"Nicole" wrote in message
...
Your location is going to make a difference on which flowers can grow
there....
I'm in the southern portion of the san joaquin calley in CA and my
sweet peas are already dried up and gone. They simply can't tolerate
heat.

Sweet peas do need something to grow up (unless you buy the bush
seeds)... they have tendrils (like peas) that wrap around for support.
mine grow up chain link fencing but do need help getting started. I
have to tie 'em up and from there, they're good to go.

Sorry, I almost missed your response the post is old now. I just got
done planting them in front of my stoops bounding the front steps facing
south. They may not like the hot brick, and I did a sloppy job of it,
but they're in, I can find something to climb on if they don't like the
brick, and I can learn from that.



There are many types of forget me nots. Most are annuals (completing
their life cycle in one year) Biennial means takes two seasons to
complete the life cycle.
Annuals can be come back the next year if the seed pods are allowed to
burst open.... I have a lot of volunteer flowers that come back this
way ...it's the seeds that will allow these type of flowers to come
back..

There are flowers that thrive in the shade- impatiens. hydrangeas,
rudbeckia, nicotiana, violas, alyssum nemophila baby blue eyes,
foxglove (perennial) are all partial sun. With a little looking,
you'll be able to have some great flowers without full sun.
burpee.com has a garden wizard that can help.... you can order from
here also if you wish.

I found a shade mix at americanmeadows.com, will try that, and I love
violas. Forgot about those. First before we get too much planted
there, I'm going to protect the few plants that are there and my son is
going to spray as there are two types of nasty ivy that will ruin the
spot and I'll be forever pulling and cutting the stuff, may have to even
if we spray, but it should cut down some of the work.

I planted some alyssum around the edges of a plastic planter window box
and the forget-me-nots in the center. The alyssum is going to overpower
it, so I will have to get what's started into pots. I have another
fresh pack of seeds and think I can fall sow.

Telephone pole- have you considered a vine? There are many that will
grow well, don't need help climbing and don't need a lot of care.
There are annual or perrenial vines.
http://www.smgrowers.com/info/vinelist.asp

I tried a clematic one year, but to do it right, you have to clear out
the grass a ways out and then mulch and keep it watered. That is going
to have to wait as I've got too much going now. Thanks for the link and
your response. I will check out the link.


happy gardening
"I Love Lucy" wrote in message
nk.net...
I have a couple of seed packets I'm trying to decide how/where to
plant.

1. The sweet pea packet says they are five feet, annual; I know that
means none next year unless I plant more seeds. Will they cling to a
brick wall? Will they spiral climb like pole beans? I was thinking
of putting them around my ugly telephone poles, but if they need
strings, I don't know if that will go over with the phone company.
Not that I care a whole lot. Otherwise I'm going to have to rig up a
trellis or some kind of strings for them to climb on. If I have to
put them on the east side of the house which has the most room, will
they bloom with only half a day of sun?

2. The Forget Me Not packet has the usual, says it's a bienniel.
Does that mean it takes until the second year to flower? What
happens after that? Does it self seed or come back from the roots
every year thereafter if all goes well? Also do they have to have
sun all day or could I put them on the east side of the house?

I don't have a whole lot of room for plants that require full sun
right now unless I dig up part of the front yard for a cottage
garden, but it won't be this year.

Thanks for any advice.