I love Poppies!

This spring we are making a new flower bed just for my Poppies. We rarely used our big fire pit so we have filled it with dirt and are planting Poppies in it.

I have started over 20 different Poppies from seed so this should be fun! Please bare with me as this is work in progress until some of the Poppies bloom.

Alpine Poppy
Papaver alpinum hybirds
Black Beauty - Peony Poppy
'Papaver somniferum'
Annual - Full Sun
Height 3' - Spacing 1'
Attracts Bees & Butterflies
Blooms in Summer
California Poppy
'Eschscholtzia californica'
Hardy Annual - Self Seeds - Full Sun
Height 12-18" - Spread 6-8"
Attracts Bees
Blooms Spring to Fall
Celandine Poppy or Wood Poppy
'Stylophorum diphyllum'
Perennial - Zone 4-8 Partial to Full Shade
Height 12-18" - Spacing 12-18" - Attracts Bees & Butterflies
Blooms early Spring and Summer
Champagne Bubbles
'Papaver Nudicaule'
Perennial - Zone 2-7 - Full Sun
Height 18-24" - Spacing 18"
Attracts Bees & Butterflies
Blooms Spring & Summer
Fringed Pink Poppy
Hens & Chicks Poppy
'Papaver somniferum'
Annual - Full Sun
Height 3-4' - Spacing 2'
Attracts Bees & Butterflies
Blooms in Summer
Iceland Poppy
'Papaver nudicaule'
Biennial - Zone 2-9 - Full Sun
Height 18" - Spacing 12"
Attracts Bees & Butterflies
Blooms Spring & Summer
Ladybird or Flanders Poppy
'Papaver commutatum'
Annual - Full Sun
Height 12-18" - Spacing 12-18"
Attracts Bees
Blooms Spring - Summer
Lavender Poppy
Oriental Poppy - Papaver oriental

Perennial
Pink Peony Poppy
'Papaver somniferum'
Princess Victoria Louise Poppy
'Papaver orientale'
Perennial - Zone 3-8
Height 2-3' - Spacing 12-18"
Full/Partial Sun
Attracts Bees, Butterflies & Hummingbirds
Blooms Late Spring - Early Summer
Purple Lilac Wonder
Poppy
Red Peony Poppy
'Papaver somniferum'
Annual - Full Sun
Height 3' - Spacing 1'
Attracts Bees & Butterflies
Blooms in Summer
Setigerum Poppy - Wild Opium Poppy
'Papaver somniferum'
Annual - Full Sun
Photo Compliments of -
http://www.stridvall.se/la/galleries.php
Swansdown Poppy
'Papaver somniferum'
Annual - Full Sun
Height 2-3' - Spacing 9-12"
Attracts Bees & Butterflies
Blooms Mid Summer
Venus Poppy
White Cloud Poppy

I’m not positive which Allium this is, but I am going to go out a limb and say it is an ornamental onion ‘Allium Senescens’ Thanks to Joe the on the garden web forum ‘Name that plant’ for the identification. The plant stands about 2 – 2 1/2 feet tall. The flower heads are about 2 – 2 1/2 inches across the middle. Many seeds were tightly packed in the flower head. It’s too bad I missed it in bloom. Oh well, this summer I will get to see it’s beauty.  The image of the flower is from Wikipedia and attributes go to Meneerke bloem for the use of the photo.

Allium 'Senescens' Ornamental Onion

FlowerDried Flower/PlantDried Flower/Seed Head
SeedsSeedlingGermination
10 days to sprout

My Gardening Book Collection

Is anyone interested in commenting or rating these books?

Recommend your favorite Gardening Books.

