From the Desk of Bennett O. Dowling, 577 Organic Landscape Horticulturist
There are not many gardening activities that are more rewarding than nurturing a plant from seed to maturity. Conjuring forth all that life from such an inert little package can feel like true magic, like alchemy. Yet, growing plants from seed and gathering seed for future generations is something humans have been doing since time immemorial. We are naturally programmed to nurture, and when we choose to nurture seedlings, the possibilities in the garden can be endless.
For the second year,577 is offering a curated collection of seeds for your home garden. They reflect a diverse range of ornamental and culinary plants that are selected because of their beauty, vigor, resilience, and popularity here on the grounds. Some, such as common milkweed and anise hyssop, serve ecological benefits to birds and pollinators. Others, like Aji Limo and Aji Mango peppers, may work their way into your kitchen. The heirloom sulfur cosmos will become a standard re-seeder in your garden that you will find yourself further sharing with others, while the curious striped petals of ‘Harlequin’ marigold will surely get visitors talking. These seeds have all spoken to us and we hope that they can continue the conversations in your gardens.
What makes these seeds so special is their adaptability to our conditions here in northwest Ohio. Many of these plants have been grown and harvested for years here and therefore have directly proven themselves to thrive in our climate. What is even more interesting is that seeds have their own microbiomes that are unique to where they grew, so these seeds are deeply connected to the region more than seeds purchased from an outside supplier.
Are you ready to grow some seeds? When reading the packaging, look for whether the seeds need to be started indoors or directly sown in the garden. We assume a final frost date of mid-May when creating timelines for sowing.
What if you don’t have a space to start seeds indoors? Luckily for you, there are several plants available that can be directly sown in the garden. Some, such as sulfur cosmos, beans, or sunflowers, hate being transplanted and are best sown directly into the soil. Others, such as marigolds, will flower successfully, but later into fall if sown directly into the garden.
Browse your favorites in the Welcome Center & Curiosity Shop, open Mondays ~ Saturdays, 10am to 5pm. Seed packets are $3 each. We can’t wait to see what you grow.
