I could not go a season without my Livingstone Daisy. I love their hippy neon colors. And they are so simple to wintersow.
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I would have to say Dianthus, I can't get enought of this little plant. I have lots of garden space and tuck them in everywhere. Each year I try new species or new colours. Its exciting and I can't wait to try more next year. LOL

calicokitty, what a nice planter!

Sharon

My best success and biggest surprise was Nicotiana, I was told they were better started indoors in order to have time to bloom. But I did 2 containers and they are now huge and have been flowering since June.

There are two perennials I plan to re-sow. One is called Harebell - a rock-garden plant whose seeds I got in Alaska - that's been blooming its little head off since early spring - loads of little blue bellshaped flowers. I have fallen in love with Verbascum. I love those long slender spikes of pink flowers and I would like to expand the clump in my front border. I may even start some of them this summer for next year's bloom.
Tiffy, I am surprised by your success with Astilbe. I have bought plants several times and I have never got those showy plumes you see in the catalogues and they have usually died in about two years. Maybe you could tell me where you plant yours - mine have been mostly in quite deep shade. I must add them to my list for WSing next year.
Northerner.

I am another Dianthus fan. They are so easy to wintersow and I am sure every seed germinates. Like Sharon I also tuck them in everywhere in my gardens. I love the Siberian Blue and Knappii.

Northerner,
I have several astilbes in my gardens and I have most of them in part sun. I know that they require some shade but if you have them in deep shade that is more than likely why you are not getting any blooms. I even have a white and cream colored ones in full sun I just keep them well watered and they look fantastic when in bloom.

Nicole,
Loved seeing some of your pics on the other wsowing forum. Glad to see you can post pics your gardens look fantastic!

Michelle

Calicokitty,

You are so right! Those colours just jump at you in a happy sort of way. Love it!

Ahhh, Dianthus. Becoming quite the show-off in the gardens this year, and it's all due to Michelle. Thanks! I like 'em too!

Northspruce, I've tried Nicotiana a couple of times but can't seem to get them going. I think they have a problem with our long cool spring. They do smell nice!

Northerner,
I sowed some Verbascums a couple of years ago and for two years they did nothing. This year they sent flowers stalks up 5 feet high and bloomed like crazy. Beautiful!

Oh, and Michelle is right about the Astilbes. Most times the tags on plants are for more southern climates where the sun will scorch an Astilbe without even trying. I have most of mine in morning sun and dappled shade the rest of the day, but also have some in places with more sun. Another thing is that I make all my compost and mulch my plants with it in the spring. In a week or so, I'll mulch the Astilbes again with a bit more compost. I'll post some pics of them soon as the third and fourth year plants are about to bloom. Oh, and water if you've not had a good rain in a week.

Thanks Michelle. Got the camera two years ago and I'm finally taking possession of it. DH and the daughter thought it was their's! NOT!! :)

Nicole,
I wondered if the the red dianthus in your pics were some of the seeds that I sent you. Either way they look awesome! I need to tell you that the german catchfly seeds you sent me bloomed amazing this year. Last year was a slight bloom this year they knocked my socks off. Definitely want to add some more of it to my gardens.

Glad to see that you have taken control of the camera!

Michelle

Dianthus is my favourite. The shorter varieties brighten up my rock garden (Strawberry something--sundae/supreme/??) and I love the variety I got last year. Chaubaud Canadian mix, with just white and shades of red. It smells great and is a wonderful cut flower.

Oh, my other absolute fav is alyssum. It's re-seeded all through the garden, providing a honey-scented groundcover.

Once everything's in bloom, I'll update my favs as they seem to change daily, or perhaps minute-by-minute.

Michelle,

Those Dianthus in that picture are your's!! I have them here and there atop the rock wall gardens. They start blooming after the creeping phlox and seem to keep the colours going which is great.

I love the Lychnis Splendens German Catchfly) too. You'll find it easy to gathre the seeds. Did I give you Lynchnis Flo-Jovis? That one has soft silver 'lamb's ear' like leaves and is stunning.

Cangrow,
I know what you mean by faves changing from day to day. I just planted Lynchnis Haageana and it just bloomed! I'll take a picture soon to show everyone this little prescious which is another front of the border plant.

Nicole,
The Lynchnis Flo-Jovis is stunning so we will have to set up a trade for some of them. I actually lost the red dianthus last year and of course cannot remember if I have seeds to them or not so if you have extras in the fall I forgot just how gorgeous they were when in bloom.

Also I finally got chinese forget me nots to grow this year and bloom they are beautiful. I have tried them the last 2 years and nothing. Everyone talked how easy they are from seed and I swore this past winter was going to be the last I guess scaring them into germinating actually works. lol

Michelle

Oh yes, Verbascums is another goodie to WS and so many to try! And guess what they are indeed hardy here too.

Hey gals, any of you got a photo of Lynchnis Flo-Jovis?
You got my curiosity up high ;)

Sharon

Sharon,

Of all the pictures I've taken this year, I can't believe I haven't snapped Flo-Jovis. And the pictures on the net really don't do it justice.

It grows about 1 foot tall and the foliage is somewhat like the Chalcedonica, but less 'furry'. The colour of the flowers is such a bright and cheery pink - not sharp like the magenta in Chalcedonica, more subtle, but very pretty! A perennial.

My camera is away from me now, but when it comes back to me in a week and a half, I'll take photos. The plants are going to seed right now. Really nice edging perennial!

I'm trying out the Lynchnis Haageanas right now and am pleased with them too!!

