An excellent cut flower as well as a great garden subject. During autumn, late winter and early spring direct sow seeds 1/2 cm deep or sprinkle seeds on the garden and keep moist until they germinate.
The yellow flowers stand proud above dark green ferny foliage on 50cm tall stems. The seed heads are ornamental and dry well for dried flower arrangements. Sow seed 1/2cm deep in situ during late winter and spring. Will self sow.
This annual fills empty spots in the garden 200cm tall stems clothed in large handsome leaves carry, from mid-summer onwards, large clusters of pure white narrowly tubular flowers, flared at the end. Read more about Night Scented Tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris)
A very good colour range with masses of medium sized flowers with an upright and compact habit Days to Germinate: 14-21. Iceland poppies are easily grown in any sunny garden bed. Read more about Papaver nudicaule ‘Ballerina Mixture’
A tried and true garden strain with all the colours, white, pink, lemon, red, yellow each as beautiful as the next. Easily grown in any sunny garden bed. Broadcast seeds in situ during late autumn and winter for flowering from late winter until early summer. Read more about Papaver nudicaule ‘Excelsior’
A wonderful new imported mix of semi-double and double mix of picotees and bicolours, rose, salmon to coral. These poppies germinate very easily but they must be surface planted and kept moist for at least 14 days for success.
This is the strain that the Welsh artist Cedric Morris developed in his Suffolk garden ‘Benton End’. A mixture of soft smoky colours, grey, lilac, mauve, pink, soft orange and white. Many of the poppies are flecked and there are some picotees. Read more about Papaver rhoeas ‘Mother of Pearl’
Another fully double but with soft lavender mauve double flowers with fine petals. Sow seed 3mm deep or just sprinkle the seed straight into the garden. Height 90cm spacing 30cm.
Huge bright double pink blooms that last and last. Plant by sprinkling on the surface and keep moist every day and do not cover seed. Best planted from May to July.
The simple classic mauve single that can be hard to come by in these days of extravagent doubles. Plant by sprinkling on the surface and keep moist every day and do not cover seed. Best planted from May to July.
One of the most exciting of all peony poppies carrying bright red single flowers each with a white central cross. Flowers are held on 100cm tall stems. Sow seed in situ from autumn until late winter.
Peony Poppy ‘Double Mauve’ is a soft mauve pink with generous double blooms. Plant by sprinkling on the surface and keep moist every day and do not cover seed. Best planted from May to July.
Peony Poppy ‘Double Red’ This is a fully double red flowered strain. Tall plants to 1 metre with flowers that hold for weeks in October and November - longer if assiduously deadheaded.
Winner of the Royal Horticultural Society’s prestigious Award Of Garden Merit ‘Silver Cup’ has large hibiscus-like flowers, pink with a silver sheen. A strong compact plant growing some 60cm tall by 40cm across. Direct sow seed in a sunny garden bed in spring. Read more about Rose Mallow ‘Silver Cup’ (Lavatera trimestris)
‘Marmalade’ is a dwarf growing strain suited to pot culture or a spot at the front of a garden bed. Warm orange-yellow flowers are produced on 40cm tall stems from early summer until late autumn. Space 30cm apart.
Marvellous both as a garden bedding plant and also as a cut flower, both fresh and dried, this strain copes with hot weather, even humid, and poor soils. Sow in seed trays in early spring for planting out after the last frosts. Read more about Salvia farinacea 'Victoria Blue'
Marvellous both as a garden bedding plant and also as a cut flower, both fresh and dried, this strain copes with hot weather, even humid, and poor soils. Sow in seed trays in early spring for planting out after the last frosts. Read more about Salvia farinacea 'Victoria White'
It's the bracts which makes this annual Salvia so showy. Easily grown and vigorous it will soon make a 50cm tall by 40cm wide plant covered in blue, pink and white flowers during summer and autumn. Sow seeds in situ or in pots during spring and plant out when big enough. Read more about Salvia horminum Mixed
