an ambulance there and heard that the man had died. I'm quite sure she lived with him all winter and until he died. She loves nothing better than being on a lap, kneading and receiving pats. I think she was probably good company for him in those last months.

Willingfull is every cat's first name, Neil. Isn't that what we love about them?

I am very happy that Maggie 'forgave' you - you surely appreciate it

She's a lovely lady!

I think we can say we forgave each other, LOL. She remained an outdoor cat for a couple of years after that, but last year winter was terrible and I let her back inside, where she has lived ever since.

It sounds like she got in a proper SNIT about that dog having been in HER house. Well if she gave that elderly man comfort in his last days then I guess it was supposed to work out the way it did. Still, she didn't have to pee on you.

Oh, and forgot to say, after putting her out after she peed on me, I found that she had also pooped on the bed! Cats do find ways to communicate their feelings, one way or another...

Allium karataviense is very interesting even before the bloom opens.


I like growing them through ground covers.