Wow, that is an interesting butterfly bush.

One of my fav's is the Crososmia Lucifer

http://www.perennialfavoritesnursery.com/Images/Perennials/Crocosmia%20Lucifer.jpg

yea.. I like those too. Even "George Davidson"-the yellow version- is pretty. Kind of sort of reminds me of Freesias...but much "hardier."

Does anyone know about trillium seeds? I bought some at Lowes and the directions just say basically dig a hole and dump. I didn't know if anyone had any experience with this type of plant...just looking for any advice. Thanks!

SFMom , I just looked up trillium seeds ... the things I have read, it takes anywhere from 7 to 15 years to bloom those little white flowers !! I will ck with the garden group I belong to and see what they say. hopefully I read it all wrong but I will ck for you.

this is what was sent to me ..
yep dump in to the hole ,but remember where you plant them.
According to:
Picking the flowers of Trillium can seriously injure the plant. The three leaves below the flower are the plant's only food source and a picked trillium may die or take many years to recover. For this reason in many areas, e.g. British Columbia, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Washington, it is illegal to pick trilliums. While a popular belief is held that it is illegal to pick the common Trillium grandiflorum (white trillium) in Ontario, no such law actually exists. However, the Trillium flexipes (drooping trillium) is protected by law in Ontario [1], where it maintains its very small Canadian population.

Trillium is one of many plants whose seeds are spread by ants and mice. Trillium seeds have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that attracts ants. The ants take the seeds to their nest, where they eat the elaiosomes and put the seeds in their garbage, where they can be protected until they germinate. They also get the added bonus of growing in a medium made richer by the ant garbage.

Some trilliums have a flower which is bent downward, below the leaves.

A white trillium serves as the emblem and official flower of the Canadian province of Ontario. It features prominently on the Franco-Ontarian flag.

Trillium - Fact Sheets - Toadshade, Wakerobin

Growing from seed is such a thrill. In the third or forth year, the trilliums can be individually planted in pots for an additional year or two. In the fifth to the seventh year, they will bloom. Every year thereafter they can increase with offsets from the main rhizome. Future generations will enjoy them too, since trillium are well-known for their longevity.
Trillium Page One Hope these pages help...Seems sawdust that is decomposed is very much liked by these plants.

I got some Trillium bulbs 2 years ago at the Rochester Public Market. They came up and bloomed last year. I have also had luck with some Trillium plants I have bought at nurseries in the area.

Also, they tend to like shaded areas without a lot of sun.

really ? gees what the heck was I reading ...7 to 16 years , (sounds like a prison sentence)
I couldn't imagine it taking that long but ,,who knows .
Thanks TRD

Just ask yourself, Reilly, "What will I have in 7 to 16 years if I DON'T plant the seeds?"

roflol...good one HP , glad to have you back

I don't know what she'll have, but I've a hunch that you'll have the year round flowers of C.R..

I've got them in my gully, plus a few that my mom transplanted years ago, I think, to another spot.

True enough! I miss the bright pinks and yellows and oranges already...heck I even miss the purples and reds too! Hibiscus as big as a dinner plate.....and people that you want to spend a lifetime getting to know!

I have 5 Early Girl tomato plants getting ready to bloom! :),plus hundreds of herb seedlings,moonflowers already blooming,we've been eating lettuce & chives,& have sprouted several plants from our wisteria seed pods....I LOVE SPRING!

Ditchwitch , What is moonflowers? I have never heard of them.

I have a house that looks like a greenhouse ..wait till hubby gets home and see what I have created lol . Flower seeds that have sprouted and Saturday .. The veggie plants will get a head start before I get them in the garden. Yippeee !! No snow, sun is out, lilacs have buds on them.. Hubby is building a raised garden thing for me Spring is Good.

DW I have TRIED and TRIED to get wiseria seed pods to sprout and I have had no such luck. Mine keep rotting in the soil. How the heck did you get them to sprout?! What's your secret!!? Now....I've had tons of luck with "False Mimosa" seeds. If any of you want to try growing those, I can send you some seeds!!

