September is the ideal time to sow hardy annuals for flowers in spring and summer the following year. The seeds can also be sown in spring, but sowing in autumn often results in earlier flowers and more robust plants.
Sowing hardy annuals is easy – either sow in rows, or broadcast the seed. Find out how to sow hardy annuals outside.
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Here are five hardy annuals to sow in September.
English marigold (Calendula officinalis)
This classy flower has deep orange petals – great for a hot border or for cutting. It’s very easy to grow; from an autumn sowing it should flower from May. Allow some seedheads to dry so that you save the seed; it may also self seed, without becoming a nuisance.
Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena)
Nigella damascena is a cottage garden favourite and makes a lovely cut flower. Its dried seedbeds are attractive, too.
Cornflower
Centaurea cyanus often forms part of pictorial and annual meadow schemes, and makes an excellent cut flower. Blue is the most common colour, but different cultivars may have red, pink, white and dark purple flowers.
Queen Anne’s Lace (Ammi majus)
Ammi majus is really best sown in autumn, for bigger, better flowers in early summer. It has clouds of cow-parsley like flowers and makes a lovely cut flower.
Poppies
Opium poppies (Papaver somniferum, pictured), Shirley poppies (Papaver rhoeas) and ladybird poppies (Papaver commutatum) can all be sown in autumn.
California poppies
California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) bring swathes of bright orange-yellow to borders and self-seed readily, so once sown, you will enjoy them every year. Discover how to sow Californian poppies.
Sowing green manure
Autumn is also an ideal time to sow green manures, which protect bare beds from winter rains that can wash away nutrients and break down soil structure. Find out how to sow green manure.
