As I sit here with my notebooks, seed packets and plant catalogs scattered all around me, I can't help but reminisce about last year's garden. It was my first year fully utilizing my unheated greenhouse.

This extra space allowed me to start mostly everything from seed. It took lots of planning, scheduling and time. It was definitely worth it, and I'm so glad I put in all that extra work. I was able to enjoy so many homegrown plants. 

Starting New Varieties From Seed

I grew so many different vines from seed last year. From sweet peas started in February to Love in a Puff started in March, and everything in between. It was a record breaking year for me when it came to the number of varieties I grew.

I tried to pin point an exact number including all the different tropical, perennial and annuals plants. There were so many, so I'm just sticking with - it was a very large amount. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm going to set my sights on three new varieties this year. First up is Canary Bird Flower (Tropaeolum peregrinum). I tried my hand at growing some last year, but none of my seeds germinated. This vine features yellow flowers that resemble bird's wings in flight. It grows to be around 8 to 12 feet tall.

I also have my eye on the Mexican Flame Vine 'Sao Paulo' (Senecio confusus). This 6 to 10 foot trailing vine boasts vivid daisy like red blooms. It attracts pollinators and can also be grown in hanging baskets.

I never got around to plant my Morning Glory 'Mura Kumo' (Ipomoea Nil) seeds last year. This vine produces dark purple blooms have streaks of white. It is absolutely stunning!

 

 

Annual Flowers

 

Sunflowers: I really enjoyed growing sunflowers last season. I left most of the flower stalks up throughout the winter. The birds are still using them as perches while foraging in my yard! This year, I want to try growing Red Sun, Shock-O-Lat, and Buttercream (All varieties - Helianthus annuus). 

 

 

 

 

Geraniums: Geraniums make such great companion plants, and I absolutely love the brightly colored blooms. I want to try growing Maverick Appleblossom (Pelargonium x hortorum), Multibloom Red (Pelargonium x hortorum) and the Tornado Mix (Pelargonium peltatum). 

 

 

 

 

Flowering Herbs: There is nothing that makes my heart happier than seeing the wildlife in my yard enjoying all the flowers. Medicinal herbs seem to attract the most pollinators, birds and critters to the garden.

 

 

The Lion's Ear I grew last year was such a hit with all of the wild birds, hummingbirds and even the butterflies. I can't wait to grow it again. It grew to be about 10 feet tall! 

 

 

 

This year, I'd like to add some Bee Balm 'Lemon' (Monarda citriodora), Feverfew 'Golden Ball'  (Chrysanthemum Parthenium), and some Sweet Annie (Artemisia annua).

 

 

 

Vegetables

When it comes to veggies, I still want to grow my tried and true favorites. This includes cucamelons, green beans and jalapeño peppers.

I also want to add some new varieties like popping corn 'Mini Pink Pearls' (Zea mays), hanging basket snap peas 'Snack Hero' (Pisum sativum) and the mini tomato 'Spoon' (Solanum pimpinellifolium).

 

 

 

 

That's everything that's been on my mind lately. I'm going to start seeds this year, but not fully rely on seeds. I'll be picking up starter plants locally and from my favorite online stores.

I now have a mini heater for my greenhouse, so I'm going to try starting seeds directly in the greenhouse as opposed to my indoor seed starting area.

That should be exciting! I'm eager to see how that goes and if it makes a big differences. 

I'm also going to add more water features, more bird houses and more feeding areas.

I'll be ordering more mason bees this spring, and I might even try leaf cutter bees this summer! I can't wait to add more aquatic plants to my container pond.

I'm mostly just excited sit outside and drink my coffee in the garden again. 

What are you planning on planting in your garden? Are you going to try growing anything new? Tell me about it in the comment section below. The warmer weather is almost here. I can't wait for spring to finally arrive. As always, happy gardening!