Flower Growing Guides: A - Z - page currently being updated

 All parts of Angelica plants are highly aromatic and they have traditionally been used for medicinal as well as culinary purposes. It’s good for including in wildlife planting as the flowers are attractive to pollinators and the seeds are eaten by birds.

Antirrhinum, or as most of us call them, Snapdragons are cheerful cottage garden plants, used as bedding to brighten up borders and containers. They're easy to grow and come in a range of different colours and heights, and therefore can be grown in a variety of situations. Attractive to wildlife, particularly bumblebees, they have a long flowering period, from June until October. Taller cultivars make good cut flowers and last well over a week in water.

Aquilegia are a quintessential cottage garden favourite; coming in a variety of colours and sizes, they are also known as Columbine and Granny's Bonnets. They are easy to grow and will self-seed so are great for naturalistic or wild gardens. The nectar-rich flowers are attractive to pollinators. 

Asters are popular plants, unrivalled for their range of late-season flower colour between summer and the end of autumn. Asters lend themselves well to a range of garden styles from prairie plantings to cottage gardens and mixed borders.

Astrantia are an excellent garden plant and cut flower with zigzag petals resembling a Tudor ruff. A hardy perennial which after 2/3 years can be divided in spring. Feed established plants early in the spring and again in the middle of the summer with a good all-purpose soluble fertiliser. Astrantias require very little care. Cut the foliage and flowers hard back in autumn or spring. 

Hardy and exquisitely formed, Auriculas deserve to be looked at close up. You can grow all auriculas in containers. It is one of the best ways to appreciate their beauty and scent. Border auriculas are more robust and easily cope with the worst of winter weather. All are scented and make good cut flowers in bud vases.

Moluccella laevis (Bells of Ireland) has tall spikes of fresh apple-green bells arranged all the way up the stem. An outstanding foliage plant that adds interest to borders and bouquets. For the best results the seeds of Bells of Ireland need cold stratification to germinate. 

Bergamot, Bee Balm, even Monarda, this plant is known by many names and comes in many varieities. Our favourite is Wild Bergamot, the herb come wildflower that’s easy to grow, beautiful, and highly attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. 

 With its soft-textured foliage and dainty blossoms, Brachyscome (aka Swan River Daisy) makes a colorful addition to the garden. Depending on the location, swan river daisies, can be grown as annuals or perennials - in the UK we grow them as annuals. When they bloom in summer, the prolific flowers cover the whole plant in blossoms, almost hiding the soft, feathery gray-green foliage.

Easy-to-grow hardy annuals flower from summer through to early autumn, making them a great choice for summer borders and containers. The flowers are good for cutting, have edible petals and are also used by herbalists to make skincare products. Plants often self-seed from year to year. Calendulas are unfussy plants that do well in most ordinary garden soil, including poor, dry soil. They flower best in full sun, but also tolerate light shade.

Chrysanthemums can be annual, hardy perennial or tender perennial, but we focus on the annual variety commonly referred to as “florists’ chrysanthemums” that have been bred from the Chinese and Japanese types to make excellent late season cut flowers. They come in a wonderful range of rich velvety colours, with shapes that vary from the neat pom-pom to outrageous spidery forms.

 Forget the flowers, Coleus is all about the foliage, no matter the varieity, Coleus doesn’t fail to delight with it’s mix of colours and leaf type to give an interesting pot plant or bedding plant for mild areas but you must keep pinching out the flower buds otherwise it can go leggy. That said, their delicate blue spires can be a joy to see above the multicoloured patterns of the foliage. 

Cornflower is an easily grown hardy annual wildflower that is quick to grow and blooms in summer, bearing masses of pretty, ruffled flowers on slender wiry stems. While not native to the UK, it was introduced from the Mediterranean thousands of years ago and is considered 'naturalised'. The original species is beloved for its deep blue blooms, but there's now a wide choice of varieties in shades of blue, pink, maroon, and white. 

