Cottage Garden Annuals for the Patio Garden
Old Fashioned Summer Gardening Style in Pots and Window Boxes
May 14, 2009
The cottage gardens of old were the very essence of summertime with billowing borders of annual cosmos, cornflowers, flax and love in the mist, while close to the kitchen door stood tubs of night-scented stock, sweet smelling nicotiana and luminous evening primroses. Although not all of these annuals are suitable for the tub or window box there are plenty that can be easily cultivated and create the same effect.
The selection of cottage garden annuals for containers (below) has been made on the basis that all the seeds can be sown where they are to flower and there is relatively little to do in the way of seedling care.
Preparation:
May is the perfect time to prepare your window boxes or patios tubs ready for a show – stopping display of summer annuals. First attend to the tubs: Pots and window boxes should be as large or as deep as space allows to aid the development of a good root structure. Annuals are hungry and thirsty plants as they require lots of energy in-order to grow, develop and flower in a single season.
It is important that fresh compost is used with addition of a slow release fertiliser and water retention granules which should help provide nourishment throughout the summer.
Cultivation:
Virginia Stock (Malcolmia): One of the easiest annuals to grow. A thin scattering of seeds anywhere – even in cracks in the paving stones - and the plant will soon flower. Often dismissed as little short of a weed this is such a pretty little annual it deserves a better reputation.
Recommended Variety: M maritime white, mauve, pink and blue flowers
Flowering: July – October
Propagation: Sow seeds in spring for summer flowering, summer for autumn flowering and autumn for blooming in the spring. No thinning required.
Cosmos : Lovely billowing blooms on long stems in a variety of pinks or white. Provides a long lasting floral display and is good as a cut flower.
Recommended Variety: C Bipinatus Sensation Mixed 3ft tall white pink, or red flowers.
Flowering: July - October
Propagation: Sow where they are to flower in May. Thin as required. Once the seedling has produced three or four set of leaves nip out the growing tip to create a bushier plant that won’t need staking.
Love in the Mist (Nigella): Grown in cottage gardens since the 16th century it is easily grown and admired, as much for the cornflower blue heads and feather fine green foliage, as it is for it’s wonderful seed heads.
Recommended Variety: N damascena Miss Jekyll (cornflower blue) or N damascena Persian Rose ( pale pink)
Flowering Period: June – September
Propagation: Sow seeds April / May where they are to flower - thin a little if required.
Cornflowers (centaurea) : Once regarded as a common farmland weed this lovely annual has returned to favour. Wiry stems bear sprays of blue flowers on a lovely grey green leaf.
Recommended Variety: C cyanus Jubilee gem – a dwarf variety which only grows to about 1ft high and is the traditional cornflower blue.
Flowering: June to September
Propagation: Sow seeds now in April or May where they are to flower. Thin as required.
Clarkia: The perfect substitute for hollyhocks and delphiniums which are too tall for the window box or patio tub.
Recommended Variety: C elegans. Bouquet Mixed Flowers are semi double or double in a range of pinks and purples with blooms up to 8cm across.
Flowering: July to October in full sun
Propagation: Sow seeds April / May where they are to flower. Thin as required.
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