I’d been growing Farnsworth’s jewel flower (Streptanthus farnsworthianus) for several years before learning about the person behind the plant. While doing some research about botanical names on California Plant Names: Latin and Greek Derivations and Meanings, I discovered that “farnsworthianus” refers to Evalyn Lucille Klein Farnsworth, a California rancher and naturalist. There’s more to her story (and many others) on the site, which is, by the way, safe to visit even if your browser says it is not secure.
Several years ago, I posted the first installments of the “Don’t Be Ordinary” series—Explore Intriguing Alternatives , Consider the Source, and Eight Utterly Un-Ordinary Gems—to highlight some of the many ways that growing plants from seed can make your garden unique. Since spring arrived too late for this month’s Bloom Day, and the next is nearly a month away, this is a perfect opportunity to pick another topic. Let’s consider the ways seeds, and the plants they produce, can link us to other times, places, and people through the stories connected with them. Continue reading Don’t Be Ordinary: Grow Seeds with a Story
To my mind, self-sowers like Brazilian vervain (Verbena bonariensis) are the secret to—or at least a shortcut to—creating a lush, layered look in the garden.First, a big thank-you to everyone who requested seeds through last month’s giveaway. Several hundred packets have, I hope, made it to new homes around the globe. (If you sent in a request and didn’t hear back from me, or if I confirmed your request but your seeds haven’t arrived yet, please don’t hesitate to leave me a note here or contact me directly.) And a special thanks to those of you who shared seeds and other surprises in return—the generosity of gardeners is unsurpassed!
Since last fall, I’ve been writing about some of the many good reasons to make seeds part of your gardening experience. I obviously spend way too much time thinking about seeds: collecting, cleaning, packing those I already have, buying or trading for new ones, and—best of all—getting them all growing.
I think the only thing I like more than having lots of seeds to sow is having seeds I don’t have to sow—more than once, anyway. “Self-sowing” annuals, biennials, and short-lived perennials are such a gift to gardens and gardeners, from an aesthetic standpoint as well a practical one. Granted, they can get a little too enthusiastic sometimes, but their good points generally far outweigh the bit of management they may require. Unfortunately, self-sowers tend to be hard to find for sale as plants, for various reasons. So, even if you normally don’t choose to grow from seed, I encourage you to consider making an exception to get some of these gems growing in your garden. Continue reading Make the Most of Self-Sowers (Part 1)
[Please note that this year’s seed giveaway ended on January 25, 2020.]
This month spotlights yet another wonderful reason to work with seeds: the pass-along factor. If you’re lucky enough to have local gardening friends, sharing your favorite plants is a simple matter. For more distant trading, it’s possible to send plants through the mail, of course, but that’s tough on them, and paying for expedited delivery is hard on your wallet too. Seeds condense all that planty goodness into small, easy-to-mail bits of happiness. Continue reading From My Garden to Yours 2020
![Verbena bonariensis [©Nancy J. Ondra/Hayefield.com]](https://i0.wp.com/hayefield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/verbena_bonariensis_.jpg?resize=530%2C398&ssl=1)
