You've got some time yet. I usually wait until Thanksgiving or when it really cools down to sow things like Larkspur and California Poppy (or pretty much any poppy). The main trick for successful winter sowing (in site, not in containers) is to keep the mulch off of the seeds or seedlings, they are sunshine hogs. Most things sprout and stay tiny or low to the ground all winter and then spring to life when things warm up.

I've already stockpiled a lot of seeds and will be doing direct sowing this fall for the first time. I'm so excited! The folks on the forums (like Lynne) and others have such inspirational plantings from seeds!

I wrote about this in my blog. If you click on the photos of the seed packets, you can read the instructions for planting. Maybe that will be helpful.

Cameron

Here is a link that might be useful: my flower seeds (and I got even more)

It's almost too late here in my area of the Piedmont, but I dont know your location, so am not sure how relevant my reply will be. I already have the following that has germinated and are about 2 inches tall: Nigella, CA Poppy, Bachelors Buttons, Sweet William, Silene. If you wait much longer, they wont have time to get big enough to survive when the ground freezes. Our soil only freezes the top inch or two at the most, which does not kill anything with deeper roots than that. Hespiris germinated in August and is already about 6 inches tall and will be something green to admire all Winter, thanks to a deep tap root. Here's the rest of my list for sowing in late Summer: Columbine, Flax, Foxglove, Campion, Mullein, Lunaria aka Money Plant (they germinated this week, so hurry), Hollyhocks, Malva, Johnny Jump-ups. Email me to discuss. Did you know your Email Me link is missing? Unless you prefer it that way, we cant get in touch to offer more. I have seeds to share.

Here is a link that might be useful: my trade list