Colourful and compact, these 'Festival Mix' dwarf lupins have been specially blended to combine glorious jewel-like tones ranging from soft white and pale lemon-yellow to darker hues of pink, cerise and purple. The beautifully bold, candle-like blooms rise up through starry mounds of lush green, palmate leaves and are perfect for bringing joyful colour and structure to your summer garden. Members of the legume family, the petals on the tall flower spikes have a pea-like structure, giving off a delicate, peppery aroma that will attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Reaching a height and spread of 60cm (24in), their compact habit means that they don't need staking, so they are an ideal choice for patio containers or small-space gardening. For an informal look, try planting in clumps or drifts through other flowering perennials such as iris, delphiniums or geraniums - or even ornamental grasses. An eternal cottage garden favourite, they will also look good in contemporary schemes as well as making a fabulous cut flower for your vase. 'Festival Mix' lupins are easy-to-grow hardy perennials that will thrive in a light but moist, well-draining soil, preferring a sunny position that has some shade during the hottest part of the day. An early sowing will bring flowers in the same year, usually between August and September. In subsequent years they will flower from May to July. Supplied as a packet of 30 (approx.) seeds ready to sow indoors in a seed try from January to March, or outdoors into a seed bed from April to June, for transplanting into their final flowering position from May to October.
Daffodils welcome spring with there bright, cheerful flowers in a huge range of sizes, shapes and shades, and miniature varieties are beautiful must-haves for every garden. This delightful collection includes a range of flower shapes in shades of sunny yellow that look absolutely wonderful mixed together. They may be short in stature with small flowers but that only adds to their appeal, being perfect miniatures versions of their bigger, showier relatives. Miniature daffodils are perfect for underplanting shrubs and scattering through lawns and woodland areas for a naturalistic effect, where their bright flowers shine like little stars. They're also superb when packed into pots, indoors or out. Grow them in sun or partial shade, and they'll quickly naturalise, returning in greater numbers year after year.Supplied as 25 bulbs, size 8/10, ready to plant in autumn, growing to a height of 20 cm (8 in) and width of 10 cm (4 in).
True to its name, this giant among sunflowers is one of the tallest you can grow, with huge, long-lasting daisy-shaped blooms measuring up to 60cm (24in) across and reaching a height of up to 360cm (144in). Having the best record-breaking potential, this heirloom variety is the obvious choice for nurturing children's interest in gardening as well as for indulging your competitive streak - even if just to impress the neighbours as the enormous flowers stand tall well above fence height! Originating in North and South America, sunflowers were worshipped by the ancient Incas as a symbol of their sun god. They reached Europe by the sixteenth century, since when they have been grown in abundance by generations of gardeners and commercial growers for their impressive proportions as well as their highly nutritious seeds and oil. Capable of bringing a touch of sunshine to your garden even when days are dull, they are brimming with optimism and the joys of summer. With enormous dark hearts fringed by glorious bright yellow petals, the flowers soak up the sun and redistribute its goodness in the form of large seeds, which you can roast and eat as a snack, scatter over salads or use in your baking - but don't forget to save some for the birds! When the flowers have reached their peak, hang them up to dry naturally and they will provide a welcome autumn and winter buffet for our feathered friends. However tall they grow, the sturdy, slightly prickly upright stems shouldn't need staking, even in exposed positions, although for peace of mind you may want to provide some support, particularly if you are growing for a competition. The immature flowerheads will follow the sun through the day but once the petals have opened, the flowers will remain facing one direction Supplied as a packet of 25 (approx.) seeds ready to sow indoors or outdoors. For best results, sow the seeds outdoors, directly into their flowering position, to allow the roots to establish firmly with uninterrupted growth. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot with well-draining soil. If necessary, add plenty of well-rotted manure or compost to the ground before planting. Sow from March to May either indoors for planting out in June to July, or outdoors directly into their growing position. These hardy annuals will flower from June to September, in the same year as sowing.
A cottage garden favourite with an extra dimension, 'Starlight Scentsation' is an exquisite night-scented stock. What a glorious flower to enhance those balmy summer evenings spent outdoors while their perfume becomes more intense as the dusk descends. Gloriously pretty, with petals in shades of white and palest yellow to the softest lilac pink, mauve and purple, they will dance in the half-light on slender stalks amid delicate grey-green leaves. Indeed, their heady scent and translucent, pollen-rich blooms seem to come alive at night, attracting a whole host of night-feeding bees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths to your garden. This half-hardy annual germinates rapidly and with staggered sowings will perform all summer long, well into early autumn. Its dwarf, bushy habit makes it an ideal choice for the fronts of beds and borders - and perfect for patio containers, where a profusion of these gorgeous flowers can be enjoyed best close at hand. They make a fabulous cut flower too, so you can bring those pretty pastel colours and glorious fragrance indoors. The flowers are edible, with a delicately perfumed flavour. Pick them fresh as a garnish and for scattering over salads, or as a pretty decoration for desserts and cakes. They can even be candied to keep in your store cupboard ready for those sweet dishes. Easy to grow, these night-scented stocks will thrive in a sunny position in well-drained soil or compost, growing to a height of 30cm (12in) and spread of 20cm (8in). Sow outdoors from May to June, directly where they are to flower. The blooms will appear continuously from June to October, in the same year as sowing. Supplied as a packet of 700 (approx.) seeds ready to sow outdoors directly into their flowering position.
