Easy to grow summer plants

[IgglePiggle]

I'm trying to work out what to grow for next year, but I want to grow it from seeds as it tends to be cheaper. and that's my fav bit! Can anyone recommend me some long summer flowering plants? Any shape size will do lol Garden gets quite abit of sun in places, others is part shade.

Thanks in advance

[Twang20]

The ones I have enjoyed most this year that are grown from seed are Malva "Magic Hollyhock", they have been flowering for weeks now with lovely deep purple blooms. I always grow various Cosmos aswell, which always do well. Then theres stuff like good old night scented Stocks, Nicotiana, Rudbeckia. Thats what I have in my front border amongst the other perennials and shrubs, I like the simple and easy plants like this to grow from seed. With the amount of time I spend tending to my edible crops I avoid anything too demanding.

[Sweepster]

Cosmos are straightforward and good value from seed (or £3.98 for a few in a pot from B&Q! Hah!). I grow French marigolds as companion plants for tomatoes, and it's really easy to collect and save seed from these for the following year. Limnanthes, poppies and cornflowers can be sown direct (unless you're hosting a slug and snail festival in your garden as I appear to be this year, in which case start them off in pots/modules) and are good for attracting bees and hoverflies. There are lots of perennials you can grow from seed too.

[IgglePiggle]

I grew some cosmos for the first time this year, a cheap pack from T&M for 69p. I never knew they were so easy! They started shooting after 2 days So they are on my list for next year. Will add the others to it as well, as I had forgot about Rudbeckia, which I had last year

Keep them coming

[jackie j]

Sweet peas are wonderful so easy to start off in pots, they do need support so maybe a wigwam shape to grow up, or you can buy fancy supports. Pansy's are another easy one, I even have some self seeded ones coming up. Hollyhocks dont flower in the first year. I have found the very tiny seeds difficult to do so I will be avoiding those but thats me.

[TEB]

Dwarf Dahlia, sweet peas, calendula, knautica macedonia are all easy to grow and relatively long lasting

[Flobalob]

Marigolds are very easy and last for months if deadheaded.

[weekendwellies]

Knautica Macedonia
I havent heard of this. Have you got a picture?

[Sweepster]

Knautica Macedonia
I havent heard of this. Have you got a picture?

Here you go. I've just bought a packet of these (a good bee plant, and a perennial) for next year.


btw it's Knautia Macedonia or Knautia Macedonica

[TEB]

btw it's Knautia Macedonia or Knautia Macedonica

Cheers I always spell it wrong , grew both the macedonia and the melton pastels this year and they are easy to grow, I prefer the red macedonia though.

[weekendwellies]

Here you go. I've just bought a packet of these (a good bee plant, and a perennial) for next year.


btw it's Knautia Macedonia or Knautia Macedonica

Thanks Sweepster. They are lovely and I am after plants for the bees for next year.

[scarey55]

How about Mesembryanthemums, they are so colourful and bright - they do very well in sunny dry positions and last for ages. These are mine - sorry, the picture is a bit small. I have some calendula and californian poppy seeds. PM me if you want some.

[doc]

This is a really good threadd IMHO. Does anyone know how I can bookmark it to return to it in the future?
Ta

[IgglePiggle]

Thanks for all the info, going to have a good look at some of these!

How about Mesembryanthemums, they are so colourful and bright - they do very well in sunny dry positions and last for ages. These are mine - sorry, the picture is a bit small. I have some calendula and californian poppy seeds. PM me if you want some.

Thanks for the offer but I do have some of them seeds, my mum gave me some a couple of months back

This is a really good threadd IMHO. Does anyone know how I can bookmark it to return to it in the future?
Ta

right click anywhere on the page, then click "bookmark this page" or it might be add to favourites

[Fat Bob]

This is a really good threadd IMHO. Does anyone know how I can bookmark it to return to it in the future?
Ta

You can also click on 'Thread Tools' and 'Subscribe To This Thread' and choose how you want to be notified about new posts that appear.

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With regard to the OP, this is my first year doing flowers from seed.

Successes include..

• Cosmos - took a few months to get right up to full size but they created big bushes of beautiful flowers which keep coming with deadheading. Whites with pink edges, chocolates, purples etc
• Pansy - I was surprised how much better seed grown ones are from shop bought, bigger, healthier and really quick from seed to flower.
• Marigolds - I grew miniature ones in all types of ambers, golds, oranges, reds etc, very quick, super resiliant, great colours and just keep flowering.
• Asters - They grew fine but I'm not a huge fan.

More flowers less year and less veg. Much more rewarding.