Sowing seeds with my beautiful cat

It is time for a new post featuring my beautiful black cat, Remus Nautilus. He will be helping with sowing seeds or hindering perhaps. We shall see.

One of his earlier posts is below, if you have not met him or need a recap on his gardening exploits.

The beautiful black cat who gardens for England

He has not been featured recently, as he has been jolly poorly. Unfortunately, he became ill, lost weight and became lethargic. After a speedy trip to the vets, he had some tests. The results of which, were an overactive thyroid.

The upshot is that he has to have regular blood tests and two pink tablets every day, forever.

You can imagine how pleased he is with my sneaky operation pinkie manoeuvres morning and afternoon.

Since regaining weight and some energy, he seemed ok. However, he then became seriously ill. Resulting in more tests and a stay overnight with the vets.

How horrible it was, awaiting news, and not having him with me in the garden. Remus Naught has always been involved in sowing seeds, weeding, deadheading, lawn mowing, and all the usual fun gardening pastimes. Clearly, a fabulous companion in the garden, who was sorely missed.

I am thrilled to say that he has now fully recovered and is champing at the bit to help with some seed sowing. And, to feature in a new blog post of course.

Sowing seeds with a black cat

Our first task is to decide which seeds to sow. Naturally, I have plenty of them. Around six hundred packets of seeds, ok, make that about nine hundred or possibly more.

I think Remus Naught would like to sow those fabulous zinnia’s now. A new one for us this year, called Queeny Lime Red. Blooms that are red and lime, with a magenta centre. Wow, what a stunner she will be.

Of course, it is a little early to be sowing zinnias. So, we will try to wait until March to sow these ones. I am not known for my patience, so we will see how long I can hold out.

However, the antirrhinum Royal Bride is one to sow now. Naturally, Remus Naught had to sit on top of the tray of seed compost before the seeds were sown. Clearly, checking the temperature and moisture content of the growing medium. Well, that might have been his excuse.

Actually, he can be as naughty as he pleases these days, and he knows it. He still holds up his front leg, with the shaved area, necessary for an IV drip, to remind me of his recent trauma.

Remus Nautilus, wave that paw in the direction of the tomato seeds. We need to get sowing those fairly pronto too.

Sowing seeds, fantastic echinacea

Next, we have the fabulous echinacea (Coneflower), Pink Parasol. I must admit that I do not have much luck with growing them from seed. However, I shall not be beaten!

Surely, with the help of Remus Naught, these will grow into fantastic plants to wow in my flower borders. In addition, providing nectar and pollen for the pollinators.

And as an added bonus, they also have a beautiful scent.

Although, to ensure I will have some echinacea flowers this year, I have a back up plan. I have ordered some plants. Oooh breaking news, they have just been delivered.

Here is the link, if you also fancy some beautiful echinacea plants. Mine are a variety called Magnus and they came from J Parkers. In addition to Magnus, they have several other beautiful varieties. Clearly, my garden will now need Skipper Orange and Purpurea Green Twister too.

Do check out the beautiful options below, as it is not too late to order some plants. The link can be used for seeds too. And, you can never have too many of those can you?

Please click here for J Parkers echinacea options

Fabulous cosmos

My next seed sowing with Remus Naught just had to be cosmos. I suspect that over the next few weeks, over thirty varieties will be sown. How I love sowing seeds.

My first one just had to be Gloria. I sowed her last year on the first of February. By April, fabulously colourful Gloria was blooming away merrily.

Subsequently, she was planted out, in pots in the garden, and continued to flower for months. Finally finishing her blooming in late November.

As you can see above, she is a strident magenta pink, and the bees are always thrilled with her. I planted into pots, so that if the temperature dropped towards freezing, I could scoop them up into Favolosa for the night. Thankfully, I did not need to do this.

I then sowed a beautiful white cosmos called Double Click Snow Puff. Next will be the stunning dark carmine coloured Dazzler and Rubenza.

I then have the excitement of sowing the other twenty six varieties. And, exciting it jolly well is. I may well wait until March to sow the rest, as this is the best time to start sowing cosmos. Did I mention, I am impatient? Well, there is the proof.

I am thankful that I have a beautiful greenhouse to use, as I doubt I could wait to direct sow outside in May.

Now, did I mention my plans, last year, to get more colourful in the garden.

Well, here is one flower border, bursting with the colourful results.

Seed sowing results

I have chosen this photo from last year, as Remus Naught was present. Clearly, you cannot see him, but I promise he was in there.

In addition to the delightful buzzing of the bees, another sound could be heard. I could detect a gentle snoring sound, coming from the masses of blooms.

Remus Naught had slunk into the border earlier and had not emerged again. Perhaps he fainted at the amount of colour in the flower border.

I must admit, the clashing colours, when the poppies turned out to be red, had me reaching for my sunglasses, and raised by eyebrows a little.

However, I had promised myself, that the garden would be more colourful. Goodness, that flower border did have plenty of colour.

In addition, the flowers all provided nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

Furthermore, they were all sown in Favolosa or sowed directly into the border. A great colourful result for some simple seed sowing.

Dreaming of sowing seeds

I could not resist a photo or twenty of Remus Naught having a snooze in Favolosa. He was tired after all that seed sowing excitement. Naturally, he has his own space on the greenhouse staging with a cosy mat to snooze on.

He now sleeps with his leg across his whiskers, to show off his, shaved for IV fluids and drugs, furry arm. Lest I forget, no doubt. And, clearly, I need no reminders of the trauma or the need to provide plenty of extra treats.

I imagine him dreaming of sowing seeds as his whiskers and feet twitch. But, in reality, it is more likely he dreams of chasing squirrels up the conker tree or stalking rats.

My tulips appear to be providing a snack for a couple of pesky rats at present. Remus Nautilus to the rescue, now he has recovered and is fighting fit again.

Chase them out of the garden and into the fields beautiful Remus Naught. I will be jolly grateful indeed.

I shall remind him of his duties, once he has had a well deserved snooze. Seed sowing is clearly very tiring work for a beautiful cat.

I hope you have enjoyed this Remus Nautilus, seed sowing post. And I hope you will join my next time, when the lovely Cosmos Queen will be making a welcome return, with an update on her garden plans.

This blog is an affiliate for J Parkers. If you click on the echinacea link above, and make a purchase I may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you.

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