Working with a friend who has been in the retail nursery a good part of his life, makes up for my ignorance and enthusiasm.

USDA 9, Sunset 22

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I got some seeds for Impatiens "Bruno Mix" from Hardyplants.com.

We got about 30% germination, the plants grew well. A mistake I made was planting them too close together. I will try this again if the plants I have now don't survive winter.

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bought 24 plants from Burpee,

Impatiens Fusion Peach Frost - 1 pack (12 plants)

Impatiens - African, Blondie (12 plants)

The fusion were destroyed in shipping, all but one of the Blondie dies shortly after I opened the package. I think they could have been saved if I had a misting system setup, but I didn't. The one remaining plant is doing well. Overall, I was disappointed.

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We bought three kinds of the trailing Fanfare impatiens from Ball. Rather high minimum order. The plants arrived in great shape, good enough that I called Ball to thank them. We then had high attrition, poor growing. We used different planting mixes, good water, bad water, some were fertilized, some not. Many slowly died, the others just barely grew. The ones I have in the ground are living, growing slowly. they have very attractive blooms, and if they live for a few years they might amount to something. I wouldn't recommend them for my area unless I knew what was the secret to making them grow.

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I bought an Impatiens grandis and an I. x walleriana 'Magenta Giant' from Kartuz, both arrived well packed and are doing well in the ground.

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I bought an Impatiens namchabarwensis "Blue Diamond Impatiens" and another plant from Annie's Annuals and Perennials

Exceptionally well packed, and the plants are growing well.