Cosmos will put on a continuous display throughout the summer months and well into autumn, standing on tall, slender stems which sway in the breeze creating that gorgeous soft and floaty effect. Perfect for a sunny spot in any mixed planting scheme, not only will they look great in the garden and be beneficial to pollinators, but they make lovely cut flowers too. Despite their delicate looks, these plants are pretty tough and will stay standing in rain or a drought.

As well as being a favourite among florists, Craspedia is also becoming increasingly well known as a garden plant. It bears dense, yellow, spherical flowerheads, at the top of stiff stems emerging from basal rosettes of narrow foliage. There are several species available, though Craspedia globosa is the most widely cultivated. 

 Beware: Cyclamen hederofolium (summer/autumn flowering) and Cyclemen coum (winter flowering) are not good companions. This guide focusses on Cyclamen hederofolium; a perennial to 15cm, with somewhat ivy-shaped leaves patterned with silvery-green, and pink, sometimes fragrant, flowers 2.5cm in width, darker around the mouth, opening before or with the leaves which die off in spring and summer.

 The real advantage in growing Dahlias from seed is that you get the best of both worlds. The first year will provide a very economical collection of bright flowers and each plant will produce tubers that can be carefully lifted at the end of the end of the season for storing and re-planting the following year. With single flowers, cactus types, pompons, waterlilly, anemone and collarette types there's a Dahlia out there to suit ever garden and gardener!

Daucus carota, also known as Queen Anne's Lace, is the wild ancestor of the domestic carrot and a common wildflower found in dry fields, roadside ditches and open areas. Easy to grow from seed and performs best in well-drained to dry soils, with low to moderate soil fertility. The lacy flowers appear in shades of rose pink, through burgundy to chocolate.Up to a thousand tiny flowers are produced in delicate, lacy, flat-topped, clusters up to 10cm wide. 

Perennial delphiniums are renowned for their rich colours and commanding presence, often reaching up to 250cm. They flower in early summer and are perfect for beds and borders and make a glorious cut flower. Delphiniums are a favorite of many gardeners, but it’s important to understand that they prefer moist, cool summers and do not fare well in hot, dry weather. The plants also dislike sudden wind or rain. Except for the dwarf perennials, most delphiniums will need staking to keep them upright.

Dianthus flowers are often called "pinks" - not because of the colour, but the jagged edges of the petals. They belong to a family of plants which includes carnations and sweet williams, and are characterised by the spicy fragrance the blooms emit. Dianthus plants may be found as a hardy annual, biennial or perennial and most often used in borders or potted displays. Dianthus flowers are most often in pink, salmon, red and white hues. The foliage is slender and sparsely spread on thick stems

Digitalis, more commonly known as the Foxglove is a traditional cottage garden flower favourite. Tall elegant spires of trumpet shaped flowers in a wide colour range, including many shades of purples. Attracts bees and butterflies with its lightly sweet fragrance. Digitalis are superb for shady shrub and tree areas, back of borders and excellent for cut flowers. They can really bring the early summer garden alive! 

Echinacea is an easy to grow, tough perennial which flowers in late summer. They combine well with other late perennials and grasses, especially in prairie-style plantings. The flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. Echinacea won’t flower freely in shade. They prefer being planted in spring and summer, as autumn plantings are more prone to rotting off over winter, especially on wet or heavy soils. They also dislike being disturbed, so plants are best allowed to form large clumps.

Echium are perfect for adding a touch of drama to both exotic and cottage garden settings, as well as a large greenhouse or conservatory. Tall spikes of intense blue blooms are borne on strong branching stems in spring and summer, which are a delight to pollinators, as well as us. Despite its origins it is hardy to -5° and can survive British winters unless grown in wet soil. A short-lived perennial, it’s typically grown as a biennial in the UK. Yet, as in its native Madeira, in milder regions of the UK it can grow into a small tree, and can self-seed readily.

No matter the variety, Erigerons are versatile, easygoing and low maintenance plants. Delightful daisy like flowers give a mass of blooms over a long period from late spring until the end of autumn. Many are small, bushy, clump-forming plants, with others having a taller habit making them an excellent cut flower. 

