I’ve been trying to successfully grow godetia for the past few growing seasons. Though it’s technically a hardy annual, it has proved itself to be exceptionally challenging to plant here in my backyard. 
I have sown godetia, or clarkia, seeds in both the spring and the fall. Initially, I was very hopeful about overwintering it in the unheated hoophouse. As my weather would prove, these conditions were much too wet and humid. All of my clarkia seedlings died back due to mold. 
Also known as farewell to spring, I then attempted to grow this wildflower from an early spring planting. To get a jump start on the growing season, I simply started the seeds using the winter sowing method. Then, I transplanted the godetia seedlings into the garden as soon as the soil could be worked – about the first week of April here in my growing zone. 
By mid June, the plants were in bloom. This year, I planted Grace Salmon Godetia. As you can see, the flowers were such a lovely pink color. Though successful, this crop was extremely short lived. As early summer rain arrived (and dropped roughly 6 inches in three days), the plants seemed to quickly wither away into nothing. I’m not sure that I will ever grow godetia again, but I did enjoy getting to see it bloom. Do you have any growing tips that might help?
So lovely and fragile looking. I’ve never seen them before. They look like a cross between a carnation and a hollyhock!