I believe the thing gardeners appreciate most in their gardens is colour. Annual plants, which are those that germinate, grow and flower in the same year, provide that very well. There are two main types of annuals, hardy and half-hardy, you will see that clearly outlined on the packets. The former can be sown directly outside in prepared ground and the latter indoors in a heated environment and grown on before planting out.
I am going to deal with hardy annuals, which you can sow in autumn or in spring, so now is a good time. Ground preparation is key and it is well worthwhile digging over ground where you are planning to sow and getting it to a fine tilth. For autumn sowing, aim for the months of October/November.
Hardy annuals provide height in a summer border that can easily match a display of herbaceous perennials. Lavatera ‘Loveliness White’ grows to a height of 1.2m with trumpet-shaped flowers for weeks on end, also available in shades of pink. Ammi majus is a handsome plant and brings an architectural feel to the garden with its white lace-like flowers and light ferny foliage, growing to 60-90cm.
The annual poppy Papaver somniferum also brings height to the border growing to over 90cm. This comes in various shades and be guided by your favourite colour or whatever suits your colour scheme. P. commutatum commonly known as the Ladybird Poppy, is lower growing to 40cm. It has ferny foliage and red flowers with black blobs that earn its common name. This is a lovely plant to encourage children to start gardening with.
Osteospermum ‘Akila Mix’ comes in various shades of pink and white large daisies, commonly called the African Daisy, grows to a height of 40cm with a long flowering season through summer.
My annual plantings would not be complete without a sunflower and I suggest using Helianthus ‘Lemon Cutie’ growing to 50cm with lemon-coloured flowers. It is really beautiful.
Centaurea cyanea, the blue cornflower is an old garden plant that provides a long season of colour; it also comes in shades of pink, growing to 40-60cm. For a lighter shade of blue, plant Linum grandiflorum commonly known as flax. It is a light airy plant that flowers for months and moves with the lightest breeze. L. grandiflorum ‘Rubrum’ is a bright red variant and equally floriferous.
Nigella damascena, known as ‘Love-in-a-Mist’ brings in various shades of blue in its various cultivars, growing to 40cm. My favourite is N. damascena ‘Miss Jekyll’ for its deep blue colour. Its seed heads are valued for dried flower arrangements.
Various shades
For shades of yellow and orange there are many to choose from, Calendula officinalis comes in orange shades and flowers endlessly giving you that sunny feeling, growing to 40cm. Elscholtzia califonica growing to 15cm performs equally well. They come in various shades of lemon, yellow and orange throughout the summer season. On dull summer days you can almost feel heat emanating from them.
Limnanthes douglasii, commonly known as the Egg and Butter plant, is early into flower with its light-yellow flowers with a white centre. It seeds about quite a bit so it stays with you forever. I usually recommend growing this for those who want to create a wild feeling to their plantings.
Having prepared your planting space and decided what colour scheme you want to create, choose your seed carefully always remembering when purchasing seed that it is hardy annuals you wish to sow. Check the ultimate height and spread of the varieties to suit your garden.
Create shallow drills in the fine soil and sow your seed into these by lightly covering the seed. Mark the drills with short lengths of bamboo cane. In this way, you will know where your seedlings are as opposed to weeds to be removed.
Given the height and size of your chosen plants you may have to thin some seedlings out. To extend their flowering season, remove spent flowers and seed heads.
One word of caution: Agrostemma githago, known as Corn Cockle, is offered for sale for sowing, but please avoid this if you are near arable land or countryside. It is classified as an invasive alien plant, so it is not good for our native environment.
Fern flower.
Q&A: What can I replace my hostas with?
My hostas have not been a success since I’ve stopped using slug pellets. The foliage is always eaten. What can I plant instead? - Kate, Co Wicklow.
Well done Kate on moving away from slug pellets. Unfortunately, there is little to get hostas through the growing season without being eaten. I am assuming you are planting in shade, so I suggest trying to establish some ferns as a replacement.
Dryopteris erythrosora is a wonderful evergreen fern giving you bright green foliage through the summer months. Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Spessart’ has lovely soft green foliage turning a bronze colour for the winter. It has light pink flowers through summer, a charming plant.
When you remove your hostas make sure to dig over the ground and add some good quality compost before planting.
Planting: Vegetable and hardy annual seeds are freely available now, choose what you want for summer displays.
Lawns: Grass growth is good at present so continue mowing regularly. Feed now if you think your lawn needs a boost.
Vegetables: Having prepared your vegetable plot or raised bed, consider sowing carrots, parsnips, beetroot and lettuce.
Perennials:Herbaceous planting is growing well, insert canes now for taller specimens. This will prevent plants flopping or succumbing to wind damage.
