Getting Some Sunshine

What's the first thing you do when returning home after days away ?
Check out the GARDEN !
Not too exciting yet...


A few shade lovers...established beds.
Hydrangea(Mophead) have no idea what kind of "mophead".



A little Mophead






Have so many different kinds of ferns but I'm guessing this is Lady Fern
(Athyrium felix-femina)






Astilbe...had as many as 6 in this same area but they never impressed me.
Maybe they need more sun, or it could be that the blooms are just very short lived.






Chameleon Houttuynia-looks like ivy doesn't it ?
This is a slow grower and easy to pull out.




It was always so rewarding watching my own seedlings grow and produce flowers but the disappointing weather this spring may have changed that...at least so far this year.
But lately...we're been getting some sunshine !
Maybe there's hope for late performance.

Now some sun lovers...mostly from the garden mart.

Hibiscus







Beebalm with Feather Reed Grass planted along side of it.
Looks kinda neat mixed this way.






Obedient Plant or Physostegia 'Virginiana Miss Manners'



closer view






Red Caster Bean (seeds from Victoria)sharing the arbor with Madam Galen Trumpet Vine.






Unknown Annual






Butterfly Bush...Buddleia davidii
This was just surviving in light shade for years, then I moved it to current full sun location.
Happy now but looks like it should be pruned for a nicer look.
Wonder if I still can shape it up...

closer view






G-Hakonechloa Aureola






Catmint or Nepeta 'Walker's Low'






Marigolds






Some kind of Daisies.






A few Coreopsis grandifora-tickweed "sunrise".






Coneflowers (from seed years ago) just starting to bloom.

It's not too Late !!

It's not too late to collect Columbine Seeds !!
Thanks to Shady's "Sow then Grow" blog I learned the simple method of collecting Columbine seeds which I never did before.
These below already dropped their seeds.
Just give it a try if you haven't already...I was always pinching them off too late.




These haven't dropped their seeds and some other types will stay closed and fully brown with seeds rattling inside.




Here are two different types of Columbine.
As you can see just from pinching them off the stem...these seeds fell right in my hand and on to the paper plate to fully dry.





It's a slow process starting indoors.
One week in the freezer...small tray full of soil and seeds.
Seeds lightly covered with soil and whole tray in plastic wrap..
Then wait 3-4 weeks to germinate under LIGHT(no plastic wrap).
These below are 2-week-old seedlings.




So my conclusion is...if you grow in a greenhouse or under lights...start seeds at least 5 weeks before your other seeds.
Or just winter sow...it's got to be easier...but I wonder just how many seeds survive till' spring .