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A Garden from 100 Packets of Seed

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  • A Garden from 100 Packets of Seed

    I've just finished reading "A Garden from a Hundred Packets of Seed" by James Fenton in which he poses the question "Which plants would you choose to grow, given an empty patch of earth and the stipulation that everything must be grown from seed?"
    He says that Allotment gardeners will ask themselves what shall I grow from seed this year and start each year afresh. Home gardeners are encouraged by TV programmes to work to a design, buying in shrubs and trees for a permanent structure whilst they could, like the allotment gardener, grow a different garden every year from seed.
    That's not quite how he says it but its what I've read into his book.

    I'll not ask you for your list of 100 packets but who'd like to suggest say 10 flowers that can be grown from seed and would earn their place in a blank canvas garden?

    If it helps, Fenton chooses seeds for
    Colour
    Size
    that Hop around!
    for cutting
    perennials
    useful and decorative herbs
    micro-meadow
    poppy festival
    climbers
    for the tropical look

    Tell me what you suggest and I'll see how many are on his list.

  • #2
    I would go for pot marigolds and French/African marigolds, dahlias, pansies, nasturtium, Lobelia, petunias, lupins, night scented stock and finally sweet peas
    Last edited by rary; 18-06-2018, 10:44 PM.
    it may be a struggle to reach the top, but once your over the hill your problems start.

    Member of the Nutters Club but I think I am just there to make up the numbers

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    • #3
      Originally posted by rary View Post
      I would go for pot marigolds and French/African marigolds, dahlias, pansies, nasturtium, Lobelia, petunias, lupins, night scented stock and finally sweet peas
      The ones in RED are on his list.

      Comment


      • #4
        Tulips, bluebells, daffodils, snowdrops, gladioli, cyclamen, magnolia, clematis, Jasmin.

        Of course one or two of these might not be grown from seed, but what do I know about flowers.

        New all singing all dancing blog - Jasons Jungle

        �I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb."
        ― Thomas A. Edison

        �Negative results are just what I want. They�re just as valuable to me as positive results. I can never find the thing that does the job best until I find the ones that don�t.�
        ― Thomas A. Edison

        - I must be a Nutter,VC says so -

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        • #5
          Originally posted by veggiechicken View Post
          The ones in RED are on his list.
          Well in that case, at least he did pick some good ones
          it may be a struggle to reach the top, but once your over the hill your problems start.

          Member of the Nutters Club but I think I am just there to make up the numbers

          Comment


          • #6
            Sunflowers, rudbeckia, sage, tangerine sage ( looks a little tropical to me )
            Manor Farm Herbs: Tangerine Sage
            Snap dragons ( antirrhinums), Pansys, violas, lots of variety of thyme and mint.
            Passion flower ( that will do for climber and tropical)
            Last edited by Small pumpkin; 19-06-2018, 06:18 AM. Reason: Forgot Passion flower.........outrageous!

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            • #7
              Quite a lot of my favourites already suggested, but I will go with some old favourites:

              Lupin
              Hollyhock
              Foxglove
              Canterbury Bells
              Delphinium
              Forget-Me-Not
              Cornflower
              Fleabane
              Dahlia
              Tobacco Flower
              My gardening blog: In Spades, last update 30th April 2018.
              Chrysanthemum notes page here.

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              • #8
                That was difficult!
                Delphiniums and Foxgloves for height,
                Dahlias for cutting,
                Pink Echinacea (or Rudbekia Cherry Brandy) and Primroses - perennials
                Lavender, Sage and chives - flowering herbs
                Patty's Plum poppy
                Morning Glory Heavenly Blue for my choice of climber (closely followed by Cobea Scandens)

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                • #9
                  hight -teasel, delphinium, sunflowers, foxglove
                  climbers - nasturtium
                  perennials - lupins, aquilegia
                  colour:
                  calendula
                  borage
                  california poppy
                  clarkia
                  dahlia
                  snapdragon
                  chives
                  cornflower
                  pansy
                  phacelia tanacetifolia
                  Last edited by HoneyChild; 19-06-2018, 02:12 PM.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by HoneyChild View Post
                    hight -teasel, delphinium, sunflowers, foxglove
                    climbers - nasturtium
                    perennials - lupins, aquilegia
                    colour:
                    calendula
                    borage
                    california poppy
                    clarkia
                    dahlia
                    snapdragon
                    chives
                    cornflower
                    pansy
                    phacelia tanacetifolia
                    You've cheated there's more than 10 on your list LOL

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                    • #11
                      I just go with the ones I can grow.
                      Sweet peas, forget me nots, snapdragon, sage, chives, cornflower, pinks, sunflowers and nasturtiums.
                      Might have to use runner beans for no 10!

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                      • #12
                        Calendula
                        Nasturtiums
                        Borage
                        Poppy
                        Limnanthes
                        Phacelia
                        French marigolds
                        Nigella
                        Cornflower
                        Foxgloves
                        Looking at this list I seem to like self seeders.

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                        • #13
                          Cardoons or onopordums for height and colour (silver)
                          Lobelia cardinalis, fulgens or tupa for colour and the tropical look
                          Black eyed susan (thunbergia alata) as a climber
                          Verbena bonariensis hops around
                          Cleome spinosa for height, colour and the tropical look

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                          • #14
                            I haven't got the faintest when it comes to flowers, as I've never been all that interested in them - if you can't eat it, it's not been allowed in my garden! Now I'm growing flowers too, but failed miserably at dahlias. 100 seeds at least and not one germinated.
                            https://nodigadventures.blogspot.com/

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                            • #15
                              Actually, I do know some!
                              I'd do...

                              sunflowers
                              passionflower
                              clematis x many
                              daisies (and any other flowers that looks like a daisy)
                              self-seeding ivy-leaved toadflax (I have loads in my front garden and I LOVE them)
                              https://nodigadventures.blogspot.com/

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