Napoleon brought the seed back from Egypt for Josephine; she was so delighted by its sweet fragrance that she named it "Mignonette" or "little darling". This was a cottage garden classic. Grows to 18- 24", with tiny, greenish flowers. Good for tucking around other plants in your border, or grow near entrances so that you can fully enjoy its scent. Sun
Introduced in 1824, this Chilean native is related to the petunia. Producing an ongoing array of jewel-toned, trumpet-shaped flowers with velvety textures, this gorgeous annual was one of the first flowers I grew from seed (and one of the reasons I got hooked on seed-starting!). Grows to 2', producing a wide variety of coloured blooms all summer. Highly recommended.
A very old garden plant, grown by both Gerard and John Tradescant, with floral bracts of either purple or pink around blue flowers. Very ornamental. I love this plant in my late summer garden! Dwarf, spreading habit. Sun.
Aka Aztec Marigold. I have avoided carrying Marigolds, as I felt they were “too common” and could be obtained anywhere. That was before I did some more research and realized that there are a few heirloom Marigolds that deserve a place in our gardens and that I had been a bit of a garden snob. The African Marigold is one of two parents of most modern hybrids. It actually is native to Mexico & Central America, but came to Europe by way of North Africa so was mistakenly assumed to be from there. Its recorded history goes back to the Aztecs and in the 16th C it was sent to Spain and grown in monastery gardens there as the “Rose of the Indies”. It is tall (36”) with large 3-4” showy flowers in a mix of colours ranging from orange through gold to lemon. Great companion plants for tomatoes and cucumbers and the flowers are edible. Sun.
SORRY, SOLD OUT FOR 2010. The other main species of marigold, this one also originated in Mexico and arrived in Europe in the 16th C., from Spain through France. It's believed to have entered England with Huguenots fleeing the massacre of St. Bartholomew in 1572. People have always felt conflicted about the Marigold - loving its beautiful flowers but somewhat less enthusiastic about its hallmark smell. One long-ago garden writer said that "most chuse to admire its charms at a distance only" (Hanbury). Growing to 14", with 1-2" flowers in various hues of yellow through to red, the French marigold was a Victorian mainstay for bedding and exhibition. It's particularly useful for companion-planting.
A native of Mexico, this beautiful plant deserves to be more widely grown. Why? It grows to a bushy 6’; is drought-tolerant; produces abundant, large dahlia-like, reddish-orange flowers mid-summer until frost; makes a beautiful cut flower; is loved by hummingbirds and butterflies and hated by deer! Sun.
A modern name for an old variegated cultivar. The leaves are beautifully mottled cream-and-green, with semi-double flowers in a variety of bright colours. Grows to 8”. Limited quantities.
The Nasturtium is an old cottage-garden plant that has been grown since the 16th C., and is often overlooked now by gardeners. There are, however, some beautiful old varieties still available. As well, all parts of the plant are edible (if you don't use pesticides!) - the leaves have a peppery taste, the flowers are often used to garnish salads, and the seeds can be pickled! Grow in sun/light shade in soil not too rich. Empress of India is a very old variety with very dark foliage, above which sit deep red flowers. Breathtaking! Grows to 9".
Named for its unusually-shaped, fringed, bright yellow flowers, this relative of the Nasturtium quickly grows to 10’. A cottage garden favourite, originally from South America, it was considered by Robinson, in the late 19th C, to be “almost unrivalled for elegance among native creepers”.
1726. This tall (4-5') member of the Verbena family was the first to reach Britain, from a specimen sent from Buenos Aires. It quickly became a cottage garden staple, with its eye-catching clusters of lilac- purple florets on rigid stems. Long blooming period. Self-seeds modestly.
A mix of perennial and annual wildflowers that will grow in partial shade (4 hrs of sunlight daily). Contains seeds of: Anagallis, Aquilegia, Cheiranthus, Chrysanthemum maximum, Clarkia, Collinsia, Coreopsis, Cynoglossum, Sweet William, Foxglove, Purple Coneflower, Baby’s Breath, Iberis, Toadflax, Forget Me Not, Nemophila, Field Poppy, Viola.
SORRY SOLD OUT FOR 2010. This high-quality mixture includes a variety of North-American perennial and annual wildflowers that attract and help sustain these beautiful winged visitors to our gardens. Each packet sows approximately 100 sq ft. Contains seeds of: Amaranthus audatus, Asclepias curassavica, Aster bigelovii, Clarkia amoena, Coreopsis tinctoria, Cosmos bipannatus, Echinacea purpurea, Gaillardia pulchella, Lupinus perennis, Malope trifica,Monarda citriodora, Ratibida columnifera, Rudbeckia hirta,Salvia coccinea, Saponaria vaccaria, Zinnia elegans.
This is a very old flower, mentioned in documents as early as 1801. Growing to 2', with a sturdy growth habit, it sports masses of tiny, bright red, spider-like flowers from mid-summer to frost.The effect is quite awesome! People who have grown it are wowed by it. Very rare.
