Flower Growing Guides

  SUNFLOWERS I sow in pots and then plant out when ready but you can sow directly where they are to flower. Sowing anytime from May-July. Sow 15mm deep into finely prepared soil which has be raked to a fine tilth. Sow 2 seeds together every 45cm. Seedlings appear...

Sweet Pea  Dwarf Grandiflora Hardy Annual A sweet pea perfect for pots with a trailing but compact habit. Sow undercover or direct in deep modules or individual pots filled with compost, from Feb - March or August to October, to get a head start the following spring. ...

 ‘Giant Dahlia’ Mix.  Half Hardy Annual A stunning collection of the most gorgeous 'Dahlia-like' Zinnias, perfect for cutting. A heady mix of hot yellow, orange pink and red. So easy to grow, I like to plant these at the end of my vegetables for some colour and to...

  Half Hardy Annual Commonly known as Marigold. A prolific show of daisy-like flowers all through the summer. Perfect in pots or grow alongside your vegetables. Sow undercover or direct in modules or seed trays filled with compost, 21-24 degrees is best for...

Sweet Pea  Lathyrus odoratus Strawberry Sundae Hardy Annual A highly fragranced heritage mix Strawberry Sundae in pastel rose pinks and white. Height approx 2m. Can also be grown in a large container with perhaps trellis or an obelisk. Tie in the plant as it grows and...

‘Pink Pirouette’ Hardy Annual Also known as ‘Catchfly’  or ‘ Campion’ with a daisy like flower and perfect for little terracotta pots, its a trailing variety so will just flow over the egdes like a floral waterfall.  Sow undercover or direct in modules or seed trays...

'Miss Jeykll' Hardy Annual Also known as ‘Love in a Mist’. A pale blue double flowered Nigella, lovely soft blue, perfect for pollinators. Height 60cm.  Sow undercover or direct in modules or seed trays filled with compost, from Feb - April or for later sowings sow...

Nicotiana 'Lime Green' Half hardy Annual   Also known as ‘The Tobacco Plant’. This lime green scented Nicotiana is great for mixing in with other colours. In my garden it flowers quite late on, generally its flowering season is July to October. 45-60cm height. It...

'Princess Of India' Hardy Annual   A compact variety of nasturtium with hot red flowers. Great for pots and smaller gardens. Leaves and flowers are edible  so make a lovely addition to salads, they are quite peppery.  Sow undercover or direct in modules or seed...

Half Hardy Annual   Also known as a snapdragon. Compact and easy to grow so perfect for containers and smaller greens, Nemesia Carnival is a mix of reds, oranges and yellows with a bit of white thrown in for contrast. Height 25cm. I love growing Nemesia in...

Hardy Annual Also known as Meadow Foam or The Poached Egg Plant. Daisy-like flowers with a large yellow centre, adored by Hoverflies. I like to save a section of the garden and plant a cluster of these as they are quite low spreading. They are also great for pots....

Hardy Annual  Gorgeous as a cut flower and lovely in the border it acts as a soft filler in between other plantings. Also makes a lovely container plant. Height 30cm. Sow undercover in trays or modules in spring or autumn.   Plant out after frost risk has passed with...

'Spanish Dancer' Annual   Sow: Sow undercover or direct in modules or seed trays filled with compost, from Feb - April.Can also be sown direct in Spring.  Plant outdoors after frosts. Full sun, any soil. Flowers June to September.

Perennial    Sow: I treat this one as an annual, and grow it every year although it is actually a perennial. For best results and for strong plants, sow in autumn under cover in seed trays or modules filled with compost, or direct into the garden spacing at 30cm....

Half Hardy Annual Sow undercover or direct in Spring. Grow seedlings on in individual pots or modules until large enough to plant out. Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 7-10 days before transplanting into the garden after all risk of frost has passed. 

'Blue Ball' Hardy Annual   Sow undercover or direct in modules or seed trays filled with compost, from Feb - April or for later sowings sow August to October. Can also be sown direct in spring.  Plant outdoors after frosts. Full sun, any soil, although preference...

Half Hardy Annual    Sow undercover in Spring or Autumn for flowering the following year. Into modules, pots or direct. Soak seeds first for 24 hours. Plant: full sun, will tolerate some shade, neutral soil, spacing at 30cm.

With it’s lacy white flowers it’s a soft delicate umbellifer which resembles a more delicate cow parsley and is gorgeous as a cut flower and loved by the bees too. Sow seed under cover from February ( can also be sown late September for the following year) into...

Perennial   Sow: undercover with warmth (greenhouse, propagator, inside house) 24-27 degrees,  in February/March, or sow in Autumn, in seed trays or modules, don’t the seed but sow on the surface, they need light to germinate. Plant out into their final flowering...

Perennial   Sow: undercover with warmth (greenhouse, propagator, inside house) in February/March, or sow in Autumn, in seed trays or modules, cover lightly with compost and keep moist. Pot on into 3inch pots when large enough to handle. Plant: Plant out into...

'Marmalade' , 'Rustic Dwarf' Perennial   Sow: undercover with warmth (greenhouse, propagator, inside house) in February/March, or sow in Autumn, in seed trays or modules, don’t cover the seed but sow on the surface, they need light to germinate and keep them...

Sow: undercover with warmth (greenhouse, propagator, inside house) in February/March, or sow in Autumn, in seed trays or modules, cover lightly with compost and keep moist. Pot on into 3inch pots. Plant out into their final flowering position once they have outgrown...

'Mussini' Hardy Perennial Sow: undercover with warmth (greenhouse, propagator, inside house) in February/March, or sow in Autumn, in seed trays or modules, cover lightly with compost and keep moist. Pot on into 3 inch pots. Plant out into their final flowering...

'The Govenor' Perennial  Sow : Soak the seeds overnight first. Sow the seeds on the surface of lightly firmed, moist seed compost in pots, modules or seed trays. Cover seed with only a light sprinkling of compost. Water only from the base as seedlings can be prone to...

'Pink Jewel' Perennial   Sow: The seed can be a little tricky to germinate so be patient! Sow undercover from January to May,  or in Autumn, into seed trays or modules, cover these seeds lightly with compost. Pot on into 3inch pots, Plant out into their final...

Erigeron Karvinskinos 'Profusion' Hardy Perennial   Sow: The seed can be a little tricky to germinate so be patient! Sow undercover from January to May,  or in Autumn, into seed trays or modules, cover these seeds lightly with compost. Pot on into 3inch pots,...

'Cafe Creme' Perennial  Sow undercover from January to May,  or in Autumn, into seed trays or modules, but sow these seeds on the surface of compost, don’t cover them as they need light to germinate, will flower in the second year. Pot on into 3inch pots, plant...

'Cloth of Gold'  Perennial   Sow the seeds on the surface of lightly firmed, moist seed compost in pots or trays. Cover seed with only a light sprinkling of compost. Germination 5 to 10 days at at 15 to 20°C.  Prick out each seedling once it has its first set of...