Moonflowers are a relative of morning glories (ipomoea family) that has large white flowers that bloom at night. I have a very large star jasmine that is about 12 feet long,she blooms all the time, but is more fragrant at night.The 2 combined gives the living room a heavenly perfume! The sunroom (10 X 18)is on the south side of the living room & is part of it, not a separate room.3 steps down, & we have a fountain,heated tile floor,so it makes for a nice living room!
Morning glories bloom in the day & have little to no scent, so I grow them for color in the sunroom.
Oh, the wisteria! I have one here at home,it's maybe 4 or 5 years old now, & last year & the year before were it's biggest blooms to date. I started seeds from it last year & have the youngsters planted here n there,& have more in the sunroom that I started from the seeds that are on it now. They seem to sprout easily for me; I have that effect on my plants, I guess ;P
My booth at the Sterling Renn Faire has a humoungous wisteria that Hillwoman started.I know it's a different variety than the one here;the seeds are bigger,fatter,different color, & very difficult to start. The ones here are smaller seeds,thin,sprout very quickly. I think one of the Sterling seeds is finally starting to sprout,tho.... I always soak them overnight,then put in the soil.
I have loads of herb seeds starting for the Faire....no one had sold herb plants there before, so I changed that!

here's a link to a picture of my booth..(I'm the short one,lol) to the right hand side of the pic is where the wisteria grows;she is inside all 3 floors of my booth has branches about 8 inches around in places! I don't know the species (Chinese,Japanese,etc) of either plant.

http://s99.photobucket.com/albums/l293/w...4SRF8-12-07.jpg

kinda like ..as seen on TV but cheaper !





How to Plant Hanging Tomato Plants upside down !
By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Tomato plants don't only have to be planted in the ground. They can thrive hanging upside down as well. In fact, planting your tomato plants wrong-side-up can allow you to move them with the sun, save you time weeding and give you fruit that is within arms reach of your front door. Read on to learn how to plant hanging tomato plants.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Things You’ll Need:
5-Gallon Bucket
Drill or Utility Knife
Tomato Seedling (a tomato bush works better)
Newspaper
Soil
Step 1:
Purchase an empty 5-gallon bucket with a snap-on lid. This bucket can be found at hardware stores. Clean the bucket with warm sudsy water to prepare it for planting your tomato plant.
Step 2:
Cut a hole in the bucket using a drill or a utility knife. The hole should be right in the middle of the bottom of the bucket and about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Cut several 1/2-inch holes in the snap-on lid of the bucket to allow you to water your plant.
Step 3:
Place several layers of newspaper in the bottom of the bucket, covering the hole. This will later be used to anchor the tomato plant.
Step 4:
Fill the bucket with a 40-lb. bag of soil and put on the lid. Soils with vitamin additives, like Miracle-Gro, are the best for growing tomatoes.
Step 5:
Turn the bucket over, and plant the tomato seedling. Cut two slits in the newspaper at the bottom of the bucket to allow you to plant the tomato plant. Plant the seedling with only about 3 inches of the plant coming out of the hole. Use extra soil to anchor it in the bucket.
Step 6:
Hang the bucket in a sunny area and water. Tomatoes require at least 50 percent sunlight. Move the bucket according to where the most direct sun is during the day.
Step 7:
Harvest tomatoes as they ripen on the vine. Tomatoes will begin to form not long after the tomato plant flowers. The fruit should be red and firm before cutting from the plant.


Tips & Warnings
Tomato varieties with smaller fruit, such as a cherry or Roma tomatoes, are perfect plants for hanging upside down.
If you prefer a bucket that isn't white you can purchase spray paint especially for plastics and brighten up your planter.
There are several companies online that sell hanging tomato planters. These are a little different then the buckets but give you the same result.
Your hanging tomato planter will weigh between 35 and 50 lbs. when it is finished.

I founf Moonflowers! gonna have to plant some ,thanks !

soak the seeds overnight,just like you'd do for morning glories; they'll sprout very quickly!

Do you use plain old water for soaking or do you put a bit of Miracle Grow in the water?! I just found some wisteria seeds in with my gardening items. Mine are the big round ones almost the size of a dime. Got them from a friend in Geneva, who has a wisteria "tree" that's a good 75-100 years old. I just might try soaking them over night and then popping them in some soil!