Â鶹Éç

Garden inspiration  permalink

what to grow from seed

• Message 1. 

  Posted by michelle78 (U7007319) on Tuesday, 20th April 2010

  Hi,
  
  moving to a large garden which is completely empty except for weeds and lawn and some conifers (which are going). I've rescued as many plants as I can from my current place, but there's a large area to fill which will cost a fortune if I use pot grown plants. What shrubs and perennials can I grow from seed that will get to a reasonable size quickly? Alternatively, what perennials bulk up quickly and which shrubs take easily from cuttings and grow quite quickly?
  
  All ideas happily received
  Mich

  Link to this forum: what to grow from seed

  Report message1

• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by crouchee (U13371975) on Tuesday, 20th April 2010

  Have a rummage through the seed racks at the garden centre, I think T+M seeds have some labelled as perennials flowering in the first year, asters spring to mind. Soft wood cuttings of perennial wallflowers, chrysanthemums, lavender and pinks root with ease. I'd be splitting every lump of geranium I could get my hands on, great ground cover between the yawning gaps between properly spaced young shrubs (eg, about 2 metres).
  Woody shrubs generally take best from autumn hardwood cuttings and it takes another year to grow a plant big enough to plant out. I mostly buy them as 1 or 2 litre plants, and faced with a new border I would bung in some fast growing stuff like buddlias, brooms, ceanothus and cistus, but also interplant with more choice and slow growing things like daphnes, hollies, magnolias and acers. After 5 years, be ruthless and thin out the former.
  
  If your soil is likely to be hideously weedy (aren't they all?) I'd sow some annuals like godetia and marigolds and nigella in great drifts (Moles Seeds,large packets) and see what horrors come up with them, before committing the gardening budget on shrubs only to see them drown in a sea of bindweed.

  Link to this forum: what to grow from seed

  Report message2

• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by jo4eyes (U13654107) on Tuesday, 20th April 2010

  Not a lot to add to Crouchee's list & advice but Hebes are dead easy from cuttings- lots of sizes/colours available- perhaps someone has mature plants that you can use as parents.
  
  I've used Forsythia & Ribes both as 'sacrificial plants' whilst more choice shrubs are maturing. Again a small pot of each not expensive & I've found that mine layer easily, not planned, so again check out neighbours/friends/relatives gardens for 'babies'.
  
  Yes hardy geraniums & penstemons both bulk up quickly from small pots- the ones that retail at <£2. Digitalis & Honesty can both be sown this year & will flower next by which time they are much bigger plants. Japanese Anemones, Tellima Grandiflora all can become 'thugs' but if you've the space. J.

  Link to this forum: what to grow from seed

  Report message3

• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by michelle78 (U7007319) on Tuesday, 20th April 2010

  Great advice from crouchee about sowing the annuals to work out where the pernicious perennial weeds are (better this summer than next spring) and jo with the sacrificial shrubs...
  
  I have a few hebes i can try and get some cuttings from now too. I don't think I have a ready source of flowering currant but will keep my eyes open, and I have always really hated forsythia (sorry!) but may be a little more open minded for long term gain!
  
  Any other suggestions?

  Link to this forum: what to grow from seed

  Report message4

Back to top