Highly respected gardening expert, Stefan Buczacki, has named the four flowers he thinks everyone should have in their gardens, and we can start planting some of them right now.
Writing in the latest edition of Garden News, the horticulturist started his list of go-to flowers with the Sunflower, advising how best to aide their growth, he wrote: “Sow in the spot where they are to grow and you don’t need to then worry about transplanting seedlings.”
Next up, Stefan suggests planting ever-popular Cornflowers, which are an ‘easy’ growing option for passionate gardeners.
Besides adding some much-needed colour to our gardens, the purple petalled plants provide the perfect solution to our summer gardens, as they emerge from the undergrowth during late spring, in time for the warmer weather.
Their eye-catching appearance isn’t the only thing that sets Cosmos apart, as their brightly coloured petals are usually the first point of interest for gardening enthusiasts, while the chocolate scented aromas also provide another huge selling point.
Although they are perennials, Stefan advised planting them indoors to avoid the risk of frost affecting their growth: “Quick to germinate, start them off indoors or sow outdoors once all risk of frost has passed.”
Having written over 50 books throughout his career, Stefan has come to be thought of as one of the most respected names in gardening down the years having also appeared as a panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time.
His last recommendation provides a rather peculiar advantage over almost all other floral favourites, as he claims that the Nasturtiums actually thrive in conditions that most flowers wouldn’t.
“These hardy flowers like poor soil conditions, in fact the worse the soil, the better the blooms!” Stefan said.
Meanwhile, speaking to the Daily Mail in 2021, Gardeners’ World icon, Monty Don shared his favourite flower: “But whenever I’m forced to stump up one floral treasure above all others, I go for the common, humble primrose. No other plant so perfectly celebrates the coming of spring or does it with such gentle charm and beauty.”
He continued: “Primroses are woodland flowers, loving cool, damp banks and glades and thriving in the lee of a hedgerow or in coppiced woodland, in particular hazel.”