I believe the thing gardeners appreciate most in their gardens is colour. Annual plants, which are those that germinate, grow and flower in the same year, provide that very well. There are two main types of annuals, hardy and half-hardy, you will see that clearly outlined on the packets. The former can be sown directly outside in prepared ground and the latter indoors in a heated environment and grown on before planting out.
I am going to deal with hardy annuals, which you can sow in autumn or in spring, so now is a good time. Ground preparation is key and it is well worthwhile digging over ground where you are planning to sow and getting it to a fine tilth. For autumn sowing, aim for the months of October/November.
Hardy annuals provide height in a summer border that can easily match a display of herbaceous perennials. Lavatera ‘Loveliness White’ grows to a height of 1.2m with trumpet-shaped flowers for weeks on end, also available in shades of pink. Ammi majus is a handsome plant and brings an architectural feel to the garden with its white lace-like flowers and light ferny foliage, growing to 60-90cm.
The annual poppy Papaver somniferum also brings height to the border growing to over 90cm. This comes in various shades and be guided by your favourite colour or whatever suits your colour scheme. P. commutatum commonly known as the Ladybird Poppy, is lower growing to 40cm. It has ferny foliage and red flowers with black blobs that earn its common name. This is a lovely plant to encourage children to start gardening with.
Osteospermum ‘Akila Mix’ comes in various shades of pink and white large daisies, commonly called the African Daisy, grows to a height of 40cm with a long flowering season through summer.
My annual plantings would not be complete without a sunflower and I suggest using Helianthus ‘Lemon Cutie’ growing to 50cm with lemon-coloured flowers. It is really beautiful.
Centaurea cyanea, the blue cornflower is an old garden plant that provides a long season of colour; it also comes in shades of pink, growing to 40-60cm. For a lighter shade of blue, plant Linum grandiflorum commonly known as flax. It is a light airy plant that flowers for months and moves with the lightest breeze. L. grandiflorum ‘Rubrum’ is a bright red variant and equally floriferous.
Nigella damascena, known as ‘Love-in-a-Mist’ brings in various shades of blue in its various cultivars, growing to 40cm. My favourite is N. damascena ‘Miss Jekyll’ for its deep blue colour. Its seed heads are valued for dried flower arrangements.
Various shades
For shades of yellow and orange there are many to choose from, Calendula officinalis comes in orange shades and flowers endlessly giving you that sunny feeling, growing to 40cm. Elscholtzia califonica growing to 15cm performs equally well. They come in various shades of lemon, yellow and orange throughout the summer season. On dull summer days you can almost feel heat emanating from them.
Limnanthes douglasii, commonly known as the Egg and Butter plant, is early into flower with its light-yellow flowers with a white centre. It seeds about quite a bit so it stays with you forever. I usually recommend growing this for those who want to create a wild feeling to their plantings.
Having prepared your planting space and decided what colour scheme you want to create, choose your seed carefully always remembering when purchasing seed that it is hardy annuals you wish to sow. Check the ultimate height and spread of the varieties to suit your garden.
Create shallow drills in the fine soil and sow your seed into these by lightly covering the seed. Mark the drills with short lengths of bamboo cane. In this way, you will know where your seedlings are as opposed to weeds to be removed.
Given the height and size of your chosen plants you may have to thin some seedlings out. To extend their flowering season, remove spent flowers and seed heads.
One word of caution: Agrostemma githago, known as Corn Cockle, is offered for sale for sowing, but please avoid this if you are near arable land or countryside. It is classified as an invasive alien plant, so it is not good for our native environment.
Fern flower.
Q&A: What can I replace my hostas with?
My hostas have not been a success since I’ve stopped using slug pellets. The foliage is always eaten. What can I plant instead? - Kate, Co Wicklow.
Well done Kate on moving away from slug pellets. Unfortunately, there is little to get hostas through the growing season without being eaten. I am assuming you are planting in shade, so I suggest trying to establish some ferns as a replacement.
Dryopteris erythrosora is a wonderful evergreen fern giving you bright green foliage through the summer months. Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Spessart’ has lovely soft green foliage turning a bronze colour for the winter. It has light pink flowers through summer, a charming plant.
When you remove your hostas make sure to dig over the ground and add some good quality compost before planting.
Planting: Vegetable and hardy annual seeds are freely available now, choose what you want for summer displays.
Lawns: Grass growth is good at present so continue mowing regularly. Feed now if you think your lawn needs a boost.
Vegetables: Having prepared your vegetable plot or raised bed, consider sowing carrots, parsnips, beetroot and lettuce.
Perennials:Herbaceous planting is growing well, insert canes now for taller specimens. This will prevent plants flopping or succumbing to wind damage.
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