I'm very much an average gardener. Only really got into this year. I bought a heated propagator and I've successfully grown some chilli and pepper seedlings. Yes I started off early in the season! And got a blueberry plant and a Weigela I'm both nursing. The garden is typically the parents domain- I'm 23 and live at home- but currently staring out to the back it's looking rather scruffy.

I'm now wanting some flowering plants, are perennials the ones that flower year after year just so I am clear?

Can anybody offer any advice for some seeds to get? Ideally I would like them to be evergreen too, to give some winter colour other than brown and to flower each year. If possible I would like them to flower this year too.

There seems to be loads out there and I would just be picking what I like the looks of. Or is this the best thing to do?

A lot seem to say they flower second year, would they be safe outside over winter in their first year?

A barage of questions but hopefully some-one can make some sense and be able to give some advise.

Thanks.

In message , ashyboi5000
writes

I'm very much an average gardener. Only really got into this year. I
bought a heated propagator and I've successfully grown some chilli and
pepper seedlings. Yes I started off early in the season! And got a
blueberry plant and a Weigela I'm both nursing. The garden is typically
the parents domain- I'm 23 and live at home- but currently staring out
to the back it's looking rather scruffy.

I'm now wanting some flowering plants, are perennials the ones that
flower year after year just so I am clear?

A perennial is a plant which lives for several years. In horticultural
usage, perennial often refers to a subset of these - hardy herbaceous
perennials -which excludes trees and shrubs, and commonly also other
groups of plants such as bulbs, or aquatic or marginal plants.

Most perennials do flower year after year, but there are exceptions.
Monocarpic perennials grow for several years before flowering and then
dieing.

Can anybody offer any advice for some seeds to get? Ideally I would
like
them to be evergreen too, to give some winter colour other than brown
and to flower each year. If possible I would like them to flower this
year too.

There seems to be loads out there and I would just be picking what I
like the looks of. Or is this the best thing to do?

A lot seem to say they flower second year, would they be safe outside
over winter in their first year?

A hardy perennial should overwinter OK (some are intolerant of winter
wet), a half-hardy perennial won't cope with a British winter, and a
tender perennial will struggle with a British summer.

A barage of questions but hopefully some-one can make some sense and be
able to give some advise.

Thanks.


--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

On Feb 20, 1:42*pm, ashyboi5000
wrote:
I'm very much an average gardener. Only really got into this year. I
bought a heated propagator and I've successfully grown some chilli and
pepper seedlings. Yes I started off early in the season! And got a
blueberry plant and a Weigela I'm both nursing. The garden is typically
the parents domain- I'm 23 and live at home- but currently staring out
to the back it's looking rather scruffy.

I'm now wanting some flowering plants, are perennials the ones that
flower year after year just so I am clear?

Can anybody offer any advice for some seeds to get? Ideally I would like
them to be evergreen too, to give some winter colour other than brown
and to flower each year. If possible I would like them to flower this
year too.

There seems to be loads out there and I would just be picking what I
like the looks of. Or is this the best thing to do?

A lot seem to say they flower second year, would they be safe outside
over winter in their first year?

A barage of questions but hopefully some-one can make some sense and be
able to give some advise.

Thanks.

--
ashyboi5000

You need to grow plants suitable for your soil, so the first thing is
to determine what sort of soil you have, With a soil test kit or speak
to a neighbour.
Report back then & someone will give a few ideas.

Also sand or clay?
Exposed or sheltered?
Whereabouts in the country?

Not enough information you see.

On Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:42:27 +0000, ashyboi5000
wrote:


I'm very much an average gardener. Only really got into this year. I
bought a heated propagator and I've successfully grown some chilli and
pepper seedlings. Yes I started off early in the season! And got a
blueberry plant and a Weigela I'm both nursing. The garden is typically
the parents domain- I'm 23 and live at home- but currently staring out
to the back it's looking rather scruffy.

I'm now wanting some flowering plants, are perennials the ones that
flower year after year just so I am clear?

Can anybody offer any advice for some seeds to get? Ideally I would like
them to be evergreen too, to give some winter colour other than brown
and to flower each year. If possible I would like them to flower this
year too.

