Interestingly, I have the same pale pink columbine blooming right now in Indiana. It's right up against my house, I must have a wicked microclime there. :)

Yep! Big difference and very pretty!
Thank you for sharing!

Beautiful! But beware of that Dame's Rocket - it can be a thug and develop underground runners the size of your thumb. To keep mine in control, I remove the scapes as soon as the flowers go to seed. I don't know if that saps their energy but it keeps them under control for me. But they are so beautiful. Great garden you have going there.

Token, thanks for sharing. Your garden is gorgeous. I WS 30 milk jugs of columbine and so far have just a single sprout but all the plants I grew from seed inside last year are up and putting out lots of new growth. I hope they bloom this year. Columbine is one of my all-time favorite flowers. Maybe by the time mine bloom I'll have figured out how to post pictures!!

Thanks Northerner. I've read all about the reseeding ability of Dame's Rocket. I do plan to move those two largest clumps this fall and I will be deadheading most of the plants. I'd rather keep the thugs out back where they can do the most damage to the periwinkle and ivy.

My backyard is in the same place my perennial bed was in last year. I've got green foliage, but few blooms. The meadow bed I started last year is full of red clover though. And no bunnies in sight.

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Larkspur, poppies, cosmos, and rudbeckia were scattered and have germinated. It should come on nicely this summer. I'm allowing it to be a self sown bed. I've even added a few clumps of Little Bluestem grass that should self sow and spread for fall and winter interest.

OMG, Token!!! I must get seeds of the Red Clover. You have now convinced me. I have been thinking about it for the last couple of years. Definitely gotta have it!! Is it one of these clovers which corrects nitrogen levels in the soil? Not sure if they all do that.

I nearly did not grow Dame's Rocket in my gardens because someone spoke of it's invasiveness, but five years ago decided to winter sow it. I will never be without. It does not self seed here as in other places. I also get a year to pick which reseeders I want since this plant behaves in a biennial fashion here. And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the scent!!!!

Just to let everyone know, Dame's Rocket actually spreads by seeds and not runners.

So, Token, are you building TeePees??

Here is a link that might be useful: Dame's Rocket

SO beautiful!!

The effort is simply incredible!!

Thanks for the photos

The clover is beautiful. Now I'm bummed that my ws clover didn't take. Too late to try again? I still have a number of seeds.

Caryl

Token, thanks so much for sharing your photos...they are very inspiring! It's great to see pictures of a whole garden and see how a large area can be transformed by winter-sowing...

Right now my main garden bed looks pretty much like your photo at the very top...I'm in the process of re-redoing the plantings in that bed.

Thanks to winter-sowing, I've been able to raise many sprouts and seedlings...I'm so excited to plant out my winter-sown babies!

Hopefully one day my garden bed will look more like your wonderful photos of your garden in bloom!

Go to a feed store/mill. Ask for Red clover (innoculated). I paid about $6 for 5lbs of seed. That's a lot of seed. I sowed mine in the fall where it germinated almost immediately. It's cold hardy to zone 6 over the winter. In zone 5, you can probably sow it in early March. Mine was direct sown. Last year I got two tiny clumps from the seeds I received in a trade.

This clover, if innoculated, will add nitrogen and help break up hard, clay soils. That's why I'm using it back here. Farmers use it as a cover crop. Oh, and it attracts bees.

Token, that Red Clover is bee-yoo-ti-ful!

Your gardens are going to be absolutely beautiful this year - can't wait for more pictures!

PV

I have been looking for seeds for Dame's Rocket ever since someone posted a pic that had a nice tall beautiful clump in it some time back. I am not sure but I think it was one of your pics Tiffy. Where do you all get your seeds?

The red clover looks so pretty Token!

Glenna

Glenna, I got seeds from a swap. I didn't know what it was but I sowed them anyway. I'll see if I can save you some seeds. I have one clump that's a light lavender. The other clump is white. I don't know if the shade makes a difference. The pink one gets more sun.

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All I have to say Token is: WOW! Can you loan my your green thumb?

Beautiful, Token.

Karen

Thanks Token. You are wonderful. I have a lot of trouble with Phlox. I have bought them several times but I always end up with powdery mildew. I treat it but the Phlox never return the next year. (except 1 purple that keeps coming back)I read on BHG website that Dame's Rocket is a good alternative to Phlox. But I did not find seeds in any of the catalogs I order from.

Things are really filling in, even in the shadier corners of the garden.

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Glenna, I haven't grown phlox before, but I have planted out a few HOS this spring. They're doing okay right now. Powdery mildew shows up here in June. I'm ready to spray some milk and baking soda if need be. My bee balm and rudbeckia got hit hard last year.

Your pic's are awesome! Your beds are so full and healthy looking. I hope my ws bed looks half that nice this year. I always check your blog every morning to get my plant fix;)