If ever a flower looked as though it had wandered in from a midsummer dream, this is it.
Knautia ‘Melton Pastels’ produces an endlessly charming mix of soft pincushion flowers in washed-out shades of blush, lilac, dove-grey and gentle mauve. They bob about on long, slender stems, catching the light and bringing a relaxed, meadowy feel wherever they grow.
Bees absolutely adore them — you’ll often find the flowers gently vibrating with contentment — and the plants flower for months on end if you keep them picked. They’re brilliant in borders, irresistible in wildflower-style plantings, and quietly excellent as cut flowers, lasting well in a jam jar on the kitchen table.
Easy to grow, undemanding, and wonderfully generous, this is one of those flowers that earns its keep many times over — the sort that makes you feel quietly pleased every time you walk past.
Hardy annual
Sowing tips Sow Knautia ‘Melton Pastels’ directly where it is to flower (or you can start in pots if you prefer), either in early spring or in autumn for earlier blooms the following year. Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil — it dislikes sitting wet, especially over winter.
Rake the soil to a fine tilth, scatter the seed thinly, and lightly cover — it needs a little darkness to germinate but not much. Keep the soil just moist until seedlings appear, then thin to about 25–30cm apart so the plants have room to stretch their elbows.
Once established, it largely gets on with life by itself. A bit of picking and the occasional dead-heading will keep it flowering happily for months.
Unfussy, obliging, and quietly lovely — just how we like them.
Knautia ‘Melton Pastels’.
£2.75
If ever a flower looked as though it had wandered in from a midsummer dream, this is it.
Knautia ‘Melton Pastels’ produces an endlessly charming mix of soft pincushion flowers in washed-out shades of blush, lilac, dove-grey and gentle mauve. They bob about on long, slender stems, catching the light and bringing a relaxed, meadowy feel wherever they grow.
Bees absolutely adore them — you’ll often find the flowers gently vibrating with contentment — and the plants flower for months on end if you keep them picked. They’re brilliant in borders, irresistible in wildflower-style plantings, and quietly excellent as cut flowers, lasting well in a jam jar on the kitchen table.
Easy to grow, undemanding, and wonderfully generous, this is one of those flowers that earns its keep many times over — the sort that makes you feel quietly pleased every time you walk past.
Hardy annual
Sowing tips
Sow Knautia ‘Melton Pastels’ directly where it is to flower (or you can start in pots if you prefer), either in early spring or in autumn for earlier blooms the following year. Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil — it dislikes sitting wet, especially over winter.
Rake the soil to a fine tilth, scatter the seed thinly, and lightly cover — it needs a little darkness to germinate but not much. Keep the soil just moist until seedlings appear, then thin to about 25–30cm apart so the plants have room to stretch their elbows.
Once established, it largely gets on with life by itself. A bit of picking and the occasional dead-heading will keep it flowering happily for months.
Unfussy, obliging, and quietly lovely — just how we like them.
20 ish seeds in a packet
90cm
Hardy Annual
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