There seems to be loads out there and I would just be picking what I
like the looks of. Or is this the best thing to do?

A lot seem to say they flower second year, would they be safe outside
over winter in their first year?

A barage of questions but hopefully some-one can make some sense and be
able to give some advise.

Thanks.

You've asked lots of questions and I guess there are some you need to
ask but haven't. You don't say what your budget is (or isn't) though I
take it that as you're asking specifically about seeds you can't cover
the cost of larger plants from garden centres and the like.

You don't say where you are. Location will make a difference; for
example spring comes earlier in Cornwall than it does in Dumfries.
Which direction the garden faces makes a difference - some plants
don't like the morning sun shining on them in the frosty months. How
much sun the garden gets makes a world of difference as there are
plants for sun and for shade. Then there's the soil type. Is it clay
or sandy - some plants don't do well in soggy soil. Is it acid or
alkaline - some plants like acid and others don't. It's very difficult
to make suggestions for actual plants without knowing all of this
info.

Have a look at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basic...oursoil1.shtml
and
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/htbg/...l_types1.shtml

to help you with the soil type stuff.

Perennials are plants that come back year after year. You'll hear the
term "herbaceous perennials" - these are plants that die back to the
ground in the autumn and regrow, usually bigger and better in the
spring. There are also "biennials" which grow foliage in the first
year, flower in the second and then die. Finally there are "annuals"
(often referred to as "bedding plants") which grow and flower in a
single year and then die. If you want plants that will reliably grow
from seed and flower this year, it's the annuals you want to think
about. When seed packets say that a perennial will flower in its first
year it usually means you may get one or two little flowers but it
won't be till next year that they really take off. Reliable evergreen
plants usually fall into another plant category - shrubs.

Other terms that matter are "hardy" - plants that overwinter in the
ground happily, "half hardy" - these need to be lifted and kept
somewhere over winter that won't get cold, "frost hardy" - plants
which will survive outside as long as the temperature doesn't drop
more than a degree or so below freezing and "tender" - some plants
need a lot of warmth and don't do well at all if the temperature drops
below their comfort zone which may be a fair bit above "freezing". Not
all perennials, for example, are hardy and some need to be dug up and
overwintered indoors. Others may be OK outdoors over winter in the
south but not in the north where it's colder.

To start with, I'd suggest a mix of plant types. Choose some annuals
for colour this year. Then some perennials which you'll nurture this
year but expect to flower next year. Add in some bulbs - you can plant
summer flowering ones now such as lilies, gladioli and freesias. These
will flower this year. Then in the autumn you can plant spring
flowering bulbs such as daffodils (narcissus), tulips and crocus for
next spring flowering.

For perennial flowering this year, check out the neighbours.
Perennials have to be thinned out every few years and neighbours who
are doing this about now may be happy to let you have clumps which you
can plant for flowers this summer. Indeed, when it comes to choosing
plants, what your neighbours grow will be a good indication of what
will grow in your garden.

I'd suggest that a good starting point will be to buy, beg or borrow
some of the "Expert" series of gardening books by Dr D G Hessayon -
your local library may have them; otherwise they're all under a
tenner. Choose from "Evergreen Expert", "Tree and Shrub Expert",
"Bedding Plant Expert" "Flowering Shrub Expert" and "Flower Expert".

I hope this rather long reply helps. It sounds complicated but isn't
really once you get into it. Good luck and drop back here if you need
any more help on specifics.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling happily from the dryer end of Swansea Bay.

For those that notice such things - I'm changing my
Usenet provider to News.Individual.NET. It's still me!

Botanically, an annual plant grows from seed, flowers, sets seed and dies all in one year. Plants which grow on from year to year are perennial.

But gardeners tend to use the terms slightly different.

Plants which you grow for one year are classed as annuals - eg poppies (even if they would carry on for years in their native environment, like runner beans)
Biennials are plants that you grow from seed in year one, they flower in year 2, and then they die (or you throw them away)- eg foxgloves.
Perennials are plants which carry on growing for several years, with luck flowering each year. We generally use this term for herbaceous plants ("flowers") rather than trees and shrubs. Typically, perennials don't get to flowering size in their first year.

