What can I sow now to flower this year?

[veggiechicken]

I know it's too late to sow cosmos and nicotianas, that's why I was thinking of buying plants from the garden centre. .

I haven't sown any yet but I will be.

[Mitzi]

I haven't sown any yet but I will be.

You probably have a longer growing season than I do.

[Mitzi]

Popped into Morrisons this lunchtime. No MFBs but I had a look for Zinnia seeds. They didn't have any but these nasturtiums caught my eye: https://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/Flo...erry-Rose.html

Do you think they'll really be that pink? There was some kind of offer on (I've got 4 packets for £5) so I got some. It does say on the packet "Do not feed nasturtiums as this will encourage leafy growth rather than flowers. They do well on poor, hungry soils." That's what I thought about nasturtiums, so I might try some in my hanging baskets as well as the flower bed.

[farendwoman]

Just had a thought - morning glory is quite quick to flower from seed. Maybe start in a pot indoors ( inside a plastic bag to get it going quick) and put outside somewhere sheltered as soon as they've germinated.

Yes I love morning glory - especially “Heavenly Blue”.i made the mistake last year of growing it up the outside of my fruit cage ( good screen I thought!) but it crept through and strangled all my raspberries and wrestled them to the ground!
Lovely plant but not on a fruit cage!

[farendwoman]

I haven't sown any yet but I will be.

Yep - so will I

[Mitzi]

Just thought I would update Scarlet on the fate of the seedlings she so kindly sent me. Unfortunately the persistent wet weather in May and June meant that slugs ran rampant. They completely destroyed the zinnias and only one of the chard seedlings survived. That was later ravaged by leaf miners of some sort so it hasn't looked particularly good and I haven't had any sort of crop.



The dahlias were extremely slow to get going but one is just starting to flower. It's a vibrant pink which goes extremely well with the bright pink phlox in the same bed (the phlox that I was told is white.) I know these "Bishops Children" can be all sorts of colours but the pink is perfect. Still waiting to see what the other one is.



Shoo-fly plant was also a bit slow to get going but is doing well now. I know some people regard it as a weed but I quite like it. Wouldn't want the whole garden full of it, mind.



Finally the cosmos have started flowering now and, again, the pink colour fits well with the rest of the bed (except the yellow sunflower.) You can see my black cornflowers and the nigella "African Bride" and evening primrose "Wedding Bells" just starting to flower too. Those were all direct (broadcast) sown at Easter i.e. late April. We then had a seriously cold May and first half of June so they are a bit later than I expected but they are just starting to come good now.



Thanks again Scarlet for the seedlings.

[Scarlet]

I always grow shoo fly plants! I think the flowers are fab and they look unusual.

The bishops children were fabulous for me. The colours were amazing and they are perfect for picking.....these are in a little bud vase by my coffee spot today



Cerise pinks, rosey red, peachy oranges and purple pinks. A must grow flower I think

[SarrissUK]

How lovely they all look!