Seeds for Summer

Spring has been dogged with frosts, so our seed sowing is has been slow to start this year. But that hasn’t stopped us planning and shopping! Take a quick look at the easy seeds we are planning to sow around our Kent show garden this season.

Straight to pots

With staff working from home due to the pandemic, we wanted to try some easy options to add colour this year. So we have looked at poached egg plants, nigella and poppies. Bright annuals to spread some cheer. Sprinkle in pots or beds, water and leave them to it!

No need for a pricking out. Just pretty flowers that bees and people love! The poppies will self seed to.

A Twist on Classics

These flowers are a great companion plant for tomatoes and can be sown straight to pots or started indoors or in greenhouses.  Marigolds and calendulas add cheery pops of colour and if you deadhead them, they will flower all summer long. They are a little drought tolerant, which is a bonus. We are experimenting with new colours. French Marigolds in Red Cherry, for something a bit different to contrast with a paler, peachy Calendula Orange Flash.

Easy Annuals

Cosmos are well worth it but be sure to invest in quality seeds to get a good germination rate. This year we are growing classic Sensation Mixed, but a dwarf variety to sit at the front of displays with the taller Psyche White to plant behind. We are also trying out the yellow Xanthos variety this year!

Greenhouse Treasures

These annuals need a little more love, but they are well worth it! Rudbeckia Marmalade should flower from later summer into autumn and we expect that these will feature heavily in the postponed RHS Chelsea Flower show this September! We might give Rudbeckia Cherry Brandy try too in the propagator. While these are annuals there are many perennial Rudbeckia to choose from, like Rudbeckia Goldstrum although slightly harder to grow they should come back each year. You can also buy them as plug plants and grown them on.

Last year we planted rudbeckia giggling smileyz which lasted months and bloomed spectacularly in our show gardens until November. We tried them in a simple, contemporary planter.

Chilstone make modern planters to show off your plants.

We also raised them up on pedestals in a more traditional Acanthus planter to make a big impact! Experiment, see what works in your garden.

Chilstone’s Acanthus Urn on a pedestal.

Veg

We might even try some veg! Why not? Many show gardens at RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower shows have featured vegetable plots and kitchen gardens.

Beautiful containers

Whatever you are growing this year it’s great to invest in quality pots, planters and urns that will last for years.

Our show garden is open by appointment and our order line is open 7 days a week, 01892 740866. Order now and we will hand make them for your growing plants once they are ready to pot on later in the summer.

Chilstone’s Chelsea Stand with Hurlingham Bowl and pedestal.