Traditional oil painting of a summer garden scene with a woman tending to a flower border, surrounded by vibrant blooms including marigolds, cosmos, and zinnias. A watering can and seed packets rest nearby, evoking seasonal gardening tasks.

🐝 The Easiest Flowers to Grow from Seed (Beginner Friendly & Bee Approved!)🐝

🌸 The Easiest Flowers to Grow from Seed

Whether you're new to gardening or simply want blooms that thrive with minimal effort, these five flowers are perfect for you — tried, tested, and adored by bees.

🌾 1.  Cornflower 'Crown Double Strain' (Blue)

Add a splash of rich, royal blue to your borders, wildflower meadows, or cutting patch with Cornflower 'Crown Double Strain' (Blue) – a traditional favourite loved for its frilly double blooms, long stems, and pollinator-friendly appeal. This easy-to-grow annual thrives in poor soil and sun-drenched spots, making it perfect for cottage gardens, wildlife-friendly spaces, or even container displays.

Whether you're growing for cut flower arrangements, supporting bees and butterflies, or simply enjoying a touch of vintage charm, this hardy performer is a must-have.

🌿 Quick facts:

  • Cornflowers were once worn by young men in love during the 19th century as a symbol of hope.

  • Their nectar-rich blooms are especially attractive to hoverflies, bees, and butterflies, making them ideal for wildlife gardening.

A cottage garden classic with bright blue blooms. Just scatter and go!

 

Sow: Direct from March to June
Perfect for: Beds, borders, or wildflower patches

🌿 2. Nasturtium ‘Tom Thumb – Alaska Mixed’

Cheerful and edible! This mix produces bright flowers with beautiful variegated leaves.

Nasturtium ‘Tom Thumb – Alaska Mixed’ is a compact, bushy variety prized for its vibrant edible flowers and stunning cream-splashed foliage. A delightful mix of fiery reds, oranges, and yellows, this variety stays low and tidy, making it ideal for pots, window boxes, edging, or companion planting in the veg patch.

Fast-growing and fuss-free, these hardy annuals thrive in poor soil and require little care, rewarding you with a riot of colour from early summer into autumn.

🌿 Quick facts:

  • Nasturtium flowers and leaves are edible, with a peppery flavour that adds a colourful kick to summer salads.

  • Their strong scent repels aphids and whitefly, making them a brilliant companion plant for crops like tomatoes and beans.

Sow: Direct from April
Perfect for: Pots, hanging baskets, or edging paths

✨  3. Phlox 'Sugar Stars'

Soft pastel clusters with a lovely scent. Phlox makes a stunning filler in flower beds.

Bring soft cottage garden charm to your beds, borders, or pots with Phlox 'Sugar Stars', a beautifully scented variety producing clouds of lavender-blue, star-shaped flowers. This compact annual forms neat mounds of colour and thrives in full sun, making it ideal for pollinator-friendly planting schemes, patio containers, and cut flower gardens.

A true summer staple, Phlox 'Sugar Stars' adds texture, fragrance, and old-fashioned charm to any outdoor space – all while being a magnet for bees and butterflies.

🌿 Quick facts:

  • Phlox is Greek for “flame”, referring to the brilliant colours of the original wild species.

  • Known for their long blooming period, phlox varieties like 'Sugar Stars' can flower for weeks with regular deadheading.

Sow: Indoors from February or direct from May
Perfect for: Cottage borders or container displays

🌺 4. Lavatera 'Silver Cup'

Big, silky pink blooms on bushy plants. So easy it’s practically foolproof.

Lavatera 'Silver Cup' is a striking annual with large, silky pink blooms shaped like hibiscus flowers. Loved for its fast growth, bushy habit, and generous flowering, this variety brings a splash of elegance to borders, beds, and containers. Ideal for pollinator gardens, it’s a magnet for bees and butterflies throughout summer.

Easy to grow from seed and tolerant of poor soil, Lavatera 'Silver Cup' is perfect for quick seasonal impact in any sunny spot.

🌿 Quick facts:

  • Often called annual mallow, it’s part of the hibiscus family and shares the same vibrant, saucer-like flower form.

  • Can reach up to 60cm tall in just a few weeks, making it a fantastic choice for filling gaps in new or bare borders.

Sow: Direct from April
Perfect for: Large pots or sunny borders

💙 5. Salvia splendens – Farinacea Victoria

Slender blue spikes that bloom for months — and bees love them!

Add vertical elegance and pollinator power to your garden with Salvia splendens ‘Farinacea Victoria’, a reliable bedding salvia known for its slender spikes of rich blue flowers and silvery green foliage. Perfect for sunny borders, pots, and wildlife-friendly planting, this compact variety blooms from summer through autumn with minimal fuss.

A favourite for bees, butterflies, and gardeners alike, it thrives in warm weather and pairs beautifