Comments on: My Experiment -Pacific Coastal Annuals in New England

By: Panayoti Kelaidis

Panayoti Kelaidis — Mon, 21 May 2012 23:28:17 +0000

This was my first year with Limnanthese douglasii which has made a great splash of color this spring for weeks now.

Phacelia campanularia is stunning some years, but doesn't self sow reliably. But California poppies become perennial and well nigh ineradiable. More to be experimented with, I think. Great posting, Matt!

By: Woodies Garden Centre

Woodies Garden Centre — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:07:54 +0000

I love your California annuals! I have a patch of them too, but they like our Washington weather better, they've been flowering here for quite a while now.
Thank you for post..

By: Joseph

Joseph — Mon, 21 May 2012 06:46:08 +0000

I have had good luck with many West coast wildflowers in Ohio and Michigan. Nemophila self sowed in my last garden very nicely and I've had very good success with several if the lovely phacelias as well. Started a few from seed in the greenhouse this yearand am planting them out now to get them established in my new garden.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Mon, 21 May 2012 06:05:10 +0000

I also did a large order from Annies , getting suckered in looking at photos of all those great CA wildflowers, and itching to fill my yearning for all things blue, yet unlike you I was not brave enough to plant them outside until last week, now I am just staring at them waiting for them to bloom . Thanks for the photo fix! and btw nemisia is one of my favs and mine seem to bloom all summer ? Are they all sensitive to heat? they reseed here like crazy .

By: Kaveh Maguire

Kaveh Maguire — Mon, 21 May 2012 04:29:49 +0000

Limnanthes were kind of a letdown for me. Yours may be faring better. I forgot that they grow around vernal pools and like the soil a bit damper so my very dry garden was not to their liking.

By: Matt Mattus

Matt Mattus — Sun, 20 May 2012 23:41:12 +0000

Kaveh, some of my P. somniferum are ready to stake too, but I noticed that they are wilting today in the heat. P. rhoeas are growing like crazy, as are P. commutatum, not sure if they will bloom this year, but so far, it looks like it. Had to weed them today, to give them more room. As long as the dogs stay out of them!

By: Matt Mattus

Matt Mattus — Sun, 20 May 2012 23:33:18 +0000

Hi Alison. Thanks. I hope and expect some to self seed, as this bed a raised rock garden, and set against the sunny side of the stone foundation of the greenhouse. I have some Zone 8 plants wintering over already, but it all depends of snowfall. The more we have, the more protected we get.

By: Alison

Alison — Sun, 20 May 2012 21:24:35 +0000

I love your California annuals! I have a patch of them too, but they like our Washington weather better, they've been flowering here for quite a while now. I sowed mine last year in February under cloches in place, and this year they have self-sowed a new generation. Keep an eye out in your garden next spring for any that might have self-sown. I used to live in Massachusetts, and had lots of California poppies there. Isn't Annie's Annuals great?

By: Unknown

Unknown — Sun, 20 May 2012 19:18:21 +0000

poppies seed like crazy. It seems like you only have to plant them once, and then you're pulling them up forever after.

By: Kaveh Maguire

Kaveh Maguire — Sun, 20 May 2012 09:02:11 +0000

Looking good! My Nemophila are already done but the Layia should still be in bloom for another week or two. I can't wait to see how your poppies do. I have P. commutatum in bloom now and one of my P. somniferum is so big that I had to stake it.