Guest Author - Hellie T.

What type of seeds do you have?

By looking on the packet you will see if your seeds are annuals or perennials and if they are hardy or not.

Hardy annuals - these can be sown outside where they are to flower in the autumn.

Half-hardy annuals – You can sow these outside when you are sure there is no danger of any more frost, or under cover in the autumn and plant out when it is frost free.

Remember if you grow your seedlings indoors or in a greenhouse you will need to harden them off. This means they to get used to the outside weather and conditions. To do this you put them outside for longer periods each day until they are finally strong enough to be able to stay outside all the time.

Hardy perennials – these seeds are easy to deal with because they can be sown in any season. Some may need stratification – meaning they need to be in the ground throughout the winter as the cold and wet will prompt them to grow in the spring - so they should be sown outside in the autumn.

Half-hardy perennials These seeds can be sown in heat/indoors at any time of year.


Month by Month guide for sowing seeds

January

Ageratum , Anchusa , Antirrhinum , Aster , Buddleia, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Cosmos, Delphiniums, Dianthus, Godetia, Hypericum, Linaria, Lobelia, Marigold, Nasturtium, Nemesia, Pansy, Penstemon, Phlox, Salvia, Sedum, Statice, Night scented Stock, Verbena, Viola.

February

Ageratum, Antirrhinum, Aster, Buddleia, Canterbury Bells, Carnation, Cornflowers, Cosmos, Delphinium, Dianthus, Gypsophila, Linaria, Lobelia, Marigold, Nasturtium, Nemesia, Nicotiana, Pansy, Papaver, Penstemon, Phlox, Salvia, Sedum, Statice, Thyme, Verbena, Viola odorata

March

Achillea, Agastache, Ageratum, Alyssum, Anchusa, Anemone, Anthemis, Antirrhinum, Aquilegia, Armeria, Aster, Astrantia, Aubrieta, Bergenia, Buddleia, Campanula, Carnation, Cornflowers, Chrysanthemum, Cosmos, Delphinium, Dianthus, Dicentra, Foxgloves, Hardy Geraniums, Geum, Gypsophila, Heuchera, Kniphofia,Lady's mantle, Lavender, Lilium, Linaria, Lobelia, Marigold, Meconopsis, Nasturtium, Nemesia, Nicotiana, Pansy, Papaver, Penstemon, Phlox, Potentilla, Pulsatilla, Salvia, Santolina, Saponaria, Saxifraga, Scabiosa, Sedum, Sidalcea, Statice, Sweet Pea, Sweet William, Thalictrum, Thymes, Verbena, Veronica.

April

Achillea ,Ageratum, Alchemilla Mollis(Lady's mantle), Alyssum, Anchusa, Anemone, Anthemis, Antirrhinum, Aquilegia, Arabis, Armeria, Aster, Astrantia, Aubrieta, Bellis, Bergenia, Broom, Buddleia, Candytuft, Canterbury Bells, Carnations, Cornflowers, Chrysanthemums, Cosmos, Delphinium, Dianthus, Dicentra, Foxgloves, Freesia, Hardy Geraniums, Geum, Godetia, Gypsophila, Heuchera, Kniphofia, Lavender, Lilium, Lobelia, Marigold, Meconopsis, Nasturtium, Nepeta, Nicotiana, Papaver, Phlox, Potentilla, Pulsatilla, Salvia, Santolina, Saponaria, Saxifraga, Scabiosa, Sedum, Sidalcea, Statice, Sweet Peas, Thalictrum, Thymes, Verbena, Veronica, Viola.

May

Achillea, Ageratum, Alchemilla Mollis, Alstroemeria, Anchusa, Anemone, Anthemis, Antirrhinum, Aquilegia, Arabis, Armeria, Aster, Astrantia, Aubrieta, Bellis, Bergenia, Buddleia, Canterbury Bells, Candytuft, Catmint, Chrysanthemum, Cosmos, Delphinium, Dianthus, Dicentra, Foxgloves, Freesia, Gypsophila, Helichrysum, Heuchera, Hollyhock, Lavender, Lilium, Nasturtium, , Papaver, Phlox, Physalis, Potentilla, Primula/ Primrose, Pulsatilla, Salvia, Santolina, Saponaria, Saxifraga, Scabiosa, Sedum, Sidalcea, Sweet Peas, Sweet Williams, Thalictrum, Thymes, Veronica, Viola.

June

Achillea, Aconitum, Alchemilla mollis, Anchusa, Anthemis, Arabis, Armeria, Aster, Astrantia, Aubrieta, Bellis, Bergenia, Canterbury Bells, Candytuft, Chrysanthemum, Cowslips, Delphinium, Dianthus/Pinks, Foxgloves, Gypsophila, Helichrysum, Heuchera, Hollyhock, Kniphofia, Lavender, Lilium, Linum ,Lupin, Meconopsis, Myosotis, Nepeta, Physalis, Potentilla, Primula/Primrose, Pulsatilla, Saponaria, Saxifraga, Sidalcea, Stocks, Sweet Williams, Thalictrum, Veronica, Viola and lastly Wallflowers -sow outdoors where they are to flower.

July

Achillea, Aconitum, Anchusa, Anthemis, Arabis, Armeria, Astrantia, Aubrieta, Bellis, Bergenia, Canterbury Bells, Dianthus/Pinks, Foxgloves, Gypsophila, Helenium, Heuchera, Hollyhock, Lavender, Lilium , Linum, Lupins, Myosotis, Pansy, Papaver, Potentilla, Primula/Primrose, Pulsatilla, Saponaria, Saxifraga, Sidalcea, Stachys, Sweet Williams, Thalictrum, Verbascum.

August

Achillea, Anthemis, Arabis, Armeria, Astrantia, Aubrieta, Cyclamen, Foxgloves, Gypsophila, Helenium, Heuchera, Lavender, Lilium, Lupins, Myosotis, Pansy, Papaver,Physalis, Physostegia, Ranunculus, Saxifraga, Sidalcea, Stachys, Verbascum.

September

Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Helenium, Lupins, Pansy, Papaver, Ranunculus, Stachys, Verbascum.

October

Cyclamen, Delphinium, Dicentra, Helenium, Papaver, Ranunculus, Sweet Peas, Viola odorata.

November

Antirrhinums, Cyclamen, Delphiniums, Dicentra, Sweet Peas, Viola odorata.

December

Antirrhinum, Cyclamen, Delphinium, Dianthus, Lobelia, Viola odorata.

Enjoy your garden!