Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone is planning a red bed? When I sent in my catalogue orders, I bought a whole bunch of seeds with my red bed in mind. This weekend, I outlined the beds in the barn area with logs dragged in from the fields (Thanks, DH). And I'm feeling it today :) I don't have pictures, because my digital camera is acting up, but here's where they are going - they will be about 3 or so feet out from the barns & all along the fence:

{{gwi:263288}}

I have done the same thing with the beds around the house, so picture logs like this in the barn area:

{{gwi:672684}}

Here are the seeds I have already winter sowed:

* Amaranthus 'Early Splendor'

* Amaranthus LLB

* Amaranthus 'Red Pygmy'

* Amaranthus 'Velvet Curtains'

* Amaranthus Burgundy Torch

* Beebalm - red

* Coreopsis 'Mahogany Midget'

* Cosmos 'Gazebo Red'

* Dianthus 'Confetti Red'

* Dianthus barbatus 'Sweet William' wine/red

* Dianthus Superbus 'Crimson'

* Sweet William 'Sooty'

* Helianthus 'Prado Red'

* Lupin - red

* Morning glory - cardinal climber

* Nasturtium 'Empress of India'

* Nasturtium 'Gleaming Mahogany'

And I already have sprouts in some. I just need to lasagna garden that area because it's very weedy. Also there are groundhog holes which DH needs to deal with. (Don't ask how if you're squeamish - but I've lost so many things to them, I'm getting brutal in my attitude)

And here are the seeds that still need spring sowing:

* Flax - scarlet

* Lobelia cardinalis - red

* Nicotiana 'Red Domino'

* Penstemon Digitalis "Huskers Red" White Flower

* Petunia - Easy Wave Red

* Ricinus Carmencita

* Salvia - scarlet

* Salvia - Yvonne's

* Salvia 2 ft tall red

* Salvia coccinea - red Texas Sage

* Zinnia 'Oklahoma scarlet'

* Morning Glory - crimson

* Acer 'Bloodgood'

* Celosia 'New Look'

* Celosia cristata - Cockscomb - Red

* Coleus 'Wizard Velvet Red'

* Crocosmia montbretia 'Lucifer'

* Foeniculum purpureum - bronze fennel

* Grass 'Bronzina'

* Grass - melica 'Red Spire'

* Grass - Ornamental Millet

* Grass - Oryza 'Black Madras'

* Hibiscus 'Red Shield'

* Kochia

* Pansy - red snow

* Perilla Frutescens 'Shiso'

* Snapdragon 'Black Prince'

* Trumpet Vine - red

I also plan to buy some barberry bushes. And on the weekend, I saw a weeping cut-leaf Japanese maple as well as a red Astilbe that has red stems as well as a red plume.

Anyone else inspired to plan a redbed this year?

PS. I don't know much about digital cameras - when I slide open the lens cover, it thinks it's still closed, so it won't stick out the lens. Anyone know if this can be fixed if I brought it into a camera shop?

All the best,

Gail