What a lot of color they add for such a small investment in time.
They've even bloomed through these past two winters. They always
germinate almost 100%. They often bloom through the entire summer,
given shade. They make pretty floating bouquets, both leaves and
flowers, in shallow dishes. They're an edible, peppery-tasting garnish
or salid ingredient. They even resow themselves, although sometimes
too early so that they freeze. We now plant every variety we can find,
including the trailing or climbing varieties. Burpee has so-called
heirloom varieties some years and Gardens, at a price, often carries
exotic streaked or spotted varieties. The climbers don't twine or
fasten themselves to anything; they used sort of use their "elbows" or
right-angle bends where the flowers and leaves join the stems. We've
always let them trail, but now they're going right up some
rabbit-wire. I always wonder why we never seem to see them in anybody
else's gardens or yards. I always used to dismiss them as being
"gaudy" but now I just appreciate their color and persistence and
never-fail qualities. . . . just an appreciation, hoping to
encourage others to enjoy these also if they've never tried them