I look forward to your photos Nicole, and did you say "seed", hint, hint, hint, LOL ;)

I just posted a photo in the Gallery of my Lychnis arkwrightii Arkwright's Campion, another easy candidate to WS.

Sharon

Sharon... The seeds have been gathered. Had to do it tonight because we have Beryl coming tomorrow and he's bringing wind and rain which could make the seeds disappear - not to mention the gardens, eh?

I had some seeds as a extra in a trade of 'mini annual' bach. buttons...I did one milk jug and it ended up 5 large plants...definately will be a repeat.
Calicokitty...Wow...love them daisys...

For me it was lupines. It was a cool snowy spring day and these guys were tough enough to keep sprouting! I was hooked.

Calicokitty, VERY pretty container of Livingstone Daisy! I keep trying them indoors and they just get leggy and die off. OK, so this confirms that I will WS these next year! Now I really can't wait! LOL

Ang

Do you think Baptisia (Blue Indigo) would wintersow? I've collected a lot of these seeds.

Baptisia is great for WSing, no nicking and no soaking either ;)

Sharon

Claubill,

I second Sharon on that one. Mine from last year's sowing are about a foot tall this year and the foliage is nice - no slugs and no deer chomping. Those are becoming qualifications in my gardens. LOL!!

Sue, The BBs seem to do better in my gardens when they reseed. Don't know why... just seems to make them happier when they grow where they want. I did winter sow a shorter variety this year and am hoping they reseed as well. No flopping!

Ang, I love Lupines and have them growing wild. I've never winter sown any and this year had my main plant got to 5 feet with the flower spikes. It's still blooming too! And check out the smell when they bloom. Divine!

Here's a picture of my pinks starting to bloom about a month ago...

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Has anyone had experience annuals? This year, I actually purchased some flowers which I plan to collect seeds. One of my most favourites are osteospermum. For some reason, I thought they just flowered in the spring and that would be it but they're still going so I'm going to collect the seeds. Would they wintersow? How about salpiglossis?

Claubill, i WSed salpiglossis this year and it's doing great.

Tiffy, what a treat to see your garden! :)

Yes indeed Nicole, your garden is gorgeous! Love those rocks! How much for shipping for some of those rocks over here to Alberta ;)

That's good to know about the Salpiglossis Marcia, I'll have to try those next year!

Sharon

Shauna sent me the seeds, Sharon. I'll be sure to save seeds this year and will send you some. :)

Thank you, thank you, thank you Marcia! Hugs!

Gotta photo that you can post in the Gallery for me?
Would love to see them!

My first blooms of my salpiglossis just appeared this week. Glad to hear that yours are doing so well, Marcia.

I have tried and tried osteospermum, Claubill, with no luck. But I think it depends on which osteospermum it is. I tried to w/s 'Tradewinds®' this year but I think the seeds might be sterile. I'm going to try some cuttings this year. Marcia and I had very little luck indoors with osteos two years ago - they were 'Giants Mixed', if I recall, and they just went really long and spindly. I ended up chucking mine.

Ang, you definitely need to try w/s'ing Livingstone Daisy. I had lots come up this year (be patient) and they were very nice and compact. Much better than inside.

I had quite a few annuals do really well this year and it was only my second year. I seemed to do more perennials in my first year and more annuals this year. I did clarkia, kocchia, godetia, nolana, asters, zinnia, stocks, amaranthus, venidium, mimulus, portulaca - wow, there are so many that did well. I was trying many of them for the first time from seed and also tried them both ways - w/s and indoors. My consensus is that most annuals that self seed will do pretty well by w/s'ing. Saves lots of room in the greenhouse. But, as Sharon taught me, they can't be put out too early. Mid March and they should be fine.

Shauna

I was going to take a picture of the salpiglossis this morning, but would have had to deadhead a bunch first and didn't feel like it. Tomorrow, possibly!

Shauna, you must have inadvertently sent me some mimulus seeds in with the campanulas. I have two or three of them that grew - wasn't sure what they were until they bloomed!

Picture posted, Sharon!

This year I planted birdhouse gourd seeds. I found the seeds in the basement (7 years). I planted three seeds along the arbour and what a sight. I really didn't expect them to cover the whole arbour and it's even hiding some of my containers which I now have to move because you can't even see them any more. Can one eat birdhouse gourds or are they purely decorative gourds? I'm hoping some of them will get big enough to actually make a birdhouse.

These are my best w'sowed beauties!
They are half hardy annuals, so I'll be doing them again this year. M

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Mora,

Those are gorgeous! They look like the ones Ma Nature winter sowed for me. And don't be surprised if they come up again for you next year. If they are happy where you planted them, they should do a three year stint in your gardens!!

Love 'em!

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when to sow Livingstone Daisy? this basket is amazing!!!

Last winter was my first year wintersowing but out of the things that grew, the ones that did best for me were the Topknot Balsam, 'Broken Colors' Four O'Clocks and 'Prairie Sun' Rudbeckia. 'Prairie Sun' is my fave rudbeckia but these three will always find a place in my garden. Marg

Northener, astilbe is most likely to die because of lack of adequate moisture. It wants moist to wet soil, and is even happy in bog conditions. It can be grown in full sun if the soil is wet enough. Astilbe is shade tolerant, but, as with most plants, the more light - the more flowers.
Try moving it to an area with more light and dig compost into the planting hole. Mulch to keep the soil moist. But don't give up. They are beautiful plants. They get bigger and more beautiful every year.