Fatsia Japonica are hardy plants and can be used as a shrub in a shady spot outdoors or as a houseplant indoors. Fatsia doesn’t respond well to transplanting and, while cuttings can be used, seeds are the main way that the plant is grown.  To help the plant get established, feed it regularly with a weak all purpose fertiliser between Spring and Autumn for the first few years. 

The perfect partner for spring bulbs, Myosotis, commonly know as Forget Me Not produces frothy sprays of sky blue flowers from mid-spring to early summer. Stunning when planted en masse, Forget Me Not creates a carpet of colour in beds, borders and containers and is so easy to grow. A simple yet effective bed filler. 

It's easy to see why Gaura lindheimeri holds an RHS Award of Garden Merit. With it’s slender, arching stems tipped with panicles of rosy pink buds opening to reveal white flowers, this plant blooms over an incredibly long period. The delicate flowers attract pollinating insects to the garden and bring movement to borders with its loose, wafty habit. Gauras are easy as long as you remember that they are prairie plants from a warm place, mulching helps to protect from severe winters. Mature gauras do not move well. 

Gazania, also known as treasure flowers for their jewel bright blooms, are fantastic for bringing colour to patios and sunny borders. Grown as annuals their daisy-type flowers love sunshine and if they don't get enough of it, will close up. The blooms come in shades of rose, red, pink, bronze, gold and orange and are set off by the cool green foliage.

Ever wonder about the difference between geraniums and pelargoniums? For years there has been considerable confusion over what a geranium really is. The annual ‘geranium’ (pelargonium) is often referred to as a geranium. While geraniums and pelargoniums are related, both being members of the Geraniaceae family, there are various distinct differences between the two in, growth, appearance, and seed dispersal technique. The seeds we sell are strictly Pelargoniums, but like many gardeners we were brought up with their misclassification and so we call them Geraniums.

Gypsophila is very popular border plant for its clouds of flowers which are useful for flower arrangement, everlasting flowers or just for providing a pretty, misty background for other flowers. Gypsophila paniculata is a perennial species requiring a permanent position in the garden, Gypsophila elegans is an annual species.

Flowering the first year from seed and a plant to provide colour and interest to your late summer border Helenium flowers in a rich spectrum of red, bronze and golden-yellow shades. Performs well in borders and, easily cut, making a welcome addition in a vase. As a perennial, Heleniums will benefit from an annual application of fertiliser in spring. To prolong the life of the plant, divide in the spring every 3 years.

Helicrysum, also commonly known as Strawflower a popular are a popular everlasting flower. With strong stems and bright flower heads, they are perfect for preserving. To preserve flowers for the Winter, cut stems just before flowers are fully open, hang small bunches upside down in a cool ventilated area. The bright colour of the flowers will remain, whilst the stems dim to a golden colour. 

Hollyhocks are easy to grow and their blooms come in a wide range of jewel colours, flowering from early summer to autumn. Their tall spires look good grown against walls and fences and are stalwarts of cottage gardens. At the base is a clump of large, round, mid-green leaves. The perfect plant for the rear of borders where it will rise up to 5 foot, and more. Hollyhocks are fully hardy and don’t require any special treatment over winter.

Honesty, or Lunaria, is an old-fashioned cottage garden plant, known more for its seeds than its flowers. The distinctive flat, translucent papery pods, which hold the dark seeds, are often used in dried flower arranging but, if left on the plant, they're good for adding winter interest to the garden. The purple or white fragrant flowers in spring and early summer are very attractive to pollinating insects.

Commonly known as the Macedonian Scabious, Knautia bears fabulous pincushion flowers on slender, floaty stems. Flowering over a long period from July right through to October, Knautia macedonica is well loved for its gentle shades of pink, rose and crimson. This hardy perennial is often found in cottage gardens where its swaying stems create an informal display.

A stunning cottage garden plant, adding height and colour to border displays. Larkspur flowers work well with roses, peonies and other tall growing flowers such as lupins and verbascums. Larkspur flowers are usually blue but they also come in mauve, pink, white and even red. They can be single or double, depending on the variety. Single-flowered varieties are loved by bees.

Lavatera come in both dwarf and tall varieties, both with a nice bushy habit and the dark green leaves contrast wonderfully with the glistening flowers which come in so many shades. Lavatera fFlowers in the first year from an early sowing, attracting bees and butterflies as well as being a stunning cut flower. 

