Invest some seed money
NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE PLANTING PLANS FOR 2023... AND GROWING FROM SCRATCH COULD SAVE YOU CASH LATER
AS a new year begins, our thoughts can turn to planning this year’s garden.
Growing flowers from seed is one of the most satisfying gardening jobs there is and a huge amount can be achieved in the quest for creating flower-filled gardens by taking an interest in propagating.
One of the best parts of this process is browsing seed catalogues, whether in print or online, or checking out what’s available in the garden centres.
I love to have a rummage around to see what’s new and what’s hot this year. Unwins Seeds from Marshalls has a great range of sizzling orange flowers that would warm you up by just looking at them.
For example, Cosmos ‘Brightness Orange’ is a zesty compact cosmos that will brighten up containers in summer. Sow indoors from February/march, scattering seeds thinly and covering with a thin layer of compost or vermiculite. Water with a fine rose and place in a propagator or warm place of 18 to 25 degrees with a covering of cling film.
Continue the warm glow into late summer and early autumn with Rudbeckia ‘Autumn Colours’, a lovely mix of golden flowers flushed with copper, orange and bronze (marshallsgarden.com). Chiltern Seeds always has something unusual to tempt. There’s a gorgeous sweet pea by the name of ‘Mrs Bernard Jones’ which has scented shell pink blooms and will fill your vases during the summer. These can be sown any time from autumn through to spring indoors, or outdoors in situ in May. Dahlia merckii is quite hardy in parts of the UK and will not only keep pushing out its beautiful single lavender flowers until very late autumn but will surprise you by returning the following year (chilternseeds.co.uk).
Petunias are the staple of hanging baskets the length and breadth of the land as they provide a long-lasting display. Dobies has some good new varieties for you to test.
Petunia ‘Superbissima’ lives up to its name boasting huge flowers from 10-15cm wide with attractive frilly petals in bright purples, white and pink with dark centres. The flowers don’t produce seed so won’t need deadheading.
‘Aphrodite’ has wavy flowers in white, pink and salmon which will be free flowering all summer long. Sow indoors from February to April (dobies.co.uk).
Seeds purchased or acquired free of charge through newspaper offers or attached to magazines have the ability to create gorgeous displays across the summer. Think of marigolds, poppies and nasturtiums.
All of them are in packets waiting to sprout. Of course, they need a little bit of knowledge, care and attention. Don’t be lured into sending them outdoors before frosts have gone.
Also, have an eye on developing your garden long term with some propagation via cuttings of trees and shrubs. It is possible to grow a garden from scratch while spending a minimum amount of cash.
Happy New Year everyone!