Book Title

Author – Publisher

500 Popular Roses for American Barron’s
52 Weekend Garden Projects Nancy Bubel
700 Gardening Tips & Handy Hints Practical Wisdom from McFayden’s Gardening Enthusiats
A Child’s Garden Dannenmaier – Timber Press
A Garden Of Birds Andre Dion – Brimar
All About Annuals Ortho Books
All About Ground Covers Ortho Books
Alpines – Step by Step to Growing Success Mary A. Robinson – Crowood Gardening Guides
Annuals By The Editors Of Consumer Guide
Annuals The American Horticultural Society
Annuals The Time-Life Encyclopedia Of Gardening
Annuals The Time-Life Gardener’s Guide
Annuals – A PocKet Companion Quantum Books Ltd
Annuals & Perennials Botanica’s Pocket – Konemann
Annuals And Biennials David Squire  – Whitecap Books
A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants Reader’s Digest
Bailey Roses 2002 Bailey Nurseries
Bedding Plant Favorites Lois Hole’s
Birds Of North America Golden
Boxes, Baskets, Pots & Planters Stephen Scanniello – Select Editions
Bulbs The Time-Life Complete Gardener
Calgary Gardening 100th Anniversary Edition Calgary Horticultural Society
Chatelaine’s Gardening Book-Complete All-Canada Guide Lois Wilson – Doubleday
Color With Annuals Ortho Books
Complete Guide To Gardening Better Homes and Gardens – Merideth
Complete Guide to Trees & Shrubs Ortho Books
Cottage Gardens Sunset
Country Gardens Country Living-Nina Williams/Rebecca R. Sawyer
Creating A Butterfly Garden – The Country Diary Book of E.J.M. Warren – Webb & Bower – Michael Joseph
Creating A Container Garden Deena Beverley & Barty Phillips
David Tarrant’s Canadian Gardens David Tarrant  & Editors of Canadian gardening
Encyclopedia Of Garden Design Jennifer Stackhouse
Essential Bulbs – The 100 Best for Design & Cultivation Derek Fell – Crescent
Essential Roses – The 100 Best for Design & Cultivation Derek Fell – B. Mitchell
Evergreen The Time-Life Encyclopedia Of Gardening
Evergreen Shrubs The Time-Life Gardener’s Guide
Familiar Flowers Of North America The Audubon Society Of North America
Favorite Annuals Marjorie Harris
Favorite Shade Plants Marjorie Harris
Flowering House Plants The Time-Life Encyclopedia Of Gardening
Flowering Houseplants The Time-Life Gardener’s Guide
Flowering Shrubs The Time-Life Encyclopedia Of Gardening
Flowers For Cutting And Drying The Time-Life Gardener’s Guide
Foliage House Plants The Time-Life Encyclopedia Of Gardening
Foliage Houseplants The Time-Life Gardener’s Guide
Four Seasons Gardening Better Homes and Gardens
Fresh-Cut Flowers For A Friend Dianna Booher
Garden Designs Sunset
Garden Graphics -  How to map and plan your garden Gemma Nesbitt – Viking
Garden Talk Ask Me Anything C. Z. Guest
Gardeners Guide To Growing Orchids Wilma & Brian Rittershausen
Gardening From Seed A Martha Stewart Living Book
Gardening In A Small Space Lance Hattatt – Paragon
Gardening In Containers Ortho Books
Gardening Made Easy Birds & Blooms special edition
Gardening Made Easy International Masters Publishers AB
Gardening Month by Month in Alberta Alison Beck – Lone Pine
Ground Covers for Sun Taylor’s Pocket Guide – Houghton Mufflin
Growing Herbs Whitecap Books -Yvonne Rees-Rosemary Titterington-Neil Sutherland
Herb Gardening Top That
Herbs – How To Select, Grow and Enjoy Norma Jean Lathrop
House Plant’s – Mini Fact Finder Halina Heitz – Barron’s
