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?
22 Responses to “Secrets Of My Flower Seeds – My Gardening Blog”
I would be VERY interested as this is a hobby of mine , too.
I think that it is very important, wise and frugal to be collecting seeds and learning to identify them, as well as native plants, in general.
I look forward to your input!
Thanks Sandra, I’m having lots of fun with this. I should be posting some more flowers and seeds soon. Email me anytime if you are having trouble figuring out were the seed is hiding. Hopefully I will be able to help.
Hello Sherrie,
About our Seedy Saturday events in Fernie BC: We don’t stage stand-alone events, but rather have our seed swaps and displays as part of larger community events, such as the one we held today at the winter festival craft fair – we had a fantastic response with many people taking home Fernie-grown seeds, as well as a few who brought seeds!
Our April 22nd swap will be a part of the Earth Day celebration here, which is an evening-only event featuring a fashion show of outfits made from recycled materials. It’s very family-oriented, but the window for display viewing and interaction is very small – only a few hours from 5 to 8 pm. If this would interest you I can put you in touch with the organizers.
Now that we’ve been doing this for a few years, I think it’s time to consider going solo next year with our own day-long event with more seedy and gardening attractions including films and workshops. This may be a better opportunity for your participation.
I had a quick look at your website (and will return…) and am very impressed with your photos and how you’ve presented flowers alongside their harvested seeds. Would make a fantastic book! An inspiration and encouragement to northern gardeners to learn to save seeds. There’s a good market for selling your seeds as well, I’m sure.
I’ll forward your link to others on our community garden team.
Thanks and best wishes.
Mary
Fernie Community EcoGarden
Hi! I’m so excited to have found your site and blog! I’m just getting into gardening and LOVING it. It is so refreshing to learn of someone else who is interested in seed harvesting, propagation, growth, etc. I was shocked that seeds could not only be so hard to find but such a mystery to look up where to find them, especially as people have been doing this for thousands of years I thought. My progression has been from killing potted plants, to growing plants from seed instead of buying whole plants, to seedling trays, potting and repotting and planting, to now learning how to propagate plants that I like and harvest seeds. Still very much learning:) Today was my first occasion of looking up of some tall batchelor button flower/plants that I have, identifying the scientific name, Centaurea Cyanus, and collecting seed heads. Tore apart several seedheads to try to find/identify the seeds – so tiny and well disguised! But success at last- largely because of googling and finding posts like yours.
How did your seed collecting go last fall. I would imagine you have all your seed trays, re potting and all the rest done now for this spring. Let me know if you need help identifying any other seeds. I have a lot more seeds than I have listed on my website. It so time consuming but I hope to get a bunch more posted soon.
Yes, it does seem to be something of a lost art~and one that we had very well better be bringing back to our knowledge base. I agree ~it is wonderful to have this place to share, experience and learn. I find it all so primal and it feels so right. I took part in a guided meditiation at Mabon [Second Harvest] one year. I was guided to the Goddess in the form of the Mother Crone and advised to gather seeds. I have been doing it ever since. I’m happy to find others that are doing it too.
Hi Cintia
I have planted about 250 different kinds of flower seeds this spring so I will have a lot more information for the book this year. Very time consuming but well worth the effort when I receive comments like yours.
Thanks
Sherrie
My garden is doing great this year. I haven’t had a chance to plant anything new in my flower beds this year but I have 2 days off work right now so hopefully I can get out in the yard to do some weeding and planting. I have about a thousand seedlings to plant and share with friends. I also need to take pictures of several seedlings so I can post them on my website under Flowers, Seeds and Their Seedlings.
Thanks
Sherrie
Just like to say I found your pictures of echinacea seeds very useful as I was not sure which was the seed and which the chaff. Could have been very unproductive if I planted the black bits! Like the site. The more info the better.
YES – this would be very helpful info for a book! I stumbled on your site after mixing up my Bells of Ireland Seed with another new one – thank you for reminding me how the Bells seed should look. Very helpful! :)
Sorry about that. I am still learning and haven’t figured out how to add the handling fee yet. So, I will pay the postage for you. I have more seeds for sale on eBay as well.
I would be VERY interested as this is a hobby of mine , too.
I think that it is very important, wise and frugal to be collecting seeds and learning to identify them, as well as native plants, in general.
I look forward to your input!
Thanks Sandra, I’m having lots of fun with this. I should be posting some more flowers and seeds soon. Email me anytime if you are having trouble figuring out were the seed is hiding. Hopefully I will be able to help.
Mary says:
March 8, 2010 at 9:05 pm (Edit)
Hello Sherrie,
About our Seedy Saturday events in Fernie BC: We don’t stage stand-alone events, but rather have our seed swaps and displays as part of larger community events, such as the one we held today at the winter festival craft fair – we had a fantastic response with many people taking home Fernie-grown seeds, as well as a few who brought seeds!
