From the Worktable: Not Everything Reads the Instructions

The rudbeckia have come up without fuss. They usually do. Reliable little things.

The cynoglossum… less so. I surface sowed them without thinking too much about it.

Turns out they’re meant to need darkness to germinate. Mine clearly didn’t get the memo. Up they came anyway, bold as anything.

Unlike the phlox, sitting in the dark and not so much as a green dot.

You do try and follow it at the start, of course you do. Packet in hand, doing as you’re told. Then something ignores all of that and gets on with it regardless, and you’re left wondering what exactly you were worrying about.