first seedlings!!
Our list of seeds to sow is extensive. With no budget for landscaping, we must grow our new gardens from cuttings, seeds and divisions.Many of our seeds are currently recumbent in packets (and even more in recycled envelopes) and await the warmth and light of spring when they will be sown into sieved leafmould.
Others sit in Rogers beer fridge, chilling out. These seeds need a period of low temperature to trigger germination. It will be April before they are ready for germination although some (maples) may begin germination even in the cool of the fridge.
Others were sown into trays in the autumn and are already showing!! Look!!
On the left, my favourite flower, our native primrose (primula vulgaris) appear to open their cotyledons. They're certainly labelled as primrose but there has been much conversation at this end about their exact identity! We await their true leaves with interest.On the right, the contrasting, spear-like spikes of camassia leichtlinii alba salute the new year.
We collected the primrose seed from plants we'd planted in the allotment. The camassia seed were a gift collected by Linda from her garden.
These emerging seedlings are like a starting gun sounding. 2012 is the year of beginning to grow our new garden: the race is on!!
Is there anything more exciting for a gardener than growing plants from seeds you've collected yourself?
3 comments:
Sowing the first seeds of the year and watching them emerge has to be the most exciting part of the gardening year.
Couldn't agree more Bridget.
That's a great skill to have, starting trees and other long-lived perennials from seed. Vegetables are one thing, but I know a lot of trees/shrubs can be tricky. I would like to get more into it one day and learn how to do a good job.
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