Our April 22nd swap will be a part of the Earth Day celebration here, which is an evening-only event featuring a fashion show of outfits made from recycled materials. It’s very family-oriented, but the window for display viewing and interaction is very small – only a few hours from 5 to 8 pm. If this would interest you I can put you in touch with the organizers.
Now that we’ve been doing this for a few years, I think it’s time to consider going solo next year with our own day-long event with more seedy and gardening attractions including films and workshops. This may be a better opportunity for your participation.
I had a quick look at your website (and will return…) and am very impressed with your photos and how you’ve presented flowers alongside their harvested seeds. Would make a fantastic book! An inspiration and encouragement to northern gardeners to learn to save seeds. There’s a good market for selling your seeds as well, I’m sure.
I’ll forward your link to others on our community garden team.
Thanks and best wishes.
Mary
Fernie Community EcoGarden
Hi! I’m so excited to have found your site and blog! I’m just getting into gardening and LOVING it. It is so refreshing to learn of someone else who is interested in seed harvesting, propagation, growth, etc. I was shocked that seeds could not only be so hard to find but such a mystery to look up where to find them, especially as people have been doing this for thousands of years I thought. My progression has been from killing potted plants, to growing plants from seed instead of buying whole plants, to seedling trays, potting and repotting and planting, to now learning how to propagate plants that I like and harvest seeds. Still very much learning:) Today was my first occasion of looking up of some tall batchelor button flower/plants that I have, identifying the scientific name, Centaurea Cyanus, and collecting seed heads. Tore apart several seedheads to try to find/identify the seeds – so tiny and well disguised! But success at last- largely because of googling and finding posts like yours.
Hi Watercolor
How did your seed collecting go last fall. I would imagine you have all your seed trays, re potting and all the rest done now for this spring. Let me know if you need help identifying any other seeds. I have a lot more seeds than I have listed on my website. It so time consuming but I hope to get a bunch more posted soon.
Thanks
Sherrie
Yes, it does seem to be something of a lost art~and one that we had very well better be bringing back to our knowledge base. I agree ~it is wonderful to have this place to share, experience and learn. I find it all so primal and it feels so right. I took part in a guided meditiation at Mabon [Second Harvest] one year. I was guided to the Goddess in the form of the Mother Crone and advised to gather seeds. I have been doing it ever since. I’m happy to find others that are doing it too.
I would buy it. I want to learn more about flowers and flowers’ seeds.
Cintia Flores
Hi Cintia
I have planted about 250 different kinds of flower seeds this spring so I will have a lot more information for the book this year. Very time consuming but well worth the effort when I receive comments like yours.
Thanks
Sherrie
Wow I’m learning so much reading your blog. Thank you for all your posts.
Hi Flower Delivery
I’m glad you found my blog. I am working on adding several more seeds, seedlings and flower images soon.
Thanks
Sherrie
How did your garden turn out? Did you yield many flowers?
Hi Wholesale Flowers
My garden is doing great this year. I haven’t had a chance to plant anything new in my flower beds this year but I have 2 days off work right now so hopefully I can get out in the yard to do some weeding and planting. I have about a thousand seedlings to plant and share with friends. I also need to take pictures of several seedlings so I can post them on my website under Flowers, Seeds and Their Seedlings.
Thanks
Sherrie
Hi
I love gardening though I am a new gardener.I found your blog by accident but it has alot of info..
Thank You
I will be posting allot more seedlings etc soon. I look forward to hearing an update on your gardening experiences soon.
Sherrie
Just like to say I found your pictures of echinacea seeds very useful as I was not sure which was the seed and which the chaff. Could have been very unproductive if I planted the black bits! Like the site. The more info the better.
Hi Herbie
Hope your Echinacea seeds grow for you. I will try to post the other 40 or 50 Flower, Seedling and Seed Picture that I have ready soon.
Thanks for visiting.
Sherrie
HI – Is this Sherrie Bohan’s website? Hard to tell. If so, pls write me an email, would ya?
Yup. This me.
YES – this would be very helpful info for a book! I stumbled on your site after mixing up my Bells of Ireland Seed with another new one – thank you for reminding me how the Bells seed should look. Very helpful! :)
the cart shows what ive selected…but no prices…what is the shipping?
pito61
Pete
Hi
Sorry about that. I am still learning and haven’t figured out how to add the handling fee yet. So, I will pay the postage for you. I have more seeds for sale on eBay as well.
http://www.ebay.ca/sch/theseedbasket/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686
Thanks
Sherrie
A wonderful resouce; hope you continue this herculean effort.