Inspired By The Garden Marie Browning
Landscaping Projects ‘How-To’ Time Life Books
Lawn And Ground Covers The Time-Life Gardener’s Guide
Lawns And Ground Covers The Time-Life Encyclopedia Of Gardening
Mother Nature’s Handbook James B. Gick
Nature Alberta James Kavanagh
New Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Gardening Wild Flowers Of America – Gemstone
New Perennials for Canada Don Williamson – Lone Pine
Peonies Pamela McGeorge  – Firefly
Perennial Favorites Lois Hole’s
Perennial Gardening Guide John M Valleau – Heritage Perennials
Perennials The Time-Life Encyclopedia Of Gardening
Perennials The Time-Life Gardener’s Guide
Perennials Ortho Books
Perennials for Alberta Donna Dawson & Laura Peters – Lone Pine
Plants For All Seasons Ursula Buchan
Plants for Family Gardens – Cassell’s Directory of Lucy Huntington Cassell & Co
Plants For Pots & Containers Marshall Cavendish
Plants for Small Spaces Firefly – Stephanie Donaldson & Susan Berry
Rock Gardens A Harrowsmith Gardener’s Guide
Rose Companions Stephen Scanniello – Jackson & Perkins
Roses Sunset
Roses The Time-Life Encyclopedia Of Gardening
Roses The Time-Life Gardener’s Guide
Seed Sowing and Saving Carole B. Turner – Story’s Gardening Skills
Seeds-Ultimate guide to growing successfully from seed Royal Horticultural Society – Jekka McVicar
Spring Bulbs – The New Plant Library Peter McHoy – Acropolis Books – Prospero BOOKS
Start To Plant flower Gardens Graham A Pavey
Step-By Step Garden Planner Peter McHoy – Acropolis Books
Step-By-Step Successful Gardening Better Homes and Gardens
Taylor’s Pocket Guide to Ground Covers For Sun Ann Reilly – Houghton Mifflin
The Annual Encyclopedia John Kilmer – B Mitchell
The Calgary Gardener The Calgary Horticultural Society
The Complete Guide to House Plants Readers Digest – Valerie Bradley
The Country Garden – American Country Time Life Books
The Flower Arranger’s Garden Rosemary Verey  – Stoddard
The Handbook Of Cacti And Succulents Clive Innes – New Burlington Books
The Harrowsmith Annual Garden Jennifer bennett and Turid Forsyth
The Harrowsmith Perennial Garden Patrick Lima
The House Plant Expert Dr. D.G. Hesssayon
The Houseplant Care Manual Peter McHoy
The Ladies’ Flower Garden Whitecap Books
The Magic Of Herbs & Flower Julia Harmer
The New Gardener Pippa Greenwood
The New Seed Starters Handbook Nancy Bubel
The Observer’s Book Of House Plants Stanley B Whitehead
The Pronouncing Dictionary of Plant Names Paw Paw Everlast Label Company
The Romantic Rose Murray Alcosser
The Scented Garden David Squire with Jane Newdick – Doubleday
The Scented Garden Rosemary Verey
The Small Garden Book Peter McHoy – Acropolis Books
The Time Life Book Of Shade Gardens Time Life Books – Oliver E Allen
The Weekend Gardener Readers Digest – Susanna Longley
Theme Gardens Sunset
Trees The Time-Life Encyclopedia Of Gardening
Weeds, Pest and Diseases Cullen Canadian Garden Guide
What Grows Where In Canadian Gardens Trevor Cole – Dorling Kindersley
Wild About Herbs Reader’s Digest – Roger Tabor
Wild Flowers In The Pacific Northwest Hardy & Hardy
Wild Flowers Of Alberta R.G.H. Cormack
Wildflowers The Time-Life Gardener’s Guide
Winter Hardy Roses/Explore Parkland & Prairie Series Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Flowers, their seeds and seedlings

