38 38 27 February 2021 | The Guardian Weekend27 February 2021 | The Guardian WeekendLate summer
From left: Eschscholzia
californica; Cosmos
bipinnatusSummer fl owers from seed
Alongside planting spring pots,
now is the time to sow hardy annual
fl owers from seed. Very small
seeds should be sprinkled on to
moistened, lightly fi rmed compost
in an open seed tray; for those
slightly larger, sow individually
into a multi-cell module tray, and
cover with a thin layer of compost.
I tend to sow two per cell to double
germination chances, removing one
seedling if both are successful. Once
true leaves have sprouted (fi rst to
emerge will be the cotyledons which
are part of the seed embryo), prise
transplant into separate 9cm pots ,
fi rst preparing a hole in the fi rmed
compost with a pencil. Place pots
somewhere light, a little cooler and
protected from frost. Water every so
often to avoid compost drying out.
Plant out into a sunny spot after the
last frost. For seeds, t ry sarahraven.
com or chilternseeds.co.uk.Early-summer fl owers The pot
marigold ( Calendula offi cinalis ) is
easy to grow from seed. Try modern
varieties , from showy singles such
as ‘Indian Prince ’ to fl uff y semi-
doubles ‘Sunset Buff ’ , ‘Orange Flash’
or the apricot mix ‘ Cant aloupe ’- just deadhead spent blooms to
prolong fl owering, and water roots
well in the hotter weeks. Similarly
dependable are nasturtiums,
making long-lasting edging plants
for containers, trailing edible
in nurseries. I prefer the darker
burgundy varieties (e g ‘Blood Red
Covent Garden’ ), though E. ‘Ivory
White’ has a decidedly sunny appeal.
For something less conventional
yet every bit as striking, try the
mysterious woodlander Uvularia
grandifl ora. There’s also a paler
option ( ‘var. pallida’ ) if yellow isn’t
your thing. Tulips will be coming into
their stride now and more than likely
pitching up on bargain racks. Opt for
soft apricots and velvet maroons.
That’s the height, now the low-
growers. Spring isn’t spring without
the froth of forget-me-nots ( Myosotis
spp. ). Ask around – it’s likely you’ll
know someone whose garden is
overrun with these prolifi c self-
seeders and is happy to part with a
clump ; an alternative is Omphalodes
‘Cherry Ingram’. Then there are
the ground-cover lungworts
(Pulmonaria spp. ): ‘Sissinghurst
White’ for polka-dot leaves, ‘ Blue
Ensign ’ for a richer azure. Primroses,
in my opinion, belong in the
hedgerow; cowslip ( Primula veris ),
however (its cousin from the fi eld )
adds a touch of the feral to April pots.May While the British mark May Day
with hawthorn blossom, the French,
ever refi ned, exchange perfumed
stems of muguet (lily of the valley),
great for a well-watered container,
along with its cousin, Solomon’s
seal ( Polygonatum × hybridum).
Sweet rocket ( Hesperis matronalis )
and perennial stock ( Matthiola
incana ) will deliver showers of
white through lilac, enhanced by the
acid-green of Euphorbia oblongata
( sarahraven.com ).
Geums have risen to spring stardom
since dominating the Chelsea fl ower
show some years ago. Pastel cultivars
such as ‘Pink Petticoats’ or ‘Totally
Tangerine’ are attractively light
and long-lasting fl owers. Similarly
“naturalistic ” in poise are the intricate
petals of aquilegia. A. ‘Munstead
White’ or A. chrysantha ‘Yellow
Queen’ are as appealingly lively as
complex stellata doubles like ‘Nora
Barlow’ and ‘Ruby Port’. Again, a
good foliage plant helps enliven the
fl owers above. Add the deadnettle
Lamium maculatum ‘White Nancy’
not only for its silver splashed
leaves, but the bonus fl urry of white
hooded fl owers. Replace with stout
ornamental grass Festuca glauca for
pots in a sunnier position.Contain yourself: a guide to planting
spring pots
Any style pot will work as long
as it can accommodate multiple
plants, is at least 20cm deep, and
can be securely fastened, if needed.
