I thought January might be dull. Not so. Gardening and thoughts of gardening took a back seat to big birthdays, and overseas visitors – both great distractions from thinking about a long winter. Today it is -20.5C and the thought of summer’s heat seems far, far away but it is almost the end of the coldest month and it is time to think about seeds and starting anew.

Inside the cozy warmth of my house I dug out last year’s seed packages and random notes about what  not to grow again this year. Last year I allowed flowering annuals to take over what was once my vegetable growing area. Some were more successful than others and these plus a few new ones will be what I will grow this year. I am always surprised at how long seeds can be viable for so my order this year will be a lot less as I have seeds left over from last year. That won’t stop me from being tempted as I scour through all the seed suppliers on line however.

I love cut flowers and even more so now that I have found places that will enjoy random drops of cut flowers for others to enjoy. There is a limit to how many places I have in my own home. Playing with the scents, textures and colours of flowers is a real joy. Perennials are the consistent players in the palettes of what is available from March through to October but I found having plentiful annuals really livened things up and added variety.

Starting seeds at the appropriate time is a key part to having flowers available in enough time to use them. Starting too early means finding enough windowsills to keep them strong until time to plant out and starting too late means they will not flower before the frosts roll around again. I always read the packages for recommendations and then adjust a little to our last frost date which can be into June. Many packages will tell you to seed directly into the ground but I find starting from seed indoors offers a real advantage in our zone three climate. Because our last frost date can be so late into spring I recommend using lots of half-hardy and hardy annuals which can withstand a few degrees below zero or may even self seed for the following year.  If you don’t know if an annual is hardy, half hardy or tender, simply check on the internet if it is not on the package. The reason many seed packages say to plant out after all danger of frost is passed is because the sudden shock of moving from a warm windowsill or greenhouse is often too much for a tender seedling to tolerate. It is really important to gently harden plants off before planting out to acclimatize them to outside temperatures.

You can read about these categories of hardiness at a previous article : Become Your Own Garden Designer 3 .

My favourite half hardy and hardy annuals for cut flowers include:

Pansies, Viola various: I rely on the nurseries to start pansies and buy my first pack towards the end of March. Planted in a planter and placed close to the house they will provide early colour and well-looked after will last well into the Fall. Shear them right back and move into a cooler area once the heat arrives.

Snapdragons, Antirrhinum majus: The advantage of growing your own from seed is the wonderful variety you can grow. Snapdragons are also a good buy at the greenhouse as they will flower well into the fall and withstand several degrees of frost.

Queen Anne’s Lace, Ammi majus: This name is attributed to many plants with similar umbel like white flowers . My favourite is Ammi majus also known Bishop’s Flower. This one is a great plant to grow from seed as it is rarely available in nurseries. Ammi requires some stratification, i.e. a cool period before germination. I place some densely planted pots in the fridge for 2-3 weeks and then bring them out to a sunny windowsill. Once germinated they can be separated and planted in six packs or larger pots until a good size to plant out in the garden. Ammi will withstand light frosts so can be set out early.

 Bells of Ireland, Molucella laevis: Bells of Ireland are like Ammi in that they benefit from stratification when seeded. Bells of Ireland do well in cooler weather and damp soil. Once established for the season they grow easily and quickly.

Sweet William Dianthus barbatus: With luck some Sweet William will self-seed from the previous summer. Although technically a perennial or biennial Sweet Willian is generally treated as an annual in our climate. They are easy to start from seed but to get ahead of the game they can be purchased from the nursery. There are many different varieties from short to tall and all are delightfully scented.

Sweet Peas, Lathyrus odoratus : if you are getting itchy fingers late in March or early April, that is the time to plant sweet peas directly into the garden. Sweet Peas like a cooler climate so do well with an early start.

Tall Verbena, Verbena bonariensis: Tall Verbena. This is one of my absolute favourites but rarely available in a greenhouse. It grows to three or four feet, is sturdy and attention getting. It’s architectural qualities make it a winner for me but it is also a great cut flower. Verbena bonariensis also benefits from a cool stratification but I have had success without. It is necessary to start the seed early indoors – early March to achieve flowers in one season. This Verbena will volunteer seeds into the garden but they rarely make maturity in one season.   

It is that time to start planning and considering what seeds you might start indoors.