The best perennials that bloom in their first year from seed – for a garden full of colour, fast
Among the herbaceous perennials we enjoy in gardens year-to-year are some that, grown from seed, go on to flower within 12 months
Among the herbaceous perennials we enjoy in gardens year-to-year are some that, when grown from seed, go on to flower within their first year, making them a cost-effective and sustainable choice for new plantings.
While many gardeners know a simple and quick way to increase the number of perennials is through division, relatively few have a go at growing perennials from seed. Buying potted plants from garden centres or nurseries works well if you are looking to fill the occasional gap or add new flowers to existing borders, but planting a whole new area can be an expensive business if you rely only on this method, and while dividing existing plants gives you material, it will only be more of the same.
What many nurserymen might rather you didn’t know is that many popular perennials will easily flower in their first year from sowing, and that this process is usually as simple as growing annuals or bedding plants from seed. If you need quantities of plants, perhaps for a drift of achillea through a sunny border, a swathe of digitalis below trees or a path edged with nepeta, growing from seed is worth considering.
What to consider when choosing perennials
You’ll find both drought-resistant and shade-tolerant perennials among potential choices, as well as some popular and often expensive plants. Many of these are by nature quick-growing, so although they may be initially smaller on planting than shop-bought stock, they’ll soon catch up and fully bulk up the following year. There are other reasons why growing from seed makes sense.
Sustainability Buying from garden centres comes with a cost to the environment, be it in transport (some plants travel around the country or are imported from overseas), compost, pots, and associated packaging. Raising from seed cuts much of this and allows you to grow in reused pots and choose peat-free compost.
Choose seedling variation or sow a named selection Depending on the effect you want, the variation that naturally occurs when plants are grown from seed potentially offers you plants that look slightly different from each other. They could vary in stature or have variable flower colour, giving plantings a natural look. This variability is likely if you sow seed that is home collected. If you don’t want this effect, pick shop-bought seed that provides consistent results.
Grow a mix or colour blend Shop-bought packets of seed may provide a mix of different flower colours, again offering diversity and choice.
When to sow first-year flowering perennials
In many cases, perennials that can flower in the first year from seed are sown early, usually in February or March, to give seedlings as long a growing season as possible to develop and bloom. If you miss this window, all is not lost.
Later sowings still provide healthy plants, but they may be less likely to provide a decent show in their debut season. You then have another chance with plants that can be sown in summer and autumn, such as Aquilegia, Delphinium, or Digitalis. These too flower within 12 months, but the following spring and summer after planting out in autumn or spring.
It’s important to provide your young plants with the best conditions, as you want them to grow quickly and strongly. If you are buying packet seed, sowing time information will be on the reverse of the packet.
Essential kit for sowing perennials
Before the sowing season begins, prepare yourself by assembling all the items you’ll need. Think outside the box: it’s easy to repurpose all manner of materials for seed sowing rather than buying new.
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Try to re-use old seed trays, making sure they are clean before sowing. Alternatively, try re-purposing plastic, foil, or organic food trays (from instant meals). If you choose to buy new trays, look for wooden choices such as those sold by Nutscene.
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Don’t use multi-purpose compost, but choose peat-free, seed-sowing compost formulated for the job. This great-value 28L bag will see you through lots of your planting for the season.
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A pack of 10 stunning plant labels, all you need to do is write your plant names in a ballpoint pen, and they will be permanently indented onto the label. Secure them to your plants with the accompanying copper ties and you’ll never confuse them again.
How to sow
Begin by reading the instructions on the seed packet. If you’ve collected your own seed, consult a trusted book or internet site for details. Some seed may germinate better if soaked or chilled before sowing.
Fill a seed tray to within 2cm of the top with seed compost. Firm gently by pressing an empty seed tray down on top. Small numbers of seed may be best sown on compost in a shallow pot. Use a hand mister to moisten compost surface.
Scatter seeds over the surface of the mix. Some like to be surface-sown, other need covering with a thin layer of soil or if you prefer, vermiculite.
Cover seeds with a polythene bag or place in a windowsill propagator to germinate. Seeds need to be warm and in good light. They should germinate in 3-5 weeks although some will be quicker. Not all seed will germinate.
Allow seedlings to grow on for a few weeks, gradually opening the bag or removing the propagator lid for a few hours each day to harden off. If seedlings wilt, replace covering promptly. Eventually the covering can be removed altogether.
