Sugared almonds cutting garden collection
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- Seed Packets (only) £2.95
- Position: Full sun
- Soil: Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: Fast
- Flowering period: June to September
- Hardiness: Borderline hardy (may need winter protection)
A comprehensive one-stop-shop collection of classic, hardy, cottage garden themed annuals that work their magic en masse in borders, cutting gardens and floral arrangements.
The collection contains one packet of seeds for each of the plants listed below. Each packet comes with its own specific sowing instructions.
- Centaurea cyanus ‘Classic Magic’: A mauve mix with splashes of bicolour purple, white and almost black flowers, 'Classic Magic' is a one-stop-shop for a long-lasting cut flower vase or hardy annual border. Blooming in as little as 10 to 12 weeks from a spring sowing, Centaurea are tall plants and must have support or the stems will bend. Pick cornflowers early in the morning, remove lower leaves and stand in deep water for a few hours before arranging. Grows to 1m.
- Consolida regalis ‘Fancy Purple Picotee’: An elegant and eye-catching well-branched hardy annual, with ferny, palmate mid-green leaves, and spikes of pale purple blooms edged with a darker purple. 'Fancy Purple Picotee' is a beautiful and easy to grow larkspur for the border, providing colour throughout the summer as well as wonderful flowers for cutting which last a long time in water. Grows to 1.2m.
- Cosmos bipinnatus 'Fizzy Rose Picotee': A bushy, upright, half-hardy annual cosmos similar to ‘Purity’ but with semi-double, white flowers stained and edged a raspberry-red. Finely-divided foliage adds to the charm of this popular cut-flower that reliably blooms, with regular deadheading, from summer into autumn. They're very easy to grow and will make wonderful summer infill in borders or larger pots. They also last well when cut for the vase, so make valuable additions to the cutting garden. Grows to 1m.
- Cosmos bipinnatus 'Candy Stripe': An upright, half-hardy annual,with finely-divided green foliage bearing pinkish-purple edged white flowers over a long season. ‘Candy Stripe’ is an easy to grow cosmos that will provide a splash of colour in the garden - the flowers lasting well after being cut too. Grows to 1m.
- Cosmos bipinnatus 'Sensation Pinkie': An upright, bushy, annual plant with finely dissected, lacy foliage, producing large single, purplish-pink flowers with prominent yellow centres. Lovely planted in groups at the back of a sunny border, this cosmos is easy to grow. Grows to 1.2m.
- Cosmos bipinnatus 'Xanthos': The first compact form to have yellow flowers, and these can be used as an accent to strong plums and purples, as well as softening fiery reds and oranges. It is also said to flower a fraction earlier than many of the others, so if you keep up the dead-heading, you may well have flowers from May to October. Perfect for summer bedding schemes, as well as patio pots, the flowers are also good for cutting. Grows to 60cm.
- Ammi majus : Dainty white flowerheads that look like lacework are born in summer and seem to hover in a frothy haze above the finely cut, green foliage. The flowers are often used by florists to add a ethereal, romantic feel to bouquets, and they can last up to 10 days after being cut. Grows to 1.5m.
- Antirrhinum majus 'Potomac Lavender': A delightful snapdragon with soft lavender pink blooms and long cutting stems. This Antirrhinum variety, bred for the cut flower market, bears numerous showy flowers on tall spikes that attract butterflies to the garden. Grows to 1.2m.
Seedlings should be potted up and grow on under glass until all risk of frost has passed and they can be planted outside in a well-prepared bed. Pinch out the growing tips to encourage bushier growth, and feed at regular intervals throughout summer with a high-potash fertiliser. Taller plants may need supporting with brushwood stems in exposed positions.