Hardy Annual Flower Seeds

Sunflower ‘Chocolate’ Seeds (Helianthus annuus)

Sunflower ‘Chocolate’ is a striking annual with rich, dark brown to chocolate-colored blooms. Blooming from mid-summer to early autumn, it adds dramatic contrast and height to borders, flower beds, and cut-flower gardens. Hardy, easy to grow, and pollinator-friendly, it’s perfect for creating bold garden statements.

What Makes It Special

• Unique chocolate-brown flower heads

• Tall, striking stems ideal for borders and cut flowers

• Hardy, low-maintenance, and attracts bees and pollinators

Key Features

• Botanical name: Helianthus annuus

• Annual

• Height: 120–180 cm

• Bloom time: Mid-summer to early autumn

Ideal For

• Borders, flower beds, and cut-flower gardens

• Pollinator-friendly plantings

• Bold garden accents and visual interest

Sowing

• Sow indoors Mar–Apr or outdoors after last frost

• Cover seeds lightly with soil

• Germination: 7–14 days at 18–22°C

• Space seedlings 30–50 cm apart

• Flowers the same year

Cornflower ‘Bachelor’s Button Mauve’ Seeds (Centaurea cyanus)

Add timeless charm to your garden with Cornflower ‘Bachelor’s Button Mauve’ (Centaurea cyanus). This annual produces elegant mauve-blue flowers with a delicate, fringed appearance, creating a classic cottage garden feel. Easy to grow and long-flowering, it’s perfect for borders, meadows, and cut flower arrangements, while also attracting pollinators.

How to Grow

• Sow directly outdoors in spring or autumn.

• Use well-drained soil in a sunny location.

• Scatter seeds thinly and cover lightly with soil.

• Keep soil moist until germination (7–14 days).

• Thin seedlings to 20–25 cm apart once established.

• Deadhead regularly to prolong flowering and maintain plant vigor.

Key Features

• Elegant mauve-blue, fringed blooms

• Hardy annual, easy to grow and long-flowering

• Ideal for borders, meadows, and cutting gardens

• Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators

• Classic cottage garden appeal

Ideal For

• Flower borders and cottage gardens

• Meadow-style plantings and naturalized areas

• Cutting gardens for fresh bouquets

• Pollinator-friendly landscapes

Sowing

• Best time: Spring or autumn directly outdoors

• Germination: 7–14 days

• Sow thinly, cover lightly, and keep soil moist

• Prefers full sun and well-drained soil

Quick Tip

• For a longer flowering season, sow successive batches every 2–3 weeks during spring.

California Poppy ‘Purple Gleam’ – Seeds (Eschscholzia californica)

California Poppy ‘Purple Gleam’ (Eschscholzia californica) is a striking variety with silky lilac-pink flowers that glow in the sun. This hardy, drought-tolerant annual thrives in poor soils and is perfect for borders, rockeries, and wildflower meadows. Flowering from summer into autumn, it brings long-lasting color while attracting bees and butterflies. Easy to grow and self-seeding, it will return year after year with minimal effort.

Why Grow "Purple Gleam"

• Unique lilac-pink flowers with a shimmering finish

• Long flowering season from summer to autumn

• Hardy, drought-tolerant, and low-maintenance

• Attracts bees, butterflies, and pollinators

Key Features

• Type: Hardy annual (Eschscholzia californica)

• Height: 20–30 cm

• Flowering: Summer to autumn

• Position: Full sun

• Uses: Borders, rockeries, meadows, containers, pollinator gardens

Ideal For

• Naturalistic and wildflower-style gardens

• Adding soft, unusual color to borders and beds

• Rockeries and container planting

• Easy, low-maintenance seasonal color

Sowing & Growing

• Sow outdoors: March–May or September for earlier blooms

• Germination: 14–21 days

• Thin seedlings: 15–20 cm apart

• Prefers poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil

• Self-seeds freely for natural displays

Peony Poppy Red – Seeds

(Papaver paeoniflorum)

The Peony Poppy Red is a breathtaking annual with huge, fully double, peony-like blooms in a deep, velvety crimson red. Its lush, ruffled petals make it one of the most dramatic poppies, creating a bold focal point in borders, cottage gardens, or wildflower meadows. These flowers are not only striking in the garden but also make excellent cut flowers, adding rich color to summer bouquets.

Why Grow Peony Poppy Red?

• Stunning double flowers resembling peonies

• Intense, velvety red blooms for dramatic displays

• Easy to grow and self-seeding

• Attracts bees and butterflies

Key Features

• Type: Hardy annual

• Height: 80–100 cm

• Flowers: Summer

• Position: Full sun

• Soil: Light, well-drained

Ideal For

• Cottage and wildflower gardens

• Bold color accents in borders

• Cut flower arrangements

• Pollinator-friendly spaces

Sowing & Growing

• Sow outdoors: March–May or late August–October directly where plants are to flower

• Scatter thinly over prepared soil, lightly cover, and water gently

• Germination: 14–21 days

• Thin seedlings to 20–30 cm apart

• Care: Deadhead to prolong flowering or leave seed heads for natural reseeding

Dwarf Dahlia ‘Unwin’s’ Mix – Compact, Colorful Summer Blooms

Dwarf Dahlia ‘Unwin’s’ Mix produces a vibrant blend of semi-double and double blooms in bold reds, pinks, yellows, purples, and whites. With its compact, bushy growth, this variety is perfect for borders, containers, and bedding displays. Flowering from mid-summer until frost, it offers continuous color and is excellent for cut flowers despite its shorter stems.