Prick out individual seedlings and pot them up into small containers. Keep indoors before transferring to a cold frame to grow on once conditions outside are mild. Plants can be planted out into prepared when roots fill these pots.
The best first-year flowering perennials to try
1. Achillea millefolium
Achillea millefolium is a hardy, spreading native wildflower with finely divided, aromatic green foliage and clusters of delicate white flowers, occasionally tinged with pink or cream, held above sturdy ribbed stems. Its natural, airy appearance makes it one of my all time favourite choices for wildflower gardens, meadows, or planted alongside ornamental grasses, where it’s one of the best plants for bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and other pollinating insects. The long-lasting blooms are also ideal for fresh floral arrangements and can be dried to enjoy in decorative displays.
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You can sow yarrow seeds on the surface of moist, well-drained compost in spring or autumn, as they need light to germinate and should only be lightly pressed into the soil rather than covered. Try to keep the compost consistently moist but not waterlogged, and place the seed tray in a bright, warm spot until seedlings appear, usually within 2–3 weeks. Once they are large enough to handle, you can transplant the seedlings into individual pots and plant them outdoors after they have established.
2. Agastache
Agastache is a beautiful, upright perennial prized for its tall spikes of long-lasting, nectar-rich flowers and aromatic foliage. I adore it as a lavender-like alternative. Flowering from summer into autumn, it brings height, movement, and vibrant colour to sunny borders while attracting bees, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators. Thriving in well-drained soil and full sun, Agastache combines especially well with ornamental grasses and other drought-tolerant perennials, making it an excellent choice for wildlife-friendly and Mediterranean-style gardens.
Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’ is a striking upright perennial with fragrant, peppermint-scented foliage and elegant spires of lilac-blue flowers that bloom from early summer through autumn. Although relatively short-lived, replacing older plants every few years and allowing a few seedlings to establish will ensure a bounteous display of vibrant colour.
3. Coreopsis
Coreopsis is a cheerful, long-flowering perennial that produces masses of bright, daisy-like blooms in shades of yellow, gold, pink, or red from early summer into autumn. It’s remarkably easy to grow and tolerant of heat and drought once established, plus, it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, adding vibrant colour to borders, cottage gardens, and pollinator-friendly planting schemes.
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4. Delphinium
Growing delphiniums is surprisingly easy; they can be quite picky about their conditions. They will thrive in six to eight hours of full sun each day and should ideally be grown in rich, well-drained, slightly alkaline soil. Their magnificent height commands attention in a garden, but with some varieties stretching to 1.6M tall, they do need some support.
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Delphinium ‘Galahad’ is an elegant cottage garden perennial, producing tall, stately spires of pure white flowers that rise above dense clumps of rich green foliage. Flowering in early to mid-summer, its lovely blooms create a striking vertical accent in sunny borders and are fantastic for cutting.
5. Digitalis purpurea
Shade lover and technically a biennial but plants often survive several years. Sow in summer outdoors in drills and thin once germinated. Plants can be moved to their flowering positions in late winter. It thrives in sun or partial shade and adds height and natural charm to cottage gardens, woodland edges, and wildlife-friendly borders. It readily self-seeds in suitable conditions, creating beautiful, informal drifts of flowers year after year.
6. Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea purpurea, commonly known as the purple coneflower, is a hardy perennial that produces large, daisy-like flowers with rosy-purple petals surrounding a distinctive copper-orange cone from mid-summer into autumn. It’s very easy to grow in full sun and well-drained soil, and is adored by bees and butterflies, while the seed heads provide food for garden birds later in the season.
Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’ is a standout perennial with a strong, upright habit and striking, deep pink blooms held on sturdy stems above a clump of dark green foliage. Its unusually wide, outward-facing petals give the flowers a bold, open appearance, which results in the most vibrant and dazzling display from midsummer into autumn.
Some other important must-haves for seed sowing include re-used polythene bags or a windowsill propagation kit, covering seed trays with a polythene bag (many gardeners recycle the polythene dry cleaning comes home in) maintains humidity and warmth while the seed is germinating. Avoid single-use plastic food wrap. Alternatively, you may decide a covered windowsill propagation tray that can be used year-to-year is worth investing in. Small plant pots from Amazon are another must and are needed for your seedlings. Re-use old ones, ask gardening friends for any that are spare, or collect and re-purpose small yoghurt pots.
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