Don: This is a very good thread you started and I will now spend more time in this particular forum. I mainly follow the Rose forum and the Pacific Coast forum while "lurking" on other ones but rarely posting...mainly because I'd be on the computer at ATP all day and all night ! LOL
Another good annual to plant in varying pastel shades is Agrostemma githago...aka Corn Cockle. The seeds are easy to collect and they germinate well and FAST.
ZenMan: I've followed your threads here and always find them very interesting and informative. I've never tried cross breeding anything before...but I might start, thanks to your inspiring posts.
Last year for the first time I planted the annual Linaria. It did great and has now reseeded plentifully, so along with Lobelia I now have another source of freebies.
Common Larkspur reseeds very well here and many times the volunteers are really interesting colors with splotches of white mixed in...unlike the standard colors you get when buying the 6 packs.
Last summer I became obsessed with the green zinnias and planted a slew of them. I was horribly disappointed in them but that was probably because we had horrific heat and humidity for months and they were just sort of a blah beige color.
I'll try them again this year.
