Welcome. Accept that you are powerless over your seedy impulse and that your pot ghetto has become unmanageable.

That's the first step - the goal being acceptance rather than abstention.

I was already hooked on gardening before I started the winter-sowing method, including starting plants from seed, but to a lesser extent. So for me it wasn't a "gateway" drug, but whatever it is, it's sure made the addiction worse. LOL

Looks as though you've uncovered our *dirty* little secret. Must admit I'm in *ecstasy* when I see this:

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go from *pot* to earth and then make gaudy spectacles of themselves like this:

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and these:

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Well, the way I look at it, everyone has vices of one sort or another...

Oh Eileen, with that camara of yours, you are the biggest "drug pusher" on here!!!! So so pretty. Can I claim grandma status to that Verbascum? And maybe the blackberry lily?

I need those red lupines. I need them bad. Is there a long list for seed beggers at this point (as you have flashed their stunning color to tempt us before..)

Nancy

LOL, thats all I could think of when I read the opening post then I scrolled down and saw Nancy asking for seeds of those Lupine, LOL, well my friend if you get some, save me a few too please!!!

Alberta

Thanks, fellow GW WS druggies! Yes, indeed, nan those verbascum 'Milkshake' blooms are your grand-blossoms. Not sure about the blackberry lilies because I got seeds from quite a few folks but the germination on all of them was amazing so it could definitely be yours.

I've put you & Alberta on the red lupine seed list. Alberta, I'll need your mailing address when the time comes. The seeds are all harvested & ready to go whenever you're ready for them.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, gardenweed!

Pics of those gorgeous flowers just made my day.

Without my own gardens anymore I was craving photos from others to get a pick me up. :)

Happy to provide the eye candy newbie_in_nj!! I'm completely shameless and don't mind showing off my bloomers whenever I get the chance.

As long as we're all mellow and tripping out...

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How can anybody not believe in Wintersowing after seeing those results? You're right, it becomes an addiction but it's a healthy one! Eileen, that Cupid's Dart is such a pretty color..my favorite of course! Do they get very tall? I know I looked it up once and don't know if I wrote it down or not. Thought you'd remember off the top of your head. Is that Prairie Sun or Irish eyes rudbeckia? They look so much alike that I find it hard to tell them apart unless they would be place side by side.

pippi21 - Catananche caerulea/Cupid's dart grows to 2 ft. from my experience which is just right for where I have it planted. My only complaint is there aren't as many blooms as I'd hoped for but the reason may be I have it growing in part sun rather than full sun. I love the color too and will sow lots more of it this year. I saved seeds from the spent blooms so I have those to WS along with any commercial seeds I can find.

Ok I MUST have those Lupin..for myself..and any tricks to get them to G R O W .... Grrr... and well heck..I want it allllll

gardenweed, your flowers looks great!! And you wintersowed all these I take it? Its amazing! Dang I just hope a few of mine I plan on wintersowing this winter turns out like yours. You do have a "green" thumb and some pretty "bloomers",,,,I mean "flowers!!
thanks for sharing those. Makes me excited to get started..and I had never liked winter that much, but I think this winter will be different!
Tom

And OP..
Winter Sowing has turned in to a Productive year round obsession for me. I used WS to grow plants for a fundraiser I do for Children's Hospital in Boston. It started BECAUSE of WS. I found it and the 1st year did about 75 jugs... and had way more plants then I knew what to do with. I approached Costco in Avon MA and they let me sell em there.. In 3 years we have raised a lot of $$ for Children's/ So be warned LOL>>.

Here is a link that might be useful: THIS is what Wintersowing turned in to here...

Thanks Tom - all the flowers in the photos were WS except the very last one. 'Golden Goblin' gaillardia/blanket flower was purchased but I didn't realize I'd included that one until after I hit the submit button. Glad you like my bloomers!!

Even after the 8 ft. of snow & brutal cold (-19F) last winter brought, I still look forward to December, January, February because of WS. It was my second year to WS and I was eager to get started even though I was determined not to sow another 486 milk jugs like I did year one!!! These are just a few I can cross off this year's list:

Alchemilla mollis/lady's mantle
Baptisia australis/false indigo
Astilbe
Coreopsis/tickseed
Echinacea/coneflower
Gaillardia/blanket flower
Gaura lindheimeri/wandflower
Heuchera/coral bells
Hibiscus
Hosta
Lupine
Monarda/bee balm
Rudbeckia/gloriosa daisy
Salvia/sage
Spirea

Here's the amazing part:
Lupine
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Salvia/sage
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Penstemon/beardtongue
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Trollius ledebouri/Chinese globeflower
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I'm actually looking forward to winter as well for these very same reasons. I get so giddy when I peek inside and see some green!! Definitely makes the colder days more tolerable!