One of my goals for harvesting seeds is to get involved in seed exchanges as well as to sell them. In preparation I have started testing them to make sure they will germinate. As soon as the seedlings have their true leaf I will post the images. Hopefully these images will help some of you identify your seedlings. Please let me know what you think.

Flowers, their seeds and seedlings

Seed Germination
FlowerFlower ImageSeed ImageSeedling Image# of Days
Allium - I'm not sure which Allium this is. Plant is about 2 - 2 1/2 feet tall 10
Allium schoenoprasum 'Chives'4
Allium tuberosum
'Garlic chives'
6
Amaranth
"Love Lies Bleeding"
3
Aster
Pot 'N' Patio Mix
2
Betony Dwarf
"Stachys minima'
Bishop's Flower
'Ammi majus'
Calendula officinalis
"Pot Marigold"
Yellow
4
Campanula persicifolia 'Peach Leaved Bellflower'9
Centaurea cyanus 'Bachelor's Button'2
Centaurea Macrocephala
"Great Golden Knapweed"
4
Columbine Dwarf Blue15
Columbine
'Pink Tower'
Delphinium9
Delphinium Dwarf15
Foxglove
'Digitalis'
8
Gaillardia Goblin
'Blanket Flower'
7
Grass Ornamental 'Hare's Tail'20
Heliopsis helianthoides scaba ‘Summer Sun’9
Heliopsis helianthoides "Loraine Sunshine" 5
Hollyhock 'Black'
Alcea
10
Hollyhock 'Miniature' 8
Lamb's Ear
"Stachys byzantina"
5
Lupine7
Marigold
'Boy 'O' Boy'
5
Marigold
'Inca II Yellow'
5
Melva Zabrina
Mullein
'Verbascum thapsus' Photo attrribute to Forest & Kim Starr
7
Nasturtiums Tropaeodum
'Whirlybird Mix'
5
Onopordum acanthium3
Poached Eggs - Limanthes Douglasii 'Sulpher Yellow'29
Rudbeckia 'Hirta'7
Shasta Daisy7
Stocks Mathiola incana
'Vintage Mix'
7
Sweet William
'Mixed'
3
Tanacetum parthenium 'Feverfew' Golden Chrysanthemum6
Thalictrum flavum glaucum
"Meadow Rue"


These beautiful Peonies are from my son’s yard. I believe the plants have been established where they are for at least 25 -30 years.

Today I plan on starting the process of planting these seeds. I have read that it takes at least 3 years to get a flower on the Peony plants.

Shasta Daisy “Chrysanthemum maximum”

An old time favorite flower for your garden

Plant will grow 2-3 Feet tall

Zone 3-9    -   Perennial   -   Attracts Butterflies

Blooms during the summer

The colors of the Rudbeckia are always changing. They are very interesting to watch as the summer goes on.

In the middle picture I have cut a seed head in half so you can see the small black seeds hiding in the seed head . It is a very tedious job picking the seeds out of all the other stuff.

The Bees just love the Lambs Ear

Lambs Ear seed pods and seeds

These Delphinium are in my sons yard and they have been established for 20 or 30 years. I think they are stunning and so do the bees. Some of these plants stand 6-8 feet tall.

Delphinium Seed Pods and Seeds

Thank You to everyone who helped name these flowers


1) The Mystery Flower

1) The Mystery Flower

2) Shasta Daisy

2) Seed head from Shasta Daisy

3) Calendula officinalis

3) Calendula officinalis

4) Coreopsis

5) Matthiola incana/stocks

6) Sunflower helianthus

7) Straw Flower helichrysum bracteatum

Sea Holly Eryngium – Flowers and seeds

Here are pictures of  3 of my Hollyhocks  Red, Black and Pink.

Seed Pods        Seeds             Seed

Thses are just a few of my Hollyhocks. I will have to wait until next year to post pictures of the others.

“Magnus” or “Doubledecker”

Echinacea        Seed Head          Seeds

The Rock Garden is my favorite flower bed.  I love all the Alpine plants. It will take me awhile but I will eventually add the names of most of the plants.

Poppy  Papaver

“Pink Peony”

What a pleasant surprise this Pink Peony Poppy was!

Poppy  Papaver somniferum

“Black Peony or Black Beauty”

This Black Peony Poppy was my biggest surprise !  What a beauty!

Poppy  Papaver nudicaule

“Champagne Bubbles”

Champagne Bubbles is an old favorite and has been in my garden for a few years.

Rudbeckia hirta

Black-eyed Susan or Gloriosa Daisy

These Rudbeckia plants are all over my yard. The colors are constantly changing. I have ordered seeds for a burgandy and a green Rudbeckia and can’t wait to see the flowers next summer. Rudbeckia blooms all summer and long into the fall.

