"K" wrote in message
...
Peter Sutton writes

C Lloyd did grow Lupins, but because you can't do anything with them
afterwards, he grew them as biennials then composted them. He sowed
them
in
autumn so they would flower early the next year. I wish them to flower
early
too, as I have a shortage of good early flowering plants and a surplus
of
good late flowering plants. I appreciate they don't flower for that
long,
so
would be grateful of any suggestions of other early flowering
biennials.

Wallflowers ;-)

A lot of annuals can be sown in August or September for early flowers -
would that be an alternative?
--
Thanks K. Am currently growing wallflowers for next year. I did try a
number
of annuals last August, mentioned in CL's books. But they did not get
very
big and all, in a cold frame, were lost over winter. But will try again.

Calendulas and Eschscholzias are ones I've had success with in the past
as being fairly hardy. I think you need to plant them early enough to
get a reasonable sized plant before winter, which means, if you're in
Yorkshire, planting them a bit earlier than it says on the packet.

Last winter calendulas survived all the way through the winter, and I've
had them in full flower for several weeks. Also self seeded nigella is
just about to come out.

Sweet peas are something that seem to do better if planted in the autumn
- don't know how they are in a cold frame, but mine overwinter well in
the unheated end of the greenhouse, and they're in full bloom now.

Thanks K, I think you are right. It is better to late-sow annuals too early
rather than too late. As far as biennials are concerned - better to sow them
too early as well. I understand competative Pelargonium growers pinch out
their young plants to stop them flowering in the first year, so they are
rareing to go in their second and exhibition year. I don't see why the same
principle shouldn't hold for biennials. I was just hopeing someone had some
first hand experience. Thanks everyone for your help.