What Makes It Special

• Bright, diverse color mix for eye-catching displays

• Blooms continuously from mid-summer to frost

• Compact habit – ideal for smaller spaces

• Excellent for cutting and garden decoration

• Easy to grow from seed

Key Features

• Height: 45–60 cm – compact, bushy habit

• Half-hardy annual – flowers in first season from seed

• Semi-double and double blooms in mixed shades

• Long-lasting blooms and great vase life

• Suitable for borders, pots, and bedding

Ideal For

• Bedding schemes and summer borders

• Patio containers and pots

• Small gardens and compact spaces

• Continuous summer-to-autumn color

Sowing

• Sow indoors 6–8 weeks before last frost

• Cover lightly with fine soil

• Germination: 7–14 days at 18–21°C

• Transplant after frost danger has passed, spacing 30–40 cm apart

• Prefers full sun and fertile, well-drained soil

Sweet Pea Old Spice ‘Starry Nights’ Seeds (Lathyrus odoratus)

Sweet Pea ‘Starry Nights’ is an heirloom Old Spice variety prized for its fragrant, deep purple blooms speckled with lighter lilac spots, evoking a night sky full of stars. This climbing sweet pea is heat-tolerant, long-flowering, and perfect for trellises, arches, or cut flower arrangements that fill the garden with scent and color.

Why Grow 'Starry Nights'

• Rich, deep purple flowers with lilac “stars”

• Exceptionally fragrant and heat-tolerant

• Long stems ideal for cutting and bouquets

Key Features

• Type: Hardy annual

• Height: 180–240 cm (climber)

• Flowering: June–September

• Position: Full sun

• Uses: Trellises, fences, arches, cut flowers

Sowing & Growing

• Sow indoors: January–April in pots or trays

• Sow outdoors: April–May in prepared soil

• Germination: 10–20 days at 15–20°C

• Plant out after frost, spacing 20–30 cm apart

• Provide climbing support

• Deadhead to prolong flowering

Pot Marigold Dwarf ‘Sunset Buff’ – Apricot – 1,000 Seeds (Calendula officinalis)

The Dwarf Pot Marigold ‘Sunset Buff’ is a charming, compact variety producing apricot-peach blooms with soft golden undertones. Its warm pastel shades bring a unique elegance to beds, borders, and cottage gardens. Easy to grow and long-flowering, this hardy annual is also edible, with petals traditionally used to decorate salads or for natural dye.

Highlights

• Distinctive apricot–buff blooms with golden tones

• Compact, dwarf habit – perfect for pots and borders

• Long flowering season from early summer to autumn

• Attracts pollinators and beneficial insects

• Edible petals for salads and herbal uses

Key Features

• Botanical Name: Calendula officinalis

• Variety: Dwarf ‘Sunset Buff’ (Apricot)

• Seed Count: 1,000 seeds per pack

• Height/Spread: 25–30 cm tall, compact growth

• Position: Full sun, well-drained soil

• Flowering Period: June – October

Perfect For

• Bedding, borders, and cottage gardens

• Patio pots and containers

• Pollinator-friendly gardens

• Edible flower displays and herbal uses

Sowing Instructions

• Sow outdoors March–May or August–September for overwintering

• Sow directly into soil, lightly cover seeds

• Germination: 7–14 days

• Thin seedlings to 20–25 cm apart

• Deadhead regularly for prolonged flowering

Snapdragon 'Trumpet Serenade' – Seeds (Antirrhinum majus)

A striking variety of snapdragon with tall, trumpet-shaped blooms in a rich mix of colors. Long-flowering and versatile, 'Trumpet Serenade' adds height, structure, and vibrant color to summer borders and cutting gardens. Beloved by pollinators, it brings life and charm to any display.

Why Grow Snapdragon 'Trumpet Serenade'?

• Showy, trumpet-like blooms in mixed colors

• Long flowering season

• Excellent as a cut flower

• Attracts bees, butterflies, and pollinators

Key Features

• Type: Half-hardy annual

• Height: 60–75 cm

• Flowers: Summer into early autumn

• Position: Full sun to partial shade

• Use: Borders, cut flowers, cottage gardens, containers

Ideal For

• Adding vertical color to mixed borders

• Cutting for fresh bouquets

• Pollinator-friendly plantings

• Cottage-style and wildlife gardens

Sowing & Growing

• Sow indoors: February–April, lightly pressing seeds into moist compost (do not cover, needs light to germinate)

• Germination: 10–21 days at 18–21°C

• Transplant outdoors after frost, spacing 25 cm apart

• Flowers: June–October

Tip: Pinch out young plants to encourage bushier growth and more blooms.

Cosmos 'Radiance' – Seeds

(Cosmos bipinnatus)

Cosmos 'Radiance' is a charming variety that produces large, daisy-like blooms in deep carmine-pink with a lighter halo around the golden-yellow centers. The graceful, feathery foliage and long, slender stems make it a superb choice for garden displays and cut flowers. Easy to grow and long-flowering, it’s a true summer favourite.

Key Features

• Type: Half-hardy annual

• Height: 90–120 cm

• Spread: 40–50 cm

• Flowering: June–October

• Position: Full sun

• Soil: Well-drained, moderately fertile

Ideal For

• Cottage gardens

• Wildlife and pollinator-friendly planting

• Borders and background planting

• Cut flower arrangements

Sowing & Growing

• Sow indoors: March–April at 18–21°C

• Sow outdoors: May–June directly in final position

• Germination: 7–10 days

• Thin/transplant to 30–40 cm spacing

• Deadhead regularly for prolonged flowering