Cockscomb flowers are easy to grow and save seeds from. In this video I visited with a neighbor of mine who demonstrates how she saves seeds from the cockscomb flowers in her garden. You can also see the photo tutorial how to save cockscomb seeds for pictures and more information on growing cockscomb flowers.
Cypress Vine is one of my favorite climbing annual flowers. They're easy to collect seeds from and start from seed and grow quickly to cover a trellis, arbor or fence in the garden. On my other gardening blog I wrote an entry on when I Collect Cypress Vine Seeds that you should read if you're looking for information on when the seed pods are ready to collect seeds from.
Ripe Cypress Vine seeds are on the small side but the seeds when ripe are a black color, lighter colored seeds may still germinate so don't discard them based on color. In warmer zones Cypress Vine may readily reseed and I've had it reseed here in my Zone 5 garden. If you're going to sow these seeds they benefit from being scarified and soaked in warm water for 24 hours prior to sowing to aid the germination rates.
What's the difference between Cypress Vine and Cardinal Climber? See the post on Cardinal Climber vine. In the past I've grown a pink and white blooming Cypress Vine.
These columbine seeds and seed pods were harvested from a dark columbine one of mine. Before the heads dry out they are rather tacky and seeds will stick to the outside of the seed pod. Because of this I recommend snipping off the whole pod and placing it one a piece of newspaper or a paper plate to allow them to dry out. Otherwise you may find yourself picking off columbine seeds from your seed pods.
On my main gardening blog I created a post that describes what I look for in a Cleome seed pod to know when it is time to harvest seeds. If you haven't collected seeds from Cleomes before read When I collect Cleome Seeds.
Cleome seeds are small and dark in color. The first time I examined the seeds I couldn't help but notice how they resemble a coma and the mottled texture that covers them. Unripe seeds are white or off yellow in color-I'm not sure how much the color affects seed germination. When I've come across a light colored seed I've just discarded them and haven't tried to germinate them.
If you look at the image above you may notice that the color of the seed pod is still green while the seeds are ripe. Don't rely on a change in color or dryness in the seed pod to let you know when they're ready to collect.
Zinnias are popular garden plants that are either considered annuals or perennials in some areas. I collected these seeds after sowing Zinnia 'Green Envy' last year. Once the flower dried completely I crumbled the seed head in my hand and separated the abundant chaff and kept the seeds which are brown and stiff. Sow the seeds about 1-2 inches apart covered lightly with soil and keep moist.
Mirabilis jalapa better known by their common name Four O' Clocks are popular garden plants because they tolerate heat and low water pretty well. They get their common name from the fact that their flowers open later in the evening and last until the early morning. Four O' Clocks make great border plants and flower in full sun but will also perform well in deep shade. To me the ripe Four O' Clock seeds resemble black hand grenades and need to be nicked and soaked prior to sowing in the garden.
If you're looking for more information on growing this plant in your garden use the search box in the sidebar labeled "Google For Gardeners" which will give you non-retail results that focus on cultivation.
Black-Eyed Susan Vine is a popular vine that is often treated as an annual. I purchased these Black-Eyed Susan Vine seeds add a garden center last year and had excellent germination results when I soaked them in hot water prior to sowing. It climbed up a small trellis I built from bamboo sticks and was soon looking for more room to grow on. Search Google For Gardeners if you're looking for information on sowing and growing this vine in your garden.
This Scarlet Runner Bean seed is from a popular garden annual vine and get their name from the bright red flowers but they can also be white. The green pods on the vine are edible but should be eaten when younger as the pod gets fibrous. If you're looking for information on growing this in your garden or germinating this seed search Google For Gardeners and get relevant gardening results on Google.
About a year a go I got a number of seeds in a trade with another gardener that I didn't sow. Among them were Castor seeds. I really like the exotic markings of these seeds and even though I'll probably never sow it I keep them around for the photogenic quality.
"The Castor Bean is a shrub-like herb with large, long-stemmed leaves that are lobed like fingers. Its spiny, clustered seed pods contain white, bean-like seeds (Botanically speaking, it isn't a true bean, but a Spurge), which typically bear attractive markings in various colours. The plant is native to tropical Africa, but it is grown commercially in California and has become naturalized throughout the southern United States. In Nova Scotia, it is often cultivated, in the warmer months, as an ornamental annual in gardens, providing local gardeners with a castor of thousands.... " Source: Castor Bean
If you're looking for information on germinating these seeds and growing this plant search Google For Gardeners.
Gloriosa lily