A magnificent Dutch Iris, 'Lion King' actually describes the stunning colour of its flowers rather well. The large and extravagant two-tone blooms have falls, which are the lower petals, in golden yellow with burgundy stripes and standards, or upper petals, in copper with a flush of pink. Unlike other varieties of Iris that grow from rhizomes, Dutch Iris grow from bulbs and are superb in pots or borders where they will naturalise to increase your stock of these beautiful plants. The long, strappy grey-green leaves and incredibly strong flower stems look fantastic planted in groups, and they are excellent cut flowers too. Supplied as a pack of 25 bulbs, growing to a height of 50 cm (20 in) and width of 20 cm (8 in).
Calendula 'Art Shades', otherwise known as English or pot marigold, is an enduring cottage garden favourite that looks equally at home in traditional or contemporary planting schemes, where the richly coloured flowers will add cheerful character to your beds, borders or pots. They make a great cut flower for your vase, too, and the dried flowers are also excellent added to pot pourri. This easy-to-grow hardy annual produces masses of frilly petalled, fully double blooms in shades of creamy peach, orange, gold and yellow. They are hugely attractive to many beneficial insects, so make a great companion plant for your kitchen garden. In fact, the petals are edible, with a slightly peppery taste, and make a colourful garnish or addition to salads. They can also be used instead of saffron for colouring rice dishes, or in soups, stews or curries - or even as a substitute for nutmeg, sprinkled over rice pudding. The ancient Egyptians used calendula as a rejuvenating herb and the flowers have been used for centuries in cosmetics and creams for their therapeutic properties. The seeds can be sown directly into their flowering position or started off in seed trays indoors. Either way, they will flower in the same year as sowing. Calendulas thrive in a sunny spot in well-prepared, fertile soil or compost. Once established, these robust little beauties will do equally well through a wet or dry season, and with regular watering and dead-heading will flower all summer long, well into the first frosts of autumn. Supplied as a packet of 200 (approx.) seeds ready to sow outdoors in their flowering position or indoors into trays of compost. Growing to a height of 60cm (24in) and spread of 30cm (12in), sow or transplant outdoors from March to June and again from August to October, directly where they are to flower. Late summer and autumn sowings will flower the following year. Spring sowings will take 10-12 weeks to flower.
A french-bred breakthrough in Forsythia, 'Maree d'Or' (or Golden Bells), has the same spectacular yellow flower displays in early Spring as other varieties, but in a naturally compact, low maintenance form. Reaching only 60-80cm tall, and spreading to 1m or so in 5-7 years, this compact form is perfect for Patio pots and smaller garden borders. All the flower power, and little of the space! Grow in sunny or lightly shade spots in any soils - from acidic to heavy clays, it is a very easy and very hardy and tolerant shrub - a 'good doer' as we like to call them!
Blended to appeal to a wide range of insects, this colourful mix will attract wildlife including butterflies and bees, who feed on the pollen, and will also produce seed heads to providing food for wild birds. Quick and easy to grow, this mix is ideal for creating a natural-looking meadow to attract pollinating insects into your garden. Perfect to get kids interested in gardening or for time-strapped gardeners who want results without the effort! A collection of hardy and half-hardy annuals, these wildflowers also make ideal flowers for cutting so you can bring colour into your home too either in a vase or as part of a mixed bouquet. Never before has it been so important to protect pollinators such as bees, and this wildflower mix is ideal to encourage them into your garden. Bees are invaluable for pollinating a whole range of plants and especially useful for kitchen gardens to enable the formation of many fruits and vegetables. Take a look at our bee book for more details on these fascinating insects. This dazzling mix of some of our best-known annual flowers will give your garden a bright show of colour. The mix contains a selection of these varieties*: BorageCalifornian PoppyCanary GrassChinese AsterCoreopsisCorn CockleCorn MarigoldCornflowerCrimson CloverDillField PoppyFlaxGiliaLarkspurLavenderOreganoPhaceliaPhloxPurple Viper's BuglossVetchYellow MustardZinnia *NB, due to seasonal availability, we cannot guarantee all varieties will be included in each individual packet. Growing to 120cm (48in). Sow outdoors, March-May directly where they are to flower. Flowers June - October. Supplied as 0.5g seed to cover up to 0.5sqm. Native grown seed not taken from the wild CAUTION: Harmful if eaten
One of the most eye-catching and unique tulips with its deep purple, almost black petals, Tulip 'Queen of the Night' looks great planted with white tulips to contrast with the distinctive dark colour which makes it stand out even more. Tulips are one of the most popular bulbs as they are such an easy spring flower to plant and grow and they look great planted in a mix of different colour variations to give vibrant spring colour to your garden, patio or decking. They also make great cut flowers to use in vases and containers on the windowsill to brighten up the house. This fully hardy perennial tulip is easy to grow and will naturalise well if left in the ground. Mix with contrasting colours for dramatic effect. Supplied as a pack of 15 bulbs ready for planting, they are best planted in groups in borders or pots. Place in a sunny or lightly shaded position in rich, well-drained soil.
