5 Flowers Easy To Grow From Seed

Flower meadow in the summer, United Kingdom. Photo by Author.

Growing your flowers from seed can really help stretch your garden budget and does not have to be fiddly if you select the right varieties. No requirements for special equipment, all you need is a bit of seed-starting compost mix, containers with drainage and a sunny window sill!

Here are a few flowers that I found very easy to grow from seed and that will bring cheerfulness to your garden next season.

Top tip: All the information that you need to grow the specific variety you have purchased should be specified on the seed packet. Make sure to check it to guarantee your success.

1. Sunflower

Sunflowers are probably the most iconic summer flower and are especially striking when planted in large drifts.

Sunflower close-up. Photo by Papaver rhoeas on Unsplash.

Aside from the classic yellow, sunflowers come in a range of hues and heights (all the way to 3 meter giants) so there is a variety for everyone. Great cut flower, holds well.

Bonus: their seed heads will provide a food source for wildlife in the Autumn months. You also can roast the seeds for a delicious salty treat (if you can get to them before birds do!).

2. Sweet Peas

Sweet Peas Bijoux Mix. Photo by Rob Pumphrey on Unsplash.

Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) are an annual climbing plant and will need support as can grow up to 2 meter! Sweet peas are typically strongly scented and come in an array of colors. I love to pick a color mix for extra fun!

Take a head start and seed early undercover (in a cold frame for example) as they do better in the cooler temperatures of Spring. Make sure to use deeper containers or root trainers to give your young plants a strong root system.

Pick the flowers regularly to promote more blooms.

Top tip: Soak the seeds for a couple of hours before sowing, it will help with germination.

3. Zinnia

Zinnia elegans, still flowering beautifully at the end of October (zone 7–8). Photo by Author.

Zinnias are extremely easy to grow from seed: make sure to sow thinly as their germination rate is high. It is best to direct sow them as they tend not to like being transplanted (but I did get away with it so don’t be afraid to experiment). Young seedlings can be pinched to encourage bushier plants.

Zinnias come in a variety of colors and you can choose from single, double or semi-double flowers. They will bloom all summer long, can withstand the heat and are still going strong at the end of October for me (Zone 7–8).

Remember to save some seeds for next year!

4. French Marigold

French Marigolds Sparky Mix. Photo by Author.

Widely available as bedding plants during the warmer months, French marigolds are extremely dependable and probably the least fussy flowers to grow from seed. They will bloom from Summer until the first frosts.

Marigolds come in bright colors from yellow to reddish-orange and as dwarf varieties: brightness guaranteed. Annual plant but good self-seeder.

You can use them as a companion plant near you tomatoes or other vegetables: they will act as the host plant for pests such as aphids and thus protect your produce.

5. Borage

Borage (Borago officinalis). Photo by Author.

Borage is a culinary herb which can be used fresh or dried. Its flowers are mostly blue (although pink can be observed) and are edible. They have a honey-like taste, beautiful to use in ice cubes!

A great choice to incorporate in a flower meadow. Borage attracts pollinators and can be used to protect other crops such as brassicas, spinach and strawberries: a must-have in a veggie garden. Will look striking until the frosts.

Be warned: it is a prolific self-seeder so make sure to select an area where you don’t mind it spreading around!