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20 Comments

  1. Jools Kirk
    December 31, 2014 @ 9:57 am

    Hi Ben. Have you got any advice for the best way to sow hardy annuals in late Winter/early spring to give the best chance of flowers by late May? I have a greenhouse which I can put a little heater in if required and a large (8×10) grow tunnel. I’m growing my own for my wedding in late May. I sowed a load in autumn but not enough with the few that didn’t make it so want to add to it. I’ve got tons of your seeds left to try and want to put them all to good use :) Thanks for your help x

  2. Growing Eschscholzia For Cutting | Higgledy Garden
    June 27, 2014 @ 7:00 am

    […] hardy annuals you can sow in Autumn and/or spring….and they will self sow themselves and come back year […]

  3. Sweet Pea 'Painted Lady' | Higgledy Garden
    June 25, 2014 @ 5:49 pm

    […] The RHS have a good guide to growing sweet peas if you need it. Autumn is also a great time to sow some Hardy annuals. […]

  4. farm tires
    June 3, 2014 @ 7:23 pm

    Even large tractors are being sought after,
    but there is one little one that was around in the 70s that was called “Power King Economy Tractor” and came with attachments that were very handy.
    I have never seen a hoop snake after this incident, but to this day some folks around this area still
    mention them. While this additional weight can provide stability, it will also
    cause the foam-filled tires to create ruts and dents in the ground.

  5. Cut Flower Gardening: Some Completely Made up FAQs. | Higgledy Garden
    March 2, 2014 @ 4:32 pm

    […] of course you don’t need to sow the seeds every year. If you have a limited space then sow hardy annuals. I sell a collection that would be of great use to you…were you a real person. ‘Flowers […]

  6. How to Grow Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens' From Seed. | Higgledy Garden
    June 27, 2013 @ 9:46 am

    […] Cerinthe has long been a favourite of mine in the flower field…a really reliable and unusual hardy annual. Its leaves are amazing…fleshy…purple/green/blue…ovoid…and often mottled […]

  7. Tips For Growing Eschscholzia From Seed | Higgledy Garden
    June 6, 2013 @ 8:31 am

    […] is technically a perennial but we should consider it a hardy annual in the UK…once she gets flowering she will flower her knickers off all summer […]

  8. Higgledy Garden Seed Sowing Guide. | Higgledy Garden
    January 24, 2012 @ 2:02 pm

    […] other difference between them and hardy annuals is that they tend to be more glamorous, a little more exotic. They have a deeper relationship with […]

  9. Cerinthe major ‘Purpurascens’. Honeywort. | Higgledy Garden
    December 16, 2011 @ 5:16 pm

    […] *First of all you should know Cerinthe major is a hardy annual. […]

  10. webb
    September 4, 2011 @ 6:37 pm

    Ben,
    Belinda sent me over for this excellent post! A couple of questions, tho. I am in Virginia (it’s a Colony, well west of you across the pond) and in what we call Zone 7 (15-20F minimum – that’s about -5 C, I think) and our first frost is normally around Nov. 15. So, 1) how much time to they need before the first frost? You’re planting in Sept… can I wait until October? 2) can you explain better about the netting support. The picture in my mind is netting (of some sort) stretched parallel to the ground at 50 cm (I’ll do the math to convert to inches!) and then supported here and there by stakes of some sort. As the plants get taller they would poke thru from the bottom and then the netting would help hold them upright and apart… is that the idea? 3) do these “hardy annuals” actually stay green thru the winter? or do the come up for a few weeks, then die back some (a lot?) and then re-green in the spring, but saving all that pesky germination time in the spring? Sorry to be so needy, but this is a first venture in annuals – am a perennial kind of girl! Thanks.

    • Ben
      September 7, 2011 @ 7:21 am

      Hey there! The netting is what we call pea netting…holes about 4 inches sq and made of nylon of some other plastic….it is reusable and inexpensive. Yes they hold plants up and stop them blowing over in wind…but they have some movement of course which is important.
      Hardy annuals do indeed stay green through the winter.
      Yes you probably can sow in oct…why not sow some now and some in October and see who wins? I shall be sowing in Oct too.
      Some plants are more susceptible to cold than others and in REALLY cold weather you may lose some if you don’t protect them.
      Thx for posting Mizz Webb ;)

  11. Ammi Visnaga | Higgledy Garden
    September 1, 2011 @ 9:15 am

    […] Visnaga is a hardy annual (well really it’s a short lived perennial) and so can be sown in both Autumn and spring. […]

  12. Flowers To Sow Now | Higgledy Garden
    August 23, 2011 @ 7:45 pm

    […] so will deal with Autumn planting first and then later in the year carry on with Spring grown hardy annuals and half hardy annuals. (Click on either to learn how to grow them) NB FOR THE NEXT 48 HOURS THIS […]

  13. How to grow the best half hardy annuals known to the modern world...fact. | Higgledy Garden
    August 17, 2011 @ 4:42 pm

    […] Higgledy Garden Eco Cut Flowers Skip to content HomeAboutContact Us For Flower DeliveryWhy Buy English Cut Flowers? ← Hardy Annuals […]

  14. Mo
    August 17, 2011 @ 4:35 pm

    I always forget… until Spring. Great post and a timely reminder :)

    • Ben
      August 17, 2011 @ 4:46 pm

      Merci Buckets Mo :)

  15. jan
    August 17, 2011 @ 1:29 am

    I find that calendula and nigella self sow quite readily, good for lazy gardeners like me!

    • Ben
      August 17, 2011 @ 3:54 am

      Ha! You are quite right Jan they do….but being a geek I like my rows. I shall be collecting my calendula seeds in a short while….not difficult to do….and putting them exactly where I want them! :)

  16. Belinda Norrington
    August 16, 2011 @ 2:43 pm

    Ben – great post, could I reblog on mine in a couple of weeks – as part of the cutting course I’m doing using one of your photos and a link? Bx

    • Ben
      August 16, 2011 @ 3:29 pm

      Yes of course…I would be most delighted and honoured! x