Blended to appeal to butterflies, this Colourful mix is easy to grow and quick to flower from seed. A rich and varied combination of colourful annuals that will brighten up any spare patch of garden. All of the annual flowers are a great source of nectar, providing food for butterflies and other pollinating insects all summer long. Quick and easy to grow, this mix is ideal for creating a natural-looking meadow to attract pollinating insects into your garden. Perfect to get kids interested in gardening or for time-strapped gardeners who want results without the effort! A collection of hardy annuals, these wildflowers also make ideal flowers for cutting so you can bring colour into your home too either in a vase or as part of a mixed bouquet. Never before has it been so important to protect pollinators and this wildflower is ideal to encourage them into your garden. Invaluable for pollinating a whole range of plants and especially useful for kitchen gardens to enable the formation of many fruits and vegetables. This mixture of easy-to-grow, hardy annuals will flower the same year as sowing. Growing to 90cm (36in). Sow outdoors March to May, directly where they are to flower. Flowers June to October. Supplied as a pack of 0.5g, sufficient for 0.5sqm
Triumph tulips were created by crossing two highly regarded and successful varieties, Single Early and Darwin. The result is a range of outstanding, robust tulips in a range of fabulous colours. This spectacular variety has large, sumptuous, rich velvety single purple flowers. Goblet shaped, they're held on very strong, straight stems. Try growing them with other tulips in shades of pink and mauve for a calm, sophisticated look, or plant them alongside bright oranges and yellows for a daring colour contrast. Growing happily in sun or partial shade, they are ideal in large planters or in flower borders, especially in large groups. The long, straight stems make them wonderful for cutting for spectacular indoor displays. Tulips are very easy to grow and care for and can be left in the ground after flowering as long as it's well drained, so you'll get another wonderful display the following year as they slowly naturalise and spread, or they can be dug up and stored over winter before replanting the following spring. Supplied as 15 bulbs, size 11/12, ready to plant in autumn, growing to a height of 50 cm (20 in) and width of 15 cm (6 in).
Triumph tulips are a cross between two exceptional and successful varieties, Single Early and Darwin. The result is a range of outstanding, robust tulips in a range of fabulous colours. Large, cup shaped single flowers in bright red and pure white stand out impressively above the upright, grey-green foliage of tulip 'Triumph Red and White'. They look spectacular planted together or dotted through borders for cheerful splash of spring colour. Triumph tulips will thrive in sun or partial shade, they are ideal in large pots or in flower borders, especially in large groups and the long, straight stems make them wonderful for cutting for indoor displays. Tulips are very easy to grow and care for and can be left in the ground after flowering as long as it's well drained, so you'll get another wonderful display the following year as they slowly naturalise and spread, or they can be dug up and stored over winter before replanting the following spring. Supplied as 15 bulbs, size 11/12, ready to plant in autumn, growing to a height of 50 cm (20 in) and width of 15 cm (6 in).
An unusual, but easy to grow compact shrub, producing stunning winter flower displays just as the days start to lengthen to spring. The branches are covered with gorgeously fragrant pink flowers - each one with a yellow centre - which appear on bare stems before the leaves re-emerge. Reaching a compact 1.5m height and spread over 10 years, it is perfect for smaller gardens, and can be grown in large pots for patio use too. It prefers sunny, sheltered locations, and is hardy to -6C or more. Very little pruning or maintenance required.
Just imagine this lovely holly in your garden, where it will add form and colour, giving you interest all year round. Blue Maid is a female variety of blue holly, producing masses of tiny, white flowers in spring that are followed by bright red berries in autumn if you have a male holly nearby. Its leaves are less spiky than other hollies and have a distinct contrast between the light green underside and deep blue-green upper. Easy to grow and virtually maintenance-free, they just need a slightly acid, fertile soil and regular watering for the first couple of years. Because the branches of this holly tend to hold onto their leaves much better than other varieties they make amazing topiary specimens and can be grown as a specimen tree in pots and border to add height, or grown as an unusual hedge. For extra wow factor, grow in pairs in large pots either side of porches or doorways and gates. Very hardy and tough, and with excellent tolerance to British winters, Blue Maid will withstand temperatures to -27°C without any damage and requires almost no maintenance each year apart from an annual trim to keep to shape. Supplied as an established young tree in a 9cm pot, ready to pot on or plant up.
