10 Great Plants to Start From Seed
There are many plants whether it’s vegetables or flowers that can be grown from seed. What excitement there is when you see the very first signs of life coming from a seedling planted what may seem like an eternity ago. Perhaps you have never been very good at starting a plant from seed, and this is finally your lucky break toward the coveted green thumb. I must say, I don’t know of anyone who wants a green thumb to include myself; perhaps if I came from another planet it would be different.
There are many plants and plant variaties here are a few of my favorites.
Elephant Dill
Elephant Dill is a fantastic annual getting 2’-4’ tall. What Elephant Dill gives to the garden is great structure that you can see through, but also a degree of airiness with the yellow umbellifer flowers. This plant is no bully so you can put it with other plants, pairing together rather nicely. Lastly you can eat it, and if not the pollinators will thank you immensly.
Cleome
Cleome is a flowering onion with a spectacular flower head that will add some pizzaz to that drab garden of yours. No worries it won’t make you cry. Cleome comes in a only a few colors, but the colors it does come in do fit well with different color combinations. Not only is it a flower that will grab your attention, but also the hummingbirds that live in your neighborhood as well.
Foxglove
Foxglove is an extremely easy flower to start from seed, and will self sow fairly easily in your garden. Don’t feel to dreadful if you don’t see any flowers the first year. It’s a biennial which means it blooms its second year. Foxglove comes in many colors, and can be used in many settings to include a woods edge to a sunnier spot in the garden or meadow.
Poppies
Who doesn’t love a good poppy it comes in many different colors, with a stunning flower head. Not only do poppies give us such a magnificent flower, more importantly they give us an incredible seed head; giving the garden good structure and interest throughout the seasons long after the flower is gone.
Heliopsis
Heliopsis or better known as the false sunflower is one of those many overlooked plants like the quiet kid in the corner, one should take more notice. Christened with beautiful blooms one only needs to deadhead to keep the show going. Another positive aspect of this plant is that it fills out nicely to include the space you put it in.When in bloom you’ll be rewarded with beautiful yellow, and many buzzing pollinators.
Verbena Bonariensis
Lovely verbena brought back into the gardening world by the late Christopher Lloyd is very and light. If grown in mass the scene is awe inspiring; however where it truly shines is when its paired with other plants, the light stems working there way through other plants with the most magnificent purple flower. The purple flower is a sight to behold adding a touch of the tropics to your garden that you will love as well as a host of butterflies.
Aquilegia
Better known as columbine this plant is extremely hardy, and adds color to the garden when one needs it most in the spring. Tolerant of many soil types, it can be planted in the shade or the sun. This plant can be found in many colors you should be able to find one that suits you If your someone who can’t keep a plant alive to save our life try aquilegia, if you do happen to kill this plant then I don’t know what to tell you.
Coreopsis
Light and airy this plant will soften up your plantings. Coreopsis may appear sickly with their small stems and dainty flowers, but appearances can be deceiving. Thriving in sun this plant is drought tolerant once established and is tough. At the end of the year cut down to the ground, and you should see a thick bigger plant the following year.
Cosmos
Coming in many colors, cosmos are extremely easy to grow from seed, and provided that they are deadheaded this plant will add a spice of life to your garden that pollinators will be attracted to. They mix in well with others, I have even seen them used as an annual hedge. Full of life , and easy to grow cosmos should be up every gardeners sleeve.
Delphinium
My personal favorite delphiniums are the lone sentinels in the garden ever on watch. Delphiniums are a cool weather plants that is easily grown from seed. Delphiniums don’t come true to the parent plant from seed unless species plant or a pacific giant cultivar even then they have slight differences. Not knowing what the flower is going to look like when grown from seed adds an excitement to ones life. Delphiniums add height to a garden so much so that this plant almost becomes human, who knows maybe you’ll have made a new friend in the garden.
