It’s easy to grow your own flowers from seed. Here’s beautiful flowers, growing information & seed collections for gifts.
COUNTRY GARDEN SEED SHOP
Darkly Dramatic Annuals
Darkly Dramatic Flower Seeds
Papaver somniferum 'Laurens Grape' is a tall poppy with large deep plummy purple flowers followed by lovely fat seed heads.
Scabiosa atropurpurea 'Black Knight' has fascinating lime green buds and glamorous rich dark burgundy flowers followed by amazing seed heads. It is easy to grow and produces masses of flowers for cutting.
If you love lacy flowers you will adore Daucus carota 'Dara'. It has long stems and feathery foliage topped by large flowers in shades of burgundy and soft pink. They add a delightfully airy touch planted in drifts in borders. Daucus is good for cutting too… add them to mixed bunches of flowers to create a lovely contemporary look. You may know Daucus carota as the Wild Carrot or False Queen Anne’s Lace. ***Please note that this plant is not edible***
Strictly speaking Daucus Dara is a Biennial plant and Scabiosa 'Black Knight is a short lived perennial but I suggest you treat them like Hardy Annuals like the Poppy so you can choose the flowering time. Sow in January or February indoors for flowers from late May onwards, direct sow in April/May for flowers in summer and autumn. Finally treat them as biennials and sow in summer from June to September for early flowers the following year.
These three darkly dramatic flowers compliment each other very well. They make a good combination in the garden and they're lovely in a vase together too.
| Genus | Three packets of seed: Papaver Laurens 'Grape', Scabiosa atropurpurea 'Black' & Daucus carota 'Dara' |
| Common Names | Poppies, Scabious and Wild Carrot |
| Plant Type | Treat as Hardy Annuals. Lovely in the garden and Cut Flowers |
| Height & Spread | 75-90cm tall x 30cm wide (3 feet tall x 12 inches) |
| Sow Seeds | Sow indoors in early autumn then plant out in flowering position 4-6 weeks later or sow direct in autumn. Sow indoors in late winter/early spring then plant out in April/May. Sow direct from May onwards. |
| Thin/Plant Out | Allow 30cm (12 inches) between plants. |
| Conditions Required | Prefer well drained soil in full sun. In cold areas may need protection in winter. |
| Flower Production | Glamorous flowers produced from June to October as long as you keep picking. Interesting seed heads form if you let them. |
| Picking | Pick early in the morning and stand them in deep water for a few hours before arranging. Lasts 7 days in a vase. Poppies only last a few days but the seed heads can also be used in floral displays. |
| Planting Combinations | Some of the loveliest flowers you can grow for cutting. Great in the garden or in a vase with other dark or lime flowers. |
Thanks very much for your reviews!
"What a lovely company! My seeds arrived much earlier than expected. In the package were my seeds, a lovely card from the company, full instructions on how to sow, plant, cultivate and use as cut flowers. Added to that there was a free pack of Gypsophila seeds to compliment the Daucus seeds. Very impressed indeed. If all companies treated their customers with this much respect and consideration.....the world would be a better place. Thank you Country Garden Seeds." Freckles 28th June 2018
"Arrived promptly, well packaged with clear and detailed instructions on how to grow. I also received a complimentary pack of seeds which were suggested as a good growing companion, and I agree! Not planted yet, but I can smell them through the packaging which suggests they're good and fresh! I saw these growing at gardeners world last year and they're just so beautiful!" Emma 4th April 2018
"Wow! I received my seeds this morning having only ordered them yesterday. They arrived with a lovely handwritten note as well as a free sample of Sweet William seeds. The growing advice includes helpful tips for prolonging the flowering season and cutting for floristry. All are detailed and clearly written by someone who loves what they do. I can't wait for this snow to go away so I can get planting! Thank you Gillian, I will certainly be buying from you again." Kaya 17th March 2018