Flower                  Seed Head            Seeds

Zone  3  – 10      Herbaceous perennial   -  Attracts  Birds Bees Butterflies

2 – 4  Feet tall   2  Foot spread  Full Sun/Partial Shade   -   Asteraceae Family

Deer and rabbit resistant   -   Blooms  summer to early fall   –   Clump forming thistle  plant

Globe Thistle Echinops bannaticus has long prickly stems & is a very striking & showy flower.

Great ornamental cut   flower for arrangements before during & after it has bloomed.

Globe Thistle does well in any well drained soil  is  Drought tolerant and will reseed itself.

Sow seeds indoors or outside in early spring.  Do not cover the seeds as they require light to germinate.

Will bloom in the second year.  I found that harvesting the seeds was a bit difficult and time consuming.

Below please read an email received from Jonna on harvesting and sowing Echinops seeds.

Jonna’s website is  http://www.seedsite.eu

The seed is in the individual parts of the seedpod.

The best time to collect these seeds is when they are loose in the seedpod. That means that you can only harvest a part of the seedpod at the same time, because the ones above will be ripe earlier than the ones below. Never use any pressure to harvest them. If you do that you’ll harvest unripe seeds. If you want to harvest a lot of seeds you’ll have to check the pods 2 times a week.
Or you can use organza bags to gather the seeds. The ones who fall in the bags are potential ripe.
After harvesting you must put them in paper bags and take out the seeds of the individual parts of the seedpod. You’ll notice that not every ’seed’ is viable. Only the seeds that are thick and can’t be crushed with your nail are potential viable seeds. It’s a lot of work.

The seeds must be sown in autumn or winter, they prefer (or even need) a cold period. If you prefer to sow indoors you’ll have to stratisfy the seeds a few weeks.

Thank’s Jonna for your wealth of knowledge on seed collecting!

Plants I have saved the seeds from

It is going to take me awhile to get the images and information of each plant onto my blog. If anyone would like the images of the seeds and information on any of these plants add a comment and I will try to get the images and info entered for you. Or email me at sherriebohan@shaw.ca for a quicker response. This list is just a start on the seeds I have harvested from plants so far. I have about 200 different plants for this list.


Stay Tuned!


Aconitum cammarum “Monkshood Bi-Color”

Aegopodium   podagraria “Variegatum”- Snow On The Mountain

Alcea – Hollyhock  (Black)

Alcea – Hollyhock  (My Kids House)

Amaranth “Love Lies Bleeding”

Anaphalis margaritacea “Pearly Everlasting”

Anthemis tintoria Kelway “Golden Marguerite”

Beebalm Monarda “Raspberry Wine”

Campanula glomerata “Clustered Bell Flower”

Centaurea Macrocephala

Delphinium

Echinacea Coneflower “Coconut Lime”

Echinacea  Coneflower “Magnum”

Echinacia “Pink Double Delight”

Echinacea “White Swan”

Foxglove Digitalis

Gaillardia “Goblin”  Blanket Flower grandiflora

Gazinia “Day Break”

Heliopsis helianthoides scaba ‘Summer Sun’

Lady’s Mantle “Alchemilla Vulgaris”

Lamb’s Ear “Stachys byzantina”

Ligularia stenocephala “The Rocket”

Lupine “The Pages”

Painted Daisy

Peony “White”

Peony “Red”

Peony “Pink”

Phlox “David’s Lavender Tall Garden Phlox

Poppy “Papaver”  California White Linen

Poppy  “Papaver” Champagne Bubbles

Poppy “Papaver” somniferum ‘Black Beauty or Black Peony’

Poppy “Papaver”  Pink Peony

Rudbeckia Toto

Rudbeckia Hirta

Saponaria

Sea Holly Eryngium palnum

Silene “Druett’s Variegated”

Thalictrum flavum glaucum “Meadow Rue’

Custom Search

Thank You to everyone @ my Garden Web Forum for helping identify these 10 plants. It was a fun and interesting experiment to see how many other Gardeners there are to help out.

