For poppies, I direct sow. The wintersown ones just didn't cut it for me. The direct sown ones are getting huge.

Papaver Watermelon

There you go.

{{gwi:382945}}

From your link, I found the picture below. This is exactly what I have. However, I don't see any picture of it in the garden.

{{gwi:382946}}

AKA Eschscholzia californica so look for images of that...same size, habit - you have seeds for a different color than the standard annual golden but engage your imagination :)

no, it is no good anymore- I ordered more seeds from Gardens North clearance sale, next thing I know there will be T&M spring/ summer sale and where I suppose to plant it all I ask you? Never mind $$ for seeds well spent...
The only way is to stop going shopping and unplug my computer... ;)

That is true! I should stop going to stores :)

I was at downtown today. I was right across the Chicago Bean at North Michigan Avenue. There were huge concrete planters on the sidewalk. I love the way they set it up. There were plants with big flowers, ornamental kale and some long wooden branches with buds that looks likes like the flowers of bunny tail grass.

I just couldn't believe why those plants with big flowers were doing great due to our cold temp. I should have taken a pic, post it, and have someone ID it. Hopefully, someone from Chicago near downtown can take a look at them. It's right at the sidewalks of 30 North Michigan Avenue.

Anyways, what could be that great performing flowering plant? What is also that branch I mentioned with buds similar to Bunny Tail's flowers?

I don't have a guess on the big flowering plant - did you get a look at the foliage, were all flowers of the same color?

Lindalana, the seed sale got me too but I showed some restraint, I'm not normally sowing this time of year.
Astilbe chinensis pumila, Delphinium cashmerianum, Deinanthe bifida. I have a plant of the deinanthe and have never found what I recognize as pods or seeds...I understand the seeds are like dust so I'll see what they send and give those someone else has harvested a try :)

Morz
ha, I ordered deinanthe too. Never heard or seen in real life though- how does it look, behaves, what it needs? supposedly it is easy warm germinator. Had to have it...of course I had to have few others as well . Same as you this is not the time to start seeds anymore- other chores come to play but...
V1
stick you mention is pussy willow, I am sure of it- variety of salix, they are most pleasant to see this time of the year.
were those flowers poppy look like with parsley look foliage? Was that poppy anemone, anemone coronaria? Our HD is full of them, beautiful blue/ red/ white blooms.

All I recall was the flowers were big. I'm going back there on May 15. Hopefully the setup is still the same.

About the pussy willow, I looked at it from images.google.com and that's it! :) Thanks!

Lindalana, I bought it after seeing it in the original woodland Heronswood garden in Kingston. Charming and subtle, leaves and waxy pale flowers not unsimilar to hydrangea (lacecap) on a much smaller scale and without the woody stems. Grows to about 2'. Shaded site, rich soil so lots of organic material in it, adequate water...let it dry out or put it where midday sun can reach it and the foliage will disappoint you (brown areas, blemishes)

Hinkley (former Heronswood) says in his propagation notes:
Exasperatingly slow to increase in size. Inspection of even small clumps dug in late winter will reveal numbers of dormant buds that will not break into growth unless removed and planted independently.

I've never been quite brave enough to dig up my one plant which is now about 6 stems after many years to look for the dormant buds.

Hinkley also says to sow as per cardiandra and hydrangea. Leave slow growing seedlings in the seed tray for an entire year before transplanting. Sow seed directly on top 1/2" fine gravel, gravel covering seed compost in prepared tray/pot. Seed germinates in the gravel while roots establish in the compost.

I'm curious to see what kind of instructions might come with the seeds and how many there might be - if there will be enough to surface sow some and 'gravel' sow some, if not I tend to follow Hinkley.