Seed starting (asterisk)

This year, it seems mandatory for any lifestyle article to include tips on “how to save money.” The gardening industry is no exception, and one of the things that people tout to save money is starting your ornamental plants from seed. Most articles claim that it is “cheap and easy”. I won’t argue with “cheap”, but I’m beginning to add a big mental asterisk to “easy”. As in: “Starting things from seed is cheap and easy”*

*As long as you have exactly the right spot, sow the seeds exactly the right way, and don’t mind re-sowing three or four times. Oh, and those lovely pictures of fields of waving flowers on seed packets? Sometimes seed packets lie. (I know! There should be a law!)

This summer, I’ve been frustrated by poppy flowers. I love poppies of all kinds and in all stages of development, and only recently did it occur to me that I could buy some seeds and plant them in my garden! How exciting! It will be cheap and easy!



Two months after sowing: only a few scraggly seedlings. But, but, but! I did everything on the packet! Where are my fields of waving California poppies? Fortunately for my disappointment, I ran across a blog post by one of our authors, Tracy DiSabato-Aust.

She lists the Oriental poppy as one of her top 50 best plants, and gives some tips on how to grow them. She says to try a large quantity of seeds – ½ a pound or more - and to try direct-sowing the seeds in February or March.



This is good to know for my gardening plans for next year – now I just have to find out where to buy poppy seeds by the pound. Bagel stores?

Chani West-Foyle, Marketing Associate

Blue, Black, Silver, and Green

Timber Press has been in interested in books on dramatic plant colors since we published (in North America) Deni Bown’s Alba in 1989. (That book was inspired by the fad for white gardens in the 1980’s based on Vita Sackville-West’s famous white-flower garden. Alas, it may be some time before white gardens return to general popularity. We hope to commission a new edition if they do.) Our next was Book of Blue Flowers, which we published in 2000, making much of the fact that blue is the rarest hue in nature. This book is still in print in paperback.



Our newest “monochrome” book is Black Plants, written by Paul Bonine, a local nurseryman and student of “shock and awe” in the garden. Copies are now shipping, following on the great success of our Green Flowers in spring of this year, which was written by a delightful London photographer and designer team. Also notable is Elegant Silvers, written by Joann Gardener and photographed beautifully by Karen Bussolini. Karen did a remarkable job of traveling the world finding silver plants in their garden and native habitats. We published it in 2004.



Next spring, look for a wonderful book entitled Color Companions--I don’t want to give everything away, but our estimable Tom Fischer is the author. Keeyla Meadows's Fearless Color Gardens releases this fall--be prepared for completely wild and daring color ideas! In short, Timber digs color.



Neal Maillet, Publisher