As to whether they'll survive outside over winter, look at ones called "hardy", often abbreviated to H, as in HP hardy perennial. There's also "Half hardy which I'm not sure about.

Think about what you're after - are you enjoying the experience of growing things, or are you merely wishing to add some colour to the garden? In either case, I'd grow some easy annuals for colour this year, but your approach to perennials will depend on whether you are just after results, or whetehr you are also enjoying the process of getting there.

On Feb 20, 4:19*pm, Jake wrote:
On Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:42:27 +0000, ashyboi5000





wrote:

I'm very much an average gardener. Only really got into this year. I
bought a heated propagator and I've successfully grown some chilli and
pepper seedlings. Yes I started off early in the season! And got a
blueberry plant and a Weigela I'm both nursing. The garden is typically
the parents domain- I'm 23 and live at home- but currently staring out
to the back it's looking rather scruffy.

I'm now wanting some flowering plants, are perennials the ones that
flower year after year just so I am clear?

Can anybody offer any advice for some seeds to get? Ideally I would like
them to be evergreen too, to give some winter colour other than brown
and to flower each year. If possible I would like them to flower this
year too.

There seems to be loads out there and I would just be picking what I
like the looks of. Or is this the best thing to do?

A lot seem to say they flower second year, would they be safe outside
over winter in their first year?

A barage of questions but hopefully some-one can make some sense and be
able to give some advise.

Thanks.

You've asked lots of questions and I guess there are some you need to
ask but haven't. You don't say what your budget is (or isn't) though I
take it that as you're asking specifically about seeds you can't cover
the cost of larger plants from garden centres and the like.

You don't say where you are. Location will make a difference; for
example spring comes earlier in Cornwall than it does in Dumfries.
Which direction the *garden faces makes a difference - some plants
don't like the morning sun shining on them in the frosty months. How
much sun the garden gets makes a world of difference as there are
plants for sun and for shade. Then there's the soil *type. Is it clay
or sandy - some plants don't do well in soggy soil. Is it acid or
alkaline - some plants like acid and others don't. It's very difficult
to make suggestions for actual plants without knowing all of this
info.

Have a look at:http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basic...estingyoursoil...
andhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/htbg/module1/soil_types1.shtml

to help you with the soil type stuff.

Perennials are plants that come back year after year. You'll *hear the
term "herbaceous perennials" - these are plants that die back to the
ground in the autumn and regrow, usually bigger and better in the
spring. There are also "biennials" which grow foliage in the first
year, flower in the second and then die. Finally there are "annuals"
(often referred to as "bedding plants") which grow and flower in a
single year and then die. If you want plants that will reliably grow
from seed and flower this year, it's the annuals you want to think
about. When seed packets say that a perennial will flower in its first
year it usually means you may get one or two little flowers but it
won't be till next year that they really take off. Reliable evergreen
plants usually fall into another plant category - shrubs.

Other terms that matter are "hardy" - plants that overwinter in the
ground happily, "half hardy" - these need to be lifted and kept
somewhere over winter that won't get cold, "frost hardy" - plants
which will survive outside as long as the temperature doesn't drop
more than a degree or so below freezing and "tender" - some plants
need a lot of warmth and don't do well at all if the temperature drops
below their comfort zone which may be a fair bit above "freezing". Not
all perennials, for example, are hardy and some need to be dug up and
overwintered indoors. Others may be OK outdoors over winter *in the
south but not in the north where it's colder.

To start with, I'd suggest a mix of plant types. Choose some annuals
for colour this year. Then some perennials which you'll nurture this
year but expect to flower next year. Add in some bulbs - you can plant
summer flowering ones now such as lilies, gladioli and freesias. These
will flower this year. Then in the autumn you can plant spring
flowering bulbs such as daffodils (narcissus), tulips and crocus for
next spring flowering.

For perennial flowering this year, check out the neighbours.
Perennials have to be thinned out every few years and neighbours who
are doing this about now may be happy to let you have clumps which you
can plant for flowers this summer. Indeed, when it comes to choosing
plants, what your neighbours grow will be a *good indication of what
will grow in your garden.