Place where they’ll receive direct
sunlight for a good few hours
but not get overly baked, and
add broken crockery or 2.5cm of
horticultural grit in the bottom
for drainage. Fill with container
compost ; alternatively use peat-free
multipurpose compost and add a
handful of woodchip, homemade
compost, coir fi bre or garden soil.
When planting , leave a lip of about
2.5cm at the top, providing room for
a layer of protective mulch – grit or
woodchip work best.
These pots can be planted in one
go or as and when plants become
available. Where feasible, however,
plant in multiples ( three is just the
right crowd) or in repetition, if using
a narrow window planter. In the
summer months the plants can be
transferred to a garden border, or
the pot cut back and moved into
semi-shade to rest. Allow bulbs to
die back naturally before snipping
away foliage.fl owers and foliage throughout
summer. Drop the large peppercorn
seeds into prepared pencil holes
15-20cm apart around the container
edge in April, cover and water.
Love-in-a- mist (Nigella spp.) is
a great annual for sowing directly
into the ground in April, or indoors
in March : try the deep purple N.
hispanica o r tantalising white N.
damascena ‘Miss Jekyll Alba’ , which
will grow to 40-50cm. Taller still is
that stalwart of the European fl ower
meadow, the cornfl ower ( Centaurea
cyanus ). ‘Blue Boy’ delivers the
classic azure look, although cultivars
range through deep maroon to
white. Lastly, add sweet peas
(Lathyrus odoratus). All-round
reliables include the frilly pink
‘Anniversary’, brooding ‘Blue Velvet’
and sophisticated ‘Matucana’. Tie
together a supportive pyramid frame
of tall branching twigs for seedlings
to climb ; regularly cutting fl owers
for the vase will encourage more
to follow.Late-summer fl owers The tobacco
plant (Nicotiana alata) is a fantastic
annual for providing mid- to late-
season fl owers – little “trumpet”
stars held lightly on elegant stems.
‘Lime Green’ and ‘Crimson Bedder’
are a complementary combo and
remain manageably compact. The
large daisy Cosmos bipinnatus is
another tall summer annual with
stouter varieties to choose from,
including ‘White Popsocks’ and
creamy yellow ‘Xanthos’. Pinch
out the growing tips early on to
stimulate bushy growth.
Eschscholzia californica (the
California poppy ) is a winner,
blazing luminous orange through
summer and beyond. These can
be sown directly into the pot in
April or into modules indoors,
planting out carefully after the
last frosts. Ornamental grasses,
too, have a long season of interest.
Panicum elegans ‘Sprinkles’ stands
tall, while bunny’s tail ( Lagurus
ovatus ) is compact and irresistibly
fl uff y. Finally, Dahlia variabilis
‘Bishop’s Children’ is a brilliant
mix of single-fl owering dahlias
(reds, pinks and oranges) dispelling
the misapprehension that dahlias
must be grown from tubers.
Blooms begin in August and can
continue through to fi rst frosts if
THIS PAGE AND PREVIOUS PAGES: ALAMY; GETTY; SHUTTERSTOCK; VIRGINIA GREY/GAP; JASON INGRAM/GAP; TERRACINI TERRACOTTA TROUGH: HER repeatedly deadheaded
ITAGEGARDENS.CO.UK
Late summer
Fromleft: Eschscholzia
californica; Cosmos
bipinnatusdependable are nasturtiums,
making long-lasting edging plants
s ) for containers, trailing ediblethe
aom
wer
vars
yy
catelarg
ano
sto
inc
cre
out
stim
E
Cal
bla
sum
be s
Apr
pla
lastWWeekeekendendics
rahe
le
cyhit
out
fort frosts.
o, have a
nicum e
l, while
atus ) is c
ff y. Fina
shop’s C
x of sing
ds, pink
e misapp
ust be gr
Blooms be
continue t
repeatedlylast
too
Pan
tall
ova
fl uff
‘Bis
mix
(red
the
mucateaey’te