Growing Lavender plants from seed can be a rewarding and fun way to add this fragrant herb to your garden. Lavender seeds are slow to germinate and plants grown from them may not flower in the first year, but if you’re patient and willing to put in the work, you can generate beautiful plants from seeds. Your first year of growth will not be impressive, but by year two, expect to have large, blooming lavender.

Limonium, also known as Statice and Sea Heather is probably the most popular of all the everlastings. With strong stems and bright flower heads, they are perfect for preserving. To preserve flowers for the Winter, cut stems just before flowers are fully open, hang small bunches upside down in a cool ventilated area. The bright colour of the flowers will remain, whilst the stems dim to a golden colour.

Lupins are a true cottage garden flower. There is little to rival a mass planting of lupins with their tall spikes glowing with colour in May, June and July. Like many other perennials with tall flowers, lupins benefit from a sheltered position. Grow them towards the back of a border. Avoid planting in containers as they grow weakly and can be susceptible to aphid attacks – they grow much better in the ground.

Marigolds (Tagetes) are among the most common and reliable of all bedding flowers. These cheerful flowers with warm colors and fern-like foliage are true annuals, completing their life cycles in a single growing season. The size of the blooms can vary considerably, from tiny single-petal flowers to the large 4-inch double-petal blossoms of the African marigolds. Whilst all Marigolds are edible, not all are known to be tasty! 

Mesembryanthemum is an easy to grow annual bedding flower which produces colourful blooms throughout the summer. The daisy like flowers come in shades of red, magenta, pink, yellow, white and orange and open with the sun each day and turn to face it moving across the garden. Can tolerate drought and sandy soil and is a useful plant to brighten up rock gardens, walls and paths.

Mimulus is known for having unusual monkey-faced, snapdragon-like flowers. Typically, they grow in woodland environments, and can often be seen beside woodland streams. Trailing varieties of mimulus will turn any hanging basket into a profusion of cascading flowers. They will grow freely in spring and when grown in a flower bed it will produce a mound of flowers throughout the summer.

Morning Glory is a frost tender annual climber that bears beautiful, exotic-looking, colourful flowers on fast-growing twining stems clothed with heart-shaped green leaves. The name 'morning glory' comes from the plants’ flowering habit – saucer-shaped blooms open early and just for a day, fading by mid-afternoon in hot weather. Many flowers are borne in succession, so this plant makes a lovely display for months, flowering through summer and into early autumn.

The Nasturtium is a cheerful and easy-to-grow flower! Their bold blooms and edible leaves, flowers, and seedpods make them an especially fun flower for kids to plant and a favorite companion plant in the garden. Nasturtium is a good companion plant for: bean, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, kale, melon, pumpkin, and radish. They are also a favorite of pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and their pretty fragrance makes them a good choice for cut-flower gardens, too.

Nemesia are colourful annuals and short-lived perennials, bearing wonderfully fragrant, colourful flowers from late spring right through to autumn. Nemesias originate from South Africa and are frost-tender. They flower in a range of colours, including orange, red, pink, purple, blue, and white, often with contrasting centres. Nemesias tend to be bushy and compact, suitable for growing at the front of a border or in pots, or trailing and therefore more suited to hanging baskets,

Nepeta, also known as Catmint, is an attractive, hardy and easy-to-grow flowering perennial, renowned for its aromatic foliage which tends to attract cats, hence its name. Its aromatic leaves are green or grey-green and its stems are clothed from summer to autumn in small mauve or blue flowers. Cats can safely nibble and eat catmint leaves, stems and flowers – indeed many cat toys are stuffed with dried catmint leaves. Some cats love it so much they roll around and sleep on the plants.

The tobacco plant, Nicotiana, is a popular summer bedding plant, coming in a range of colours and sizes. The trumpet-like, night-scented flowers make Nicotiana a great choice for planting near a seating area. Perfect for growing in a mixed border or container display. Nicotiana are easy to grow from seed. Many varieties make excellent cut flowers. Also a great plant to have in your greenhouse where the sticky leaves will trap unwanted pests.

