It is seed-planting weekend! Woo! So must buy peat pellets and rustle up some planting trays. Also in honour of spring, I will make a Vesey's order. I had mixed success with their stuff last time, but now that I have a yard that promises to be semi-cooperative, I am going to give it another (slightly more frugal) shot.

Shopping List

Red Tickseed, 3' tall with big flowers; drought-tolerant and sun-loving, so probably a front yard plant.


Joe Pye Weed, or a compact version thereof, which blooms late and stands 3'-4'. I tried to start these from seed a couple years ago and had no luck.


Crocosmia, also a late bloomer, 2'-4'. Love the red flowers.


Astilbe, a pretty shade-lover which technically I can buy at the grocery store, but 3 for $10 is a pretty good price. Had one of these at Jamieson and loved it, and kept meaning to buy more. Figured buying more was probably less trouble than digging the previous one up.


Hmmm...I had Begonias and Rudbeckia on my list, but the latter I can get from mom's garden, and the former I can get from the market already in bloom, so maybe never mind. Images, however:


Liatris, which are 4'-5' tall, funky-looking, and late-blooming.


I was sorely tempted by the giant hybrid lilies, which stand up to 8' tall by three years, but I would probably have to go crazy with pesticides to keep them from getting devoured by beetles. Still...8' lilies...SO TEMPTING. The evil voice at the back of my head tells me that they're hybrids, not asiatics, so maybe the beetles would leave them alone...but the voice of reason counters that they're still PART asiatic lily, and the goddamn beetles are not that finicky. Siiiiiigh.