I'd suggest that a good starting point will be to buy, beg or borrow
some of the "Expert" series of gardening books by Dr D G Hessayon -
your local library may have them; otherwise they're all under a
tenner. Choose from "Evergreen Expert", "Tree and Shrub Expert",
"Bedding Plant Expert" "Flowering Shrub Expert" and "Flower Expert".

I hope this rather long reply helps. It sounds complicated but isn't
really once you *get into it. Good luck and drop back here if you need
any more help on specifics.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling happily from the dryer end of Swansea Bay.

For those that notice such things - I'm changing my
Usenet provider to News.Individual.NET. It's still me!- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Then there is always Google, you will get many answers there esp about
individual plants.
Agood seed catalogue and google and some time and you can learn a lot.

Thanks guys, a lot of questions and a lot of answers!

I would say we have either silty or sandy soil, going by the BBC description and the pictures.
I'm based in Edinburgh.

I've taken enjoyment out of growing the chilli and pepper seeds, and which to carry this on and expand into other areas. So thought seeds would be a cheap way to get some flowers back in the garden.

So looks like I am hunting for hardy perenials then. Neighbours have a huge different type of gardens. From the classic "oap" garden to more modern garden of palm tree (well it's not one, but forgot what it is) and slightly exotic looking flowers. Further along there's one that looks quite country cottage in appearance, and bedding plants are favoured quite a lot!

On Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:10:26 +0000, ashyboi5000
wrote:


Thanks guys, a lot of questions and a lot of answers!

I would say we have either silty or sandy soil, going by the BBC
description and the pictures.
I'm based in Edinburgh.

I've taken enjoyment out of growing the chilli and pepper seeds, and
which to carry this on and expand into other areas. So thought seeds
would be a cheap way to get some flowers back in the garden.

So looks like I am hunting for hardy perenials then. Neighbours have a
huge different type of gardens. From the classic "oap" garden to more
modern garden of palm tree (well it's not one, but forgot what it is)
and slightly exotic looking flowers. Further along there's one that
looks quite country cottage in appearance, and bedding plants are
favoured quite a lot!

Thanks for coming back to say thanks - so many don't bother. The
"palm" may be a cordyline australis (look it up online) though this is
not totally hardy and it may be that if it is what I suggest it is,
you've got a nice little micro-climate in your part of Edinburgh.

I'll make a guess that silty/sandy means you've got a fairly neutral
soil and so can grow a wide range of plants. But, without testing the
pH, I'd suggest you avoid any plants that require acid conditions to
grow best.

So chat to the neighbours. Get cheeky and ask them for "root
divisions" and the like. They may say no but if you don't ask, you
don't get.

You've mentioned a "country cottage" garden. So-called cottage gardens
use a mix of perennials and annuals to achieve an effect. If lucky,
the annuals will self seed each year so it's a case of sow once and
let nature take its course for years afterwards. Check your local
garden centre - they will probably sell a packet of "cottage garden"
seeds which you can sow in the ground.

Finally, I'll give you a shameless plug. There's a weekly mag out
called Amateur Gardening. Works out about £2 an issue on the
newsstands but for much of the year you get a free pack of seeds with
every issue. If you subscribe, the cost over a year is less than the
worth of the freebie seeds. Plus you get loads of tips on how to grow
stuff. Check it out.

And again, good luck. Remember we're here to help.


Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling happily from the dryer end of Swansea Bay.

I'm having a panic - noticed some water in the pond
in between the frog spawn.

Thanks again Jake. Looked up the palm and I think it's that one. I remember it has a really sweet smelling flower. Although I forgot she had to remove it due to not protecting it in winter one year! Silly me!

I bought some "hardy perennial first year flowers" (my google search phrase) Got 6packets for under £12.

Oenothera odorata Apricot Delight (Evening Primrose) Seeds
Althaea rosea Crème de Cassis (Hollyhock)
Hollyhock : Powder Puffs Mixed (Alcea)
Kniphofia 'Flamenco' (Red Hot Poker)
Catananche caerulea (Cupid's Dart)
Papaver rupifragum Orange Feathers

Picked what I liked the looks of, and tried to think about about height, ground spread to give different levels.
Also think I've ended up with reds/oranges and purples. So may be an interesting mix!