Nigella, also known as Love-in-a-mist, is a wonderful cottage garden plant and a great filler. The airy foliage makes a nice complement to broader leaved plants. Nigella is a short-lived plant and probably won't make it through an entire growing season. For continuous blooms throughout the summer, make succession sowings every three weeks. Once your plants have begun to scatter seeds on their own, you won't need to continue sowing.

Orlaya makes an easy to grow, quick border filler. It gives lovely fern-like foliage and clusters of pure white flowers, similar to lace-cap hydrangeas, with its flowers composed of small inner florets framed by large outer ones, forming a pretty pattern which is reminiscent of lace-cap hydrangeas. Planted en masse, the luminous white petals have a shimmering effect, creating a soft haze which melds plant masses together, immediately capturing that romantic cottage garden vibe. Long straight stems and soft ferny foliage add to its appeal.

Penstemon; these elegant easy-to-grow border plants send up spires of tubular flowers in a range of gorgeous colours. From sky blue to rich plum, deep purple to powdery pink, they flower across the summer months, and like a warm, sunny spot. Plants will prove hardy and come back a second year if wet winter conditions are avoided.

Petunias are some of the most outstanding bedding plants, thanks to their knack for creating a vibrant mass of colourful summer blooms. Versatile, ideal for different types of pot or hanging basket as well as in the ground. Colours range from ultra-brilliant pinks, reds, and purples, to soft pastel shades and white. The size of the flowers ranges, too, and you can choose varieties with ruffled edges and bi-coloured blooms, along with single- and double-flowered varieties.

Phlox are herbaceous plants that bear a profusion of small, often scented flowers in summer. They range from tall border perennials to creeping phlox or alpine varieties and woodland types, as well as annual varieties that can be grown as bedding; those are the varieties we focus on at Collie Flowers and have available in our range of seeds. As well as being fragrant and long flowering, most cultivars attract a variety of bees and other pollinating insects.

Poppy is the common name for plants in the Papaveraceae family. Within this group there are annuals, perennials and biennials. They include oriental poppies, peony-types, opium poppies, field poppies, Calfornia poppies, Icelandic Poppies, Welsh poppies and Himalayan poppies. Their summer flowers may be fleeting but whatever variety you choose they make a wonderful addition to the garden.

Primula and Primroses are easy to grow and come in a variety of forms, but there's a whole world of related plants in the Primula genus that are just as beautiful. These include our native yellow cowslips to stylish drumstick primulas and ornate polyanthus primulas and auriculas. Primroses and primulas are versatile, suitable for growing in borders or containers, and work in both formal and informal planting schemes. Grow them individually or mixed with other spring-flowering favourites, in containers, borders, around the edge of your pond or naturalised in your lawn. 

Rudbeckia works well in borders through to Autumn with its weather resistant blooms bouncing back from rainfall. Flowers in the first year, attracting bees and butterflies as well as being a stunning cut flower. Rudbeckia is usually grown as an annual but may overwinter in mild conditions and will flower more strongly in second year and last a few years in sheltered locations on free-draining soil.

Salpiglossis is an upright annual, with slender stems and wavy-edged, lance-shaped leaves. From summer to autumn these plants produce masses of funnel-shaped flowers to 5cm across. This South American native loves cool weather and blooms from spring until the plant begins to fade in midsummer. However, don’t be too quick to pull the fading plants as they will often produce a late-season burst of colour when temperatures drop in autumn.

Salvia nemorosa is a perennial marvel which flowers from early-to-mid summer and even into late summer and autumn with repeat blooms and will flower in its first year. This hardy plant is a reliable easy-care perennial that thrives in a full sun location (will tolerate partial light shade) in average, well-drained soil. Water regularly until established, thereafter it is drought tolerant.

Salvia is the largest genus of plants in the sage family Lamiaceae, with nearly 1000 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. One of several genera commonly referred to as sage, it includes two widely used herbs. Salvia splendens, is an upright perennial usually grown as an annual, with oval leaves and dense spikes of tubular scarlet flowers with large red bracts, over a long period in summer and autumn.

