Hardy Annuals

Persian Cress or Ornamental Cress is a trendy filler green among floral artists and they keep it in regular demand. This easy to grow filler foliage grows upright, sturdy branches decorated with tiny, silvery seed pods by the thousands.The flower stems are durable and age well, turning golden at the end of the season.

The Ox-eye Daisy is one of the most familiar of all summer flowers. They can be planted at almost any time of year. When seen naturalised in drifts in a sunny wildflower meadow, adorning roadside and meadows or even in a little corner of the garden they are spectacular.

Classic and richly scented, Brompton Stocks are the aristocrats of the stock family. These tall, elegant biennials produce dense spikes of double and single blooms in a sumptuous mix of colours. The flowers are extremely fragrant, in bloom from late spring and are excellent for cutting.

Full, lush, double blooms, with a velvety texture are dressed in a dusky, old-world hue, soft mauve-pink with hints of smoky lavender. Matthiola 'Mathilda Antique Rose' can be sown early in spring to give a summer flowering display or if treated as biennials, the flowers will be ready for Valentine’s Day.

Matthiola incana, commonly known as 'Stocks' are highly adaptable. They can be sown early in spring to give a summer flowering display or can be treated as biennials. Seedlings started inside in October will have the flowers ready for Valentine’s Day. The extra trouble of overwintering the plants is compensated by the showy spring floral display.

Matthiola incana 'Apricot' is a variety of the traditional tall stocks that are grown for the floral industry. The plants have large flower heads and grow to a height of 75cm. Extremely fashionable, the delicate peachy-apricot flowers are long lasting and magnificently fragrant with a sweet and spicy clove scent.

Matthiola incana 'Avalanche' is a marvellous cut flower strain that reliably produces densely populated panicles on strong, single stems. It produces a high percentage of double flowers that can be selected based on leaf colour. Sow anytime from January to July for flowering April to October.

Matthiola incana 'Sweetheart' with the delicate pale-pink blooms is a variety that is traditionally grown for the floral industry. They can be sown early in spring to give a good summer flower display or can be treated as biennials. Seedlings started inside in October will have the flowers ready for Valentine’s Day.

Night or Evening-scented Stock is one of the easiest and rewarding scented plants to grow. The flowers open in the late afternoon and emit a most delightful fragrance. The scent has been compared to vanilla, rose, spice and even cloves. It will become a summer fragrance you will never want to be without.

Matthiola 'Starlight Scentsation Mix has been developed to give a balanced blend of soft colours and a reliably strong scent throughout summer. They flower rapidly in a modern, soft pastel blend of lilac, mauve, pink and cream. Perfect for borders and containers, they also make a lovely, fragrant cut flower.

'Bells of Ireland' are flowers to please anyone who loves flower arranging. Long lasting once cut, they can also be drie. They are very useful for winter arrangements but they also look good in flower borders and with the recent fashion for green blooms are becoming more sought after.

The much-loved, blue Forget-me-nots have the ability to stimulate nostalgic memories. They are a wonderful ground cover for a shady area, although they will also grow in full sun. They are easy to grow and if left alone, will create a lovely blue blanket of flowers.

Nepeta ‘Dark Blue Panther’ is the dark blue flowered variety and sister to 'Pink Panther' and the beautiful white 'Snow' Panther. This award winning variety starts to flower just 15 weeks after sowing and can be can be grown as an annual or as a flowering perennial.

Nepeta subsessilis 'Pink Panther' is the pink form of large-flowered Nepeta which is grown from seed and flowers during the first year. It can be grown as an annual or as a flowering perennial. Flowering from June until the end of September, they work well as an informal low hedge or mixed in the border with other annuals or perennials.

Recognised as having the largest flowers of all the nepetas and only one with white flowers, Nepeta subsessilis 'Snow Panther' flowers during the first year and can be grown as an annual or as a flowering perennial. This award winning variety is extremely attractive to bees and butterflies they are also excellent for containers.

'Miss Jekyll Rose' is much less common than the usual blue varieties of Nigella, bearing wonderful rose-pink flowers which seem to float amongst the finely cut leaves. One of the most interesting shaped flowers you will ever see, and once the petals drop, the blossoms transform into little fairy lanterns and the seed pods can be dried for winter decorations

Nigella 'Moody Blues' produces blooms in many shades of blue, from sky blue right through to deep midnight blue. Nigella are ridiculously easy to grow. Sown directly, they will be flowering in just three months and bloom right through to October. In cool summer climates, additional sowings can be done every 3 to 4 weeks until mid-summer.

'Albion Black Pod' is much less common than the usual Nigella varieties, It bears delicate romantic white flowers with intriguing little green stamens that are surrounded by ferny foliage. At the end of the season, the petals drop and the blossoms transform into dark plum fairy lanterns.

'Albion Green Pod' is an unusual species of Nigella. The flowers are followed by fresh green, very ornamental seed capsules, are held on stiff stems that are perfect for use as a cut flower. They dry readily and easily, are very decorative and very useful for fresh and dried bouquets and winter decorations indoors.

An unusual twist on the classic cottage garden flower, Nigella 'Transformer' adds intriguing texture with its uniquely shaped flowers and upright, seed pods. A good choice for borders, mass plantings or cut flowers. Used fresh or dried the seed pods are a great filler in bouquets, cut flower production is just 12 to 16 weeks.

Nigella papillosa ‘African Bride’ is a most attractive variety. Deep rich purple stamens that highlight pure white blooms are followed by intriguing red seed pods. also known as White Love-in-a-Mist or Eclipse, this hardy annual is very easy to grow, rather special as a cut flower, and lovely in summer borders too.