Helleborus (x) hybridus - blooming now while snow is falling, as never before on this day -



Usually, by the time these Christmas roses reach this stage of bloom in mid-March, I have cut out older leaves so that the flowers make a better show from cream, through dusky pale pink to black-plum. But, still, what a treat these are this year. For next year's swap, I will try harder to collect seed which is ripe in May.

Does anyone else have pictures of flowers whose seed escaped you previous to this swap? I promise not to tell

Seeds from this maple (Acer palmatum (Dissectum Group) 'Crimson Queen') did make it to this swap, and this is its winter dance. Seedlings from it differ from their parent, in that they are upright, though with slightly pendulous branches, and leaf colors, patterns, shapes & sizes all vary from each other. All seedlings have graceful winter shapes, as well as colorful leaves summer through their fall changes.




Some gardeners like to use these seeds in bonsai.

I have not seen seeds on this one - Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum).


This year, it started blooming in December, whereas in "normal" winters, it doesn't begin blooming until March. The weather has been very strange through last summer on to now. Anyhoo, this is one winter-flowering plant that stops blooming with freezes and starts blooming again with thaws. It's perched above where the old well was, behind our house, from where a transverse slope continues rising - perfect, wind-sheltering microclimate for "iffies".

Might anyone else have plants in their gardens today that are defying winter's bleakness with flower, overall shape, bark, leaf, etc.?

Is anyone growing Daphne mezereum (sp?)? I'd love to trade for seeds of that one next year, as it is known for being especially fragrant in February.

Karen,

I missed most of my seeds this year. I didn't collect any from 50+ huechera plants, I missed my sambucus. peonies, asters, almost all annnuals. I was able to get some early geranium seeds. I missed grasses, hellabores, rudbeckias, some foxgloves, dianthus, phlox and brunnera. The list is too long of all the seeds I missed being very busy with my Mom.

I do know that my weeding out of unwanted volunteers will be horrible this coming summer!

I'm not growing daphne so I can't help you there.

I didn't forget just never think to collect some from my hellebores

I just tossed a lot around the yard this year instead of saving them, other than my morning glories. I will definitely save more next year for even more trading

@Luvgtdanes sure hope so for I May want allot more as if i really need more Plants or vines Say is there a SEED-A-HOLIC Program Here ???

Oh I've heard about that SEED-A-HOLIC Program....I certainly don't need it

A couple friends and I buzzed down to Fort Collins Nursery on Saturday, ostensibly for potting mix. As I was picking out must-have seeds from the Baker Creek rack, I suddenly stopped and asked: "Does anyone have any idea why on earth I'm shopping for seeds when 100+ packets are coming in the mail in the next few weeks?" Someone's answer might have contained the word "addict," but I'm sure she was talking about someone else...

With respect to seeds that got away, I wish I'd done a better job of catching seeds of more types of penstemons, agastaches and salvias. Mirabilis multiflora, too. I also should do better at keeping the cats from stealing the "berries" off the Mistletoe Cactus (Disocactus ramulosus).

Deejay, I'm definitely having too much fun with seeds to go within 100 yards of a Seed-a-holic meeting. The Cure would be worse than the Fun

Luvs, seeds disperse themselves around here, too, and that is a major weapon in my arsenal against the trepidations of critters, neighbors' dogs and the humans who come through chasing after their dogs. The lilies in my avatar are now history snif snif.

But, somehow, a dust-size seed can be mightier than the rampaging paw or shoe. There's an area we terraced for a kitchen garden that is now too shady for much in the vegie department. But summer phlox and ferns and hardy begonias and a hellebore have sown themselves in there and I could not be happier with the results. Wild mints are policing the adjacent path and absolutely nothing deters the "earthkind" Rose 'Seafoam from blooming.

Lisa, I plan to add more seedy thugs this coming summer, so my approach to unwanted self-sowers will be more of a "going with the flow" method.

I have high hopes for the following offspring of Campanula takesimana 'Beautiful Trust', wintersown on 12/28/12, germinated on 3/15/13, and evidently blooming there this past summer. It disappeared suddenly - critters I suppose - but it is supposed to have very invasive roots and possibly self-sowed, so I have hope that maybe I'll obtain seed from this one for a future swap -

Welp, slow dial-up and dinosaur browser have been trying unsuccessfully for 1 1/2 hours to upload Campanula takesimana's image, but I need to move along - will try again later.

HEY, you have a rack where you can buy bakers creek seeds? I cant get them without ordering online.

@MrsBinWY Mirabilis multiflora oh my

For Campanula takesimana (x) 'Beautiful Trust' above - http://garden.org/thread/view_...

nope - still can't upload an image

Mrs. B, seems like the tussles between plant and critter are manifold, indeed - so cactus spines may protect against a fighting cat, but not an epicurean cat?

Might Baker's Creek have a telephone # that ishare could call? That works for me with GeoSeeds.

I did not collect many seeds this year either. I'm not sure how much time I'll have this season but I'm going to make an effort to collect more. One of my favorites did not return in 2015, and I have never saved seeds for it.


I've ordered seeds of a similar species for this year and will make a point of collecting them-big and showy, hummingbirds enjoyed it, blooms first year from an early start...who could ask for more?

@Bluespiral - Epicurean cat! I just saw one chewing on the dry Echium wildprettii leaves. You'd think that would cure her of touching anything that isn't in her food dish. I looked up C. takesimana x 'Beautiful Trust.' Wowie wow! Beautiful!

@luvsgrtdanes - Ok. That does it. I WILL do better this year.

@poisondartfrog - That Rehmanni is lovely. Diane's Seeds used to list one, maybe not the same species, though. It looks like I waited too long to order, as I don't see where she's offering it anymore.

@mrsbinwy :what is Mistletoe Cactus (Disocactus ramulosus). is it a house plant ?
I also missed many seeds this last season & Hope to do much better .
I Do NEED MORE Trully do

My New love's are any that BLOOM 's The 1st yr of planting from seeds

Q?? : I've Not Planted Agastches I Have heard they take over & Spread fast , is this true ?
are they underground runners ? I like Mounding Plants & reseeders .

well my baby is ready for bed so u all have a great evening back for coffee .

I have agastache golden jubilee and it is a heavy reseeder. I don't mind since they are easy to pull out where i don't want them. I am trying a few new ones this year from the trades. I love the bees on them!

Yes, Mistletoe Cactus is a houseplant, in Wyoming anyway. I second Ronnie's observations about Agastache foeniculum 'Golden Jubilee.' None of our others really self-sow. I thought I had an Agastache cana seedling once. I guarded it from doggie feet clear up until the day it turned into a catnip plant.

Agastaches don't spread for me in Oregon. Some do reseed readily. They are "one" of my best plants as far as never ending blooms from the middle of summer to fall. I'm always looking for new ones. Hummingbirds love them as extra bonus.

I wish Agastache self-sowed more for me. I have hard clay soil so not much does, but like others here I have had an occasional 'Golden Jubilee' seedling appear. Last year none came back so in one of the swaps I "ordered" seeds to re-establish it. Many Agastaches are hardy here though so I usually get a few years out of them.

so they are easy to grow from seeds ? I need plants where i have color spring to fall & No Breaks in between . so this spring I hope to plant many annuals that reseed , so if you have Ideas for me love to here what reseeds for you .

I have never had much luck growing from seed in the pass but i have been trying a few new way 's to grow from seed . but if this dose not work for me are there any of you that might want to trade Plants with me ???