Scabious, also known as pincushion flowers, are easy-to-grow. They are button-like in shape and have petals that flutter in the breeze. Under ideal growing conditions, blooms can last from spring to the first frost, although they might slow down in the high heat of summer. Equally useful as a cut fresh flower or seed head, Ping Pong (our favourite variety) gives several handfuls of stems from a single plant alone.

Commonly known as Rose Campion, Silene Coronaria gives vibrant, vivacious rose pink flowers which persist for months on end from June to October, held above felty, silvery foliage. A perfect border filler and unsurprisingly, winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, its plentiful blooms are also a popular with pollinating insects. A short-lived perennial, that happily self-seeds - so some ‘editing’ may be required!

Sunflowers come in a range of sizes and colours, with many now having multiple flower heads from a single stalk. Sunflowers prefer a well drained soil in full sun. Tall varieties shoudl be sown early to allpw growing time and will need staking if sited in a particularly windy area. For varieties offering multiple flowerheads deadhead regularly to encourage continuous flowering. If space allows once the flowers are spent at the end of the season leave the heads to form seeds which will provide food for wildlife through the winter. 

Grow beautiful and flouncy Sweet Peas from seed each year for their fragrance and for cutting, climbing them over obelisks or twiggy supports in borders or in a cutting garden. Pretty, pea-like flowers come in shades of white, pink, coral, red, violet and blue, some combining two colours. Pastel shades are especially popular and petal edges may be wavy or outlined with a contrasting colour. Sweet peas are easy to grow in any fertile soil that drains easily, in full sun. 

Sweet rocket, Hesperis matronalis, is a pretty biennial (that may act like a short lived perennial in the right circumstances), bearing white or purple flowers similar to Honesty. Leave them to seed themselves and they will maintain this diversity indefinitely, gradually naturalising over a large area. The flowers' fragrance is as sweet as a violets, and strongest in the evening. It looks good when allowed to drift, naturally through an informal sunny or partially shaded border, especially in a cottage garden or wildlife garden.

Many gardeners will be familitar with the aquilegifolium and delavayi varieties of Thalictrum, tall and wispy looking beautiful in cottage gardens, but Thalictrum alpinium brings something different to our gardens. A petite UK native perennial which forms a mound of blue-green, finely divided delicate green leaves which are almost like Maidenhair-fern on purple shaded stems. The short stems bear clusters of small flowers in late spring and early summer; each flower has a bell-shaped calyx of green purple sepals enclosing purple stamens tipped with yellow. Plant in rockeries, alpine pans or anywhere you can easily see these small beauties.

Besides its use as a herb, Valerian also has beautiful, vanilla-scented blossoms. Once it is established in the garden it will grow for years, and it’s an easy plant to take softwood cuttings from in the spring. Its flowers attract pollinators, and its scent is loved by cats. The flower stems of valerian grow to 1-1.5m tall from a basal clump of foliage, so plant towards the middle or back of a border.

 If you love sunflowers, but want something smaller for the border and a bit more delicate but packed with flowerheads, Venidium is the flower you’ve been searching for. Venidium are a low maintenance plant, once in a sunny spot, avoid overwatering, and enjoy its vibrant show throughout the season. Venidium give multiple flowerheads, so deadhead regularly to encourage continuous flowering.

What spring garden would be complete without a bed of delightful, sweet-scented Wallflowers, harbingers of warmer weather to come? Very easy to grow and rewarding; Wallflowers respond excellently to the sow and forget technique - bare patches sown with the absolute minimum of fuss in mid-August will start flowering the following April. Although technically a short-lived perennial, these perform much better as a (hardy) biennial.

Zinnia are annual plants, popular because of the colourful, daisy-like flowers. Native to Mexico, there are 18 species and hundreds of cultivated forms, which are grown as annual bedding plants. Flowers come in vivid colours from red, orange and deep pink to green, with a lovely long flowering season from summer to the first frosts. Zinnias are perfect for filling gaps in the border and also work well in container displays. Long stemmed varieties make great cut flowers and single-flowered varieties are attractive to pollinating insects.