Plant ID
Thalictrum flavumglaucum
Lychnis
Campanula glomerataPotentilla atrosanguinea

Echineacea Pink Double Delight Photo Compliments of Nora Dowsett
Saponaria
Phlox "David's Lavender Tall
Garden Phlox"

Petunia peaking through the Clematis Vine

Clematis "Jackmanii"

The mystery flower. Clematis or Petunia?   This pink flower may have been peeking through from a plant box behind the Clematis vine. I guess I will have to wait until next summer to figure this 1 out. There are 2 Clematis plants together but I’m not sure if the pink flower is actually attached to 1 of them or not.

Flower            Seed Head         Seeds

1 Foot          12 – 18 inches Full sun or Partial shade
Zone 3 – 9      -      Accent Perennial     –      Attracts Bees Butterflies

Asterceae Family    -   Deer Resistant   -   Originated in North America

Great ground cover or border.  Nice cut  flower for arrangements.

Blooms are bi-color with red centres and yellow tips. Each flowers last about 4 weeks.

The Gaillardia flowers will bloom contiuously from June to September if dead headed.

Also known as x grandilora Kobold.  Resembles a firewheel or Native American Blanket.

Centre of the flower is like a disk or button and are very Daisy like.

Gaillardia does well in hot conditions and is drought tolerant.

Prefers well drained soil and does just fine in poor soil.

Easy to grow from seed. Plant seeds in early Spring or Summer anytime right up until 2 months before the first fall frost.

Gaillardia reseeds itself and may also be divided  in the Spring or Fall.

I consider the Harvest of  Gaillardia seeds as simple to do.

Riddles for Gardeners


Email your answers for a free pack of flower seeds!


“The answers are names of flowers”

Bee & Flower

  1. How might you describe a silent person
  2. Name for a lady who marries for riches
  3. Everyone has these on their face
  4. You might find one of these on a safari
  5. An appropriate gift for a banker
  6. A fastener on a single man’s coat
  7. A country of automobile lovers
  8. Good name for a guy’s biking club
  9. He’s an awfully sugary bill
  10. They’re the dairy best blooms
  11. A peevish fairytale creature
  12. A Woman’s nightly foot ware
  13. They hate to wait
  14. A fine looking jungle ruler
  15. Cross between a violin and a clarinet

Email your answers to sherriebohan@shaw.ca for a free pack of flower seeds from my garden

Flower          Seed Head          Seed

Zone 3-9    Hardy     Great Prairie Flower       Heritage Perennial   Clip art sun3 Full Sun
Height 3-4 Feet   Spread 2 2 Feet      Attracts    r3hhe5kd Butterflies       Bee Bees      wb0aq791 Birds
Blooms in  Mid Summer/ Fall             -          Each yellow flower blooms for 2-3 Weeks
Asteraceae Family     –     Originating in Armenia     –     Great for the back of borders
Some other known names include Yellow Hardhat, Lemon Fluff, Basket Flower, Giant Knapweed, Great Golden Knapweed, Globe Centaurea, Golden Thistle, Globe Coneflower and  Big Head Knapweed.
Centaurea Macrocephala is an excellent ornamental k8tiictj cut flower for fresh or dried arrangements. The base of the flower resembles a pinecone, artichoke or wicker basket.
Harvesting your own seeds from Centaurea Macrocephala is easy. Direct sow after the last frost in the Spring. Sow half inch deep in well drained soil.

Well, I’ve been busy as a bee collecting annual & perennial flower seeds from my garden and from my family and friends gardens too. I’m having so much fun that I’m sure everyone thinks I’m crazy. So far this past few months I have harvested seeds from almost 200 different flowers.
My biggest challenge is making sure I have the correct name of the plant and then identifying the seed. Once I have figured out where the seed is hiding I get a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. Each flower and seed is so amazing & different. Some flowers give up their seeds easily and others keep them a secret hidden deep inside somewhere.
It’s been difficult finding images of the plant and the seed together in books or on the web. SOOOO! I’m now taking pictures of the seed pods etc and the seeds. I plan to put them together with my pictures of the flowers. Over the winter I will germinate the seeds and add pictures of them as well.
Maybe one day I’ll have enough information and photo’s to write a book!
Dare I dream? I plan to hold on to this vision!
Do any other gardeners and seed collectors think this information would be of any interest to them?