A great mixture of tulips to give you a kaleidoscope of colour. They are incredibly versatile, very strong and sturdy, with the classic tulip shape. Tulips are one of the most popular bulbs, as they are are great planted with many different colour variations to give a fresh, vibrant spring colour to your garden, patio or decking. They also make great cut flowers to brighten up the house. Plant in autumn for stunning spring displays.
One of the earliest flowering tulips, 'Johann Strauss' also known as the ''Water Lily Tulip'' because the petals open in the sun are a dwarf variety that will create dramatic displays in your garden. The soft white flowers have a red and yellow coloured details on its outer petals. Flowering in early spring, they will bring pops of simply stunning colour to your garden. Perfect in pots, they will also look incredible in rock gardens, borders and containers. Tulips are one of the most popular bulbs, as they are great planted with many different colour variations to give a fresh, vibrant spring colour to your garden, patio or decking. They also make great cut flowers to brighten up the house. Supplied as a pack of 12 bulbs ready for planting, they are best planted in groups in borders or pots. Place in a sunny or lightly shaded position in rich, well-drained soil.
A beautiful striking colour, with a Lily like pointed flower shape. 'Ballade' tulips have deep red petals with well-defined ivory white edges. Tulips are one of the most popular bulbs, as they are great planted with many different colour variations to give a fresh, vibrant spring colour to your garden, patio or decking. They also make great cut flowers to brighten up the house or giving to loved ones. Very easy to grow and care for, tulips can be left in the ground after flowering as long as it's well drained, so you'll get another wonderful display the following year as they slowly naturalise and spread, or they can be dug up and stored over winter before replanting the following autumn. Supplied as 15 bulbs, size 10/11, ready to plant in autumn, growing to a height of 55cm and width of 15cm.
P>Although parrot tulips are often incredibly flamboyant and colourful, completely stealing the show in the spring garden, there are varieties that are altogether more elegant and peaceful. 'White Parrot' is just that. With it extremely large flowers standing above grey-green foliage, it is a perfect exercise in restraint. They flowers are no less beautiful that any other parrot tulip, but in clean ivory white, with just a small splash of green, the feathery petals take on an understated grace that is incredibly attractive. As they age, the flowers open almost flat like white porcelain plates. They look incredible when planted in large groups in pots and flower borders, and are wonderful cut for indoor arrangements, especially added to other white and cream blooms. Tulips are very easy to grow and care for and can be left in the ground after flowering as long as it's well drained, so you'll get another wonderful display the following year as they slowly naturalise and spread, or they can be dug up and stored over winter before replanting the following autumn. Choose a sheltered spot as 'White Parrot' can be sentitive to cold, wet conditions. Supplied as 12 bulbs, size 10/11, ready to plant in autumn, growing to a height of 45 cm (18 in) and width of 15 cm (6 in).
Parrot tulips are wonderfully flamboyant and some of the showiest tulips available with their incredible flower shapes and stunning colours. Emerging from lush grey-green foliage, the enormous bowl-shaped flowers of 'Rococo' burst open in a show stopping explosion of bright, velvety red flowers with luscious dark maroon markings and vivid lime green highlights. As they age, the flowers open almost flat like plates, showing off their stunning colours. They make a bold statement when planted in large groups in pots and flower borders, these are incredibly impressive tulips and wonderful cut flowers for luxurious indoor arrangements. Tulips are very easy to grow and care for and can be left in the ground after flowering as long as it's well drained, so you'll get another wonderful display the following year as they slowly naturalise and spread, or they can be dug up and stored over winter before replanting the following autumn. Supplied as 12 bulbs, size 10/11, ready to plant in autumn, growing to a height of 45 cm (18 in) and width of 15 cm (6 in).
This delightful perennial salvia is closely related to the much-admired 'Hot Lips', and similarly produces an abundance of eye-catching, bicoloured (or sometimes solid) purple and white flowers throughout the summer. An unusual and very pretty hardy member of the sage family, Amethyst Lips is a great 'doer' and will look incredible in a patio pot or in a sunny border! The bright, two-tone flowers will light up your garden in purple and white, from early summer to the first frosts in October, in a wonderful 5-month display. As a bonus, the leaves are lightly scented too which only adds to the appeal of this charming plant. This salvia is winter hardy and will die back underground in the autumn only to burst into life again with fresh new growth each spring. In cooler summers, you will get whiter flowers, and in hot ones you will get lots of purple. This Salvia is really easy to care for and flowers prolifically with minimal care perfect for beginners!