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Cottage garden flowers from seed
A cottage garden is a loose mixture of old-fashioned flowers that self-seed and fill every gap. Seed is the traditional way to get it: hardy annuals scattered in spring, biennials sown in summer and a few perennials.
The core plants
Hollyhock, foxglove, larkspur, delphinium, columbine, lupine, nigella, cornflower, calendula, poppy, nasturtium and sweet pea. Most are heirloom and open-pollinated, so you can save the seed.
Matching site and soil
Dry or poor soil: poppy, calendula, nasturtium, cornflower. Moist soil: columbine, delphinium. Shade: foxglove, columbine. Full sun: larkspur, cornflower, hollyhock. Clay and sandy soil both suit hardy annuals with a little compost worked in. Walls, fences, arbors, pergolas and trellises: sweet pea, nasturtium, hollyhock against the wall.
Starting out
Beginners should begin with calendula, nasturtium, cornflower and nigella sown straight into the ground. More ambitious growers can try delphinium, lupine and columbine, which are slower and need a cold spell for some seed.
Plants in this guide
| Plant | Germination temp | Depth | Days | Light | Before sowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollyhock Alcea rosea | 70 to 70°F | lightly covered | 5 to 21 | Either | Nothing needed |
| Foxglove Digitalis purpurea | 65 to 70°F | see page | 10 to 21 | Nothing needed | |
| Larkspur Consolida ajacis | 55 to 55°F | ¼ in (6 mm) | 14 to 21 | Cover | Nothing needed |
| Delphinium Delphinium spp. | 65 to 70°F | cover lightly | 10 to 20 | Either | Nothing needed |
| Columbine Aquilegia spp. | 70 to 75°F | do not cover | 10 to 28 | Needs light | Nothing needed |
| Lupine Lupinus spp. | 65 to 75°F | ¼ in (6 mm) | 14 to 21 | Cover | Treat seed |
| Nigella (love-in-a-mist) Nigella damascena | 60 to 65°F | see page | 10 to 14 | Nothing needed | |
| Cornflower Centaurea cyanus | 60 to 65°F | see page | 7 to 14 | Nothing needed | |
| Calendula (pot marigold) Calendula officinalis | 70 to 70°F | ¼ in (6 mm) | 7 to 14 | Either | Nothing needed |
| Poppy Papaver and Eschscholzia spp. | 60 to 75°F | surface | 7 to 21 | Needs light | Nothing needed |
| Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus | 60 to 70°F | ½ to 1 in (12 to 25 mm) | 7 to 14 | Cover | Nothing needed |
| Sweet pea Lathyrus odoratus | 55 to 65°F | ¼ to ½ in (6 to 12 mm) | 14 to 21 | Cover | Nothing needed |