Well, scratch that, it's the wrong photo......

I give up for the evening.....

That is so pretty. My Blazing Sunset Guems are so tiny even though I have had them for three years now. They should look that great!

Crittergarden, I'm looking forward to seeing your changes! Try again when you get a chance, please.

Here's what we started with, fifteen years ago...



...pretty much an empty canvas.



A cottage and a half, and no gardens. It was a lot of fun changing it into something else.


Dianne, I believe I have seedlings of your Blazing Sunset going. I'll double-check tomorrow. I sure do hope so; those are gorgeous!

Chelle - please do let me know if they sprouted for you. I'll save more seeds for next year's swap if that is the case. I only let a few stalks go to seed this year. I have about 5-6 seedlings scattered throughout the yard.

Rita - let me know if you want some Blazing sunset seeds to start new plants for next year.

Beautiful Geum, Dianne and love your garden!

Rita, you could try wintersowing tomatoes. Outside, in a covered container. They can take a while to sprout, and won't until the weather warms. But once it's warm, they grow fast. I do the tomatoes the same as wintersowing technique , though I don't generally sow them until almost spring, like early March.

I like to start them from seeds because I don't find a great variety of plants to buy locally. When starting from seeds, the choices are endless.

That geum is gorgeous.

Karen

I love your before photo Celle
Here is my garden this morning
http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4...

Oh I soo love doing my seeds every year...i have fewer flats this year ,but I have 50 ws`d jugs too...LOL..

chelle glad to hear those lisianthus might grow with heat...ill keep watering them...

worked outside allday yesterday got all the potting chairs planted an ready to go...

Planted a flat of dianthus,and a few other things..

Humming Birds are here and Orioles,got feeders out...Its has begun...

very nice smilebox.

Humm, I will have to keep the wintersowing of tomatoes idea in mind. It really does sound like the easy way! But we have enough of a great selection of tomato plants available locally here that I am always finding far more than I have room for.

Diane, thank you for the offer but I hate to start seeds. If I ever decide I need new plants I would just buy them that way, as plants already. Honestly all you seed starters have more patience than I do.

Thanks, all.

Rita - that was my same sentiments about 2 years ago. It was frustrating to start seeds, get them going, and then just one time of forgetting to water, they died. So, I would always get seedlings big enough to put into the ground where the moisture is more plentiful and less chance of them succumbing to that one day of neglect. But. when I did a total relandscaping of the yard 2 years ago, it would have been very, very expensive to plant with purchased plants. That is where the beauty of a seed swap comes in handy - with a lot of seeds, some are bound to live, and since the cost is minimal, it is not so bad when some seedlings died. I got 10% success last year, and if I am 25% successful this year, I would be tickled pink.

Back when I wanted to start my garden but had absolutely NO money for extras like plants I did start things by seed. It worked pretty well although I do have to wait until it is warm enough to start them outside. No grow lights here and never will be. I still do start some things from seed as you can't get plants. But in that time of my life money was so tight that I had no budget for extras. I didn't like starting things from seed, still don't and just buy plants whenever possible. But I know some people really enjoy the entire seed starting process. Not me!

Rita, have you tried tossing the seeds in the garden?

That works well for me, as I will not start seeds in pots.

(I did start sempervivum seeds in a pot this year, but that is the extent of it.)

No, I don't toss seeds as the garden is HEAVILY mulched in a thick carpet of fall leaves or if I run out then in a thick carpet of straw. Very few places for self sowing or seed scattering. I start seeds in little garden containers I reuse that I put potting mix in. Last year I did scatter zinnia seeds and I think that I will do it again as it was an easy way to get lots of zinnias growing.

Newyorkrita said:Back when I wanted to start my garden but had absolutely NO money for extras like plants I did start things by seed. It worked pretty well although I do have to wait until it is warm enough to start them outside. No grow lights here and never will be. I still do start some things from seed as you can't get plants. But in that time of my life money was so tight that I had no budget for extras. I didn't like starting things from seed, still don't and just buy plants whenever possible. But I know some people really enjoy the entire seed starting process. Not me!

That would be me! I do get a kick out of growing things from seeds. I don't start many in the house, but I do some every year. My little light shelves are mostly occupied by coleus cuttings. But I've been wintersowing for 7 years and I've started a lot that way. Wintersowing is way easier than starting them inside. And Rita has a good point- much cheaper to start from seeds, and I'm cheap!
I like growing pretty flowers from seeds, enjoying them for a while, then composting them and sending them back to the earth. The process is pretty fascinating when you think about it.

Karen

It truly is fascinating! I love the varied and vast variety of plants available when starting from seeds. I've purchased a lot of ready-to-go plants over the years, but the selection (and cost) is limiting.

Jo Ann, the fog adds a lovely extra dimension to your awakening gardens; very nice photos!


Green Lacewings on my alliums this morning...I was very happy to see them!


My first rose bloom of the season.
So NOT Agatha!


Daffs I received as 'Pink Wonder'...NOT even close!


Here's that fancy tulip - opened up.
'West Point'



Much more happening right now...I love spring!

I still have my second flat of Marigolds to plant as I didn't get back to doing them. Been planting tomatoes today and setting up tomato cages so that I can just plant a batch more tomorrow with no fuss. Then I have to rig up something for the cucumbers to climb along and get them planted. Ugg. I bet I won't get it all gone even tomorrow. Tired now. No more for the day.

I did see my first hummingbird of the year while I was out there fussing around today. And my Cartbirds have returned today from wherever they go for the Winter. I was happy to see them both!

Chelle! Beautful first rose.

Great, a hummer, Rita! Have not seen one here as yet.