Seed Planting Time!

I love seed planting time. I’m like a child in a sweet shop with too much choice and no ability to say no. I have probably spent hundreds of pounds over the years on seeds and I am ashamed to say many went unplanted and ended up in mouldering packets only to be guiltily consigned to the bin the following spring. I’m getting better though, and last year managed to not only plant the few seeds I decided to buy or collect, but some of them even flowered! I know, for seasoned gardeners among you this may seem trivial, but for me it was a big deal. 

Perhaps my favourite of last year’s home grown efforts was my Cerinthe (Honeywort). It's such an unusual plant, with grey green foliage and dark purple bunch-of-grape-like flowers which the bees adore, and which look fantastic in the front of a mixed or herbaceous border. They last for weeks too. 

Cerinthe (Honeywort)         © Clare Holt

I also managed to grow another wonderful and unsung plant which I discovered during a summer working part time at Waterperry Gardens near Thame - the Shoo-Fly plant, (Nicandra Physolades), which Waterperry had growing in their Rose Garden and never failed to prompt questions and exclamations of delight from visitors.

I think this plant has everything - great structure, graceful arching stems, with a succession of large morning-glory like flowers which emerge from dark purple green buds and go on to produce wonderful seedheads which look a bit like chinese gooseberries. 

I tried for two years in a row to get my collected Nicandra seeds to germinate, and last year they worked a treat. They can be grown as half hardy perennials or annuals and apparently self seed so I am keeping a close eye out to see if any pop up over the next few weeks.