I used to grow cleome from seed every year. It is an interesting and unusual plant and when I sold bouquets many people were always intrigued by it. Haven't grown it in a few years. It's always on my (way-too-long) list but always seems to get cut, due to not being able to afford $3,000 in seed each year, lol.

That is indeed a different and lovely display. I agree - it's always fun and impressive when these kinds of unusual plantings are found at unexpected places.

:)

Dee

I grew the pink and white cleome one year, but I could not stand the smell, lol.

Used to grow it, but, like cosmos, sunflowers, salpiglossis and annual salvias, it has been relegated to the 'iffy' list (which seems to get longer every season). I honestly think I am done with spring sown annuals... (of course, saying that now means nothing, once next March rolls around).

My favorite is Violet Queen and mine reseeds usually every year very well, unless I disturb the bed too much or lay down mulch too soon in the spring. I enjoy the way the seed pods pop open and fling the seeds everywhere...

HU - 6 - I am really about in the same position you are. I grew tired of the effort and the uncertain results of adding annuals. I do enjoy self seeders - biennials even - but Perennials and Shrubs - even my roses are less effort wtih a much more certain result. But, then I'll have a season where I am bored or have more energy and time and I'll go back to annuals. I especially love the salvias that are not hardy here, for the hummers.

Cosmos always reseeds for me, but the reseeded seedlings became poor specimens and I have weeded them all out and I was happy without them the last couple of years. If I go back to them I'll start over with fresh seed. Alyssum, Cleome, Agastache, Lunaria are all reseeders for me that are welcome and easy.

Really, my garden is pretty mature at this point and I have enough and thankfully I'm not just starting out because it has become pretty expensive to garden. If I have the time and the energy I am thinking of directing effort into getting better at multiplying my own plants. I do dig and divide a lot, but I could focus on propagating more. I'm especially interested for next year to try growing roses both from cuttings and seeds, because when I bought my last roses 5 years ago they were about $30. each and now they are $60. So as in all things, I think we are all better off the more we can do for ourselves.

Thanks for the pretty pics, Rouge!

A neighbor has a bed of various shades of cleome at the end of her long driveway by the dirt road. It looks wonderful every year, planted with various annuals and perennials. The deer and rabbits seem to leave it alone and it reseeds year after year.

I took this photo last year. I may have posted here and asked what it was, but I honestly can’t remember…my mid-fifties brain can only remember so much. 🤣

Cleome has never done well for me. However I might try it again because I have a new area of my garden that seems to be very hospitable to many plants. That area opened up when we had to cut down some huge Leyland cypresses. I have one Profusion zinnia in that area that is about 5' across. In other areas of my garden it ranges from 10" to 18". So it's a good spot to try some I have not had success with.

Prairiemoon, you certainly can get a surplus of roses by growing them from seed. You might have to throw some of them out unless you want to spend a lot of time watering. I've started collecting rose seed lately though it's a bit early here.

LovemyCorgi - Very pretty photo of your [oops! Your neighbor's] Cleome! It's nice in the color combo and all together like that.

Erasmus - You're the one that has me starting to think of trying the roses from seed....lol. I stopped deadheading my roses a month ago with the idea of collecting seed. I only have one rose that seems to be producing a lot of hips. Julia Child. And it's still pushing out a lot of blooms even without deadheading. On the other hand, Beverly has flowers that just turn brown and stay on the stem and I am not seeing any live hips. I tried pulling of the brown remnants of a bloom to see if there was a hip under it but, there was a undeveloped hip that was brown and dead. So, maybe all roses don't produce hips? Julia Child hips are still green.

I also grew Violet Queen, among some others, and they did reseed for me somewhat. But then again I was cutting a lot of them so there wasn't a whole lot left to reseed!

Sherry, I didn't mind the smell, but they were hard to work with in bouquets - they were sticky lol!

Lovemycorgi your neighbor's are quite lovely. Makes me think about trying some again next season.

:)

Der

Dee, they are sticky and a little thorny as well. I don't pick them for the house. But maybe that's why the rabbits leave them alone. [g]

Rouge, it looks to me like you get good rainfall where you live. So many nice public plantings! We get ok rain in my part of NC but we also get some long periods of drought. We're east of mountains and I think it's common for more rain to fall on the west side. I don't have an irrigation system and rely on rain. I do water but need the rain. We had a very rainy month in spring and then it has been incredibly dry. Some plants did fine in that but I think I'm going to have smaller plans for spring due to the drought.

Prairiemoon, you're right...not all roses produce hips. not all hips have viable seed. You don't have any guarantees with rose seeds. If nothing sprouts, it doesn't mean you should give up. ( unless you want to) I might get around to trying some crosses next spring. As it is, I think some open pollenated roses are quite nice.

I don't remember if I posted this picture of an opened up rose hip. Sometimes the seeds will be brown...if the hip is too old. I don't bother with brown seeds but some people might.

Another thing, once I bring the hips indoors I am pretty quick about getting the seeds out. If you wait awhile the hip can dry out and is harder to slice open.

@erasmus_gw this J, J and August have been UNusually wet *this* year. September has been quite dry.

erasmus, that split rose hip is pretty cool. I've never thought to open one up! Do roses come true from seed?

:)

Dee

Diggerdee, no they don't but some of the seedlings are similar to the parent. I like it better when they're different. A species rose will come true to seed. I like the surprises. Many of them bloom for the first time a month or two after the seed sprouts, so you can see what some look like before you even pot them up. Others might balk about blooming for a year or two. Some will be very pretty but a weak plant. Some will be a strong plant with a blah bloom. Some are pretty, fragrant, healthy, and vigorous!