Feeling behind in a season already filled with blooming plants, I stepped back to reconsider timing, pressure, and what it means to grow a garden at its own pace rather than the pace of the marketplace.

Late winter can feel endless. Growing blue larkspur offers a way to move the garden forward — even while beds are still being built and spring feels just out of reach. Follow my first season growing larkspur from seed, from cold stratification and soil blocks to the lessons learned along the way.