Sunday, March 2

Great expectations

10 perennials to start from seed

Columbines are among a multitude of perennials that can successfully be grown from seed. Many will even bloom the first year.

When I first developed garden fever many years ago, I was desperate for new plants to fill all the borders I planned to create. I was also a stay-at-home mom and funds were pretty limited. I couldn't justify spending $6 or more on a single plant when I could buy a whole packet of seeds -- which would produce tons of the very same plant -- for a fraction of that cost.

So, I very enthusiastically bought and planted seeds. Hundreds of them. All perennials. And, even given my inexperience, a vast majority of those seeds sprouted under grow lights, took root there in my utility room and produced viable seedlings. The problem came once it was time to harden those tiny plants off outside. Carrying tray after tray out to the back porch every morning and bringing them all back in every evening proved tiresome. And keeping that many tiny cell packs watered proved next to impossible. I just couldn't keep up. So, in the end, more than half of those seedlings died before I could ever get them in the ground.

#1 lesson learned: Keep your enthusiasm in check and your numbers realistic.

#2 lesson learned: Growing perennials from seed makes a lot of sense. Not only is it cheaper than buying plants, but it also give you access to many varieties that you just can't buy as potted plants. And, much to an impatient gardener's delight, many of these plants will actually bloom their first year from seed -- albeit much more scantily than they will once they reach maturity.

Just remember to plant perennials indoors early. Unlike annuals, they won't get too tall and leggy for a long time.

Here's my Top 10 list of first-year bloomers:

Achillea 'Summer Pastels'
So easy! The soft, fern-like foliage on this yarrow is gray green and nicely compliments the delicate colors of the flowers, which come in shades of pink, rose, orange-red, purple, salmon and mauve. This two-foot tall plant needs full sun to bloom well and to remain upright. Also, plant achillea en mass or it tends to get lost among other, stronger (in form) plants. Attracting butterflies, resisting deer, rabbits and humidity, and a good candidate for hot, dry areas, 'Summer Pastels' was an All America Selections winner in 1990.

Agastache foeniculum
Anise hyssop is a strongly-scented (some say like licorice) herb that can be used for making tea. I grew it for its tall spikes of lavender-blue flowers. They attract hummingbirds, bees and other beneficial insects. Agastache also blooms in late summer -- a time when I'm always looking of more color. This hyssop grows to about three feet tall and wide. Plant it in full sun.

Alcea rosea
What garden could be complete without hollyhocks? There are many different varieties out there, though, so be sure you check your seed packet to insure that you're getting the characteristics that are most important to you. 'Summer Carnival Mix' is reliably perennial and also blooms the first year from seed. It is double flowering, though, and I prefer the singles. I planted 'Indian Spring' with mixed results. Some bloomed the first year and some did not. Some survived the following winter and some did not. Still, I get enough each year between the returns and nature's reseeding to put on a nice show along the picket fence.

Aquilegea 'McKana's Giant'
Columbines are wonderful plants for the late spring garden. And since 'McKana's Giant' comes in all sorts of unexpected color combinations, it's always fun to see what pops up. Although they can be short-lived (as many of the perennials are that bloom the first year from seed), they do reseed themselves, producing even more unexpected colorations. Deadheading will keep the large flowers (three inches long) coming for up to two months. 'McKana's Giant' grows about 30 inches tall. Plant them in part shade. Another All America Selections Winner (1955).

If you like a double flowering columbine, I've also had good success growing Aquilegea 'Nora Barlow' from seed. It, too, will bloom the first year.

Coreopsis 'Early Sunrise'
To be honest, after this plant started blooming, I dug it up and tossed it out. It was a fine plant. The color was just too gold for my garden. (I prefer the softer yellow of 'Moonbeam' coreopsis.) Easy to grow in full sun and just about any soil -- even dry --the daisy-like flowers are semi-double and plants grow to about 16 inches tall.

Dianthus 'Zing Rose'
Oh, how I loved this plant! Its bright rose/mauve flowers and grassy blue-gray foliage can light up any summer border. Unfortunately, as I've mentioned before, my soil is too heavy for dianthus and I've had to give up on them. If yours is well drained though (especially in winter) and you are looking for something to add a shot of brilliant color to your garden, look no further. 'Zing Rose' grows just six inches tall and spreads to about 18 inches.

Echinacea 'Magnus'
This is your standard purple coneflower. There are probably newer -- maybe better -- varieties available today, but this is the one I started with and it's still one tough performer - especially for full-sun, dry conditions. I've also started Echinacea "White Swan" from seed with good results.

Lavandula angustifolia 'Lady'
These plants are gone now, but I really miss them and will plant more. Lavender is just a garden must. 'Lady,' the All-America Selections winner in 1994,is a compact form of English lavender, growing just under a foot tall. It has violet-blue flowers and the deliciously-fragrant foliage that everyone loves. Another plant that needs good drainage.

Leucanthemum X superbum
I can't really remember the Shasta daisy variety that I originally started from seed. It may have been 'Alaska.' But those plants grew so well that within a few years I was able to divide them and create new beds in other areas of the garden. I’m sure ‘Becky’ or some of the other varieties would do the same.

Lychnis coronaria
Rose campion is a wonderful cottage-garden favorite that has felted, silvery-white foliage and lovely little cerise flowers. It grows over two feet tall in full sun and reseeds freely. Plant in groups for more impact and nick the seeds before you plant them for better germination.

There’s really no special equipment or expertise necessary to grow any of these perennials from seed. Just a little patience. And I can guarantee that you’ll be richly rewarded. There’s something extremely satisfying about a garden filled with plants that you’ve raised from their infancy.

An award winning writer and features editor, Mary Ellen Smith blends her 17-year-long career in journalism with a life-long love of gardening. As a Master Gardener, she has tried her hand at growing everything from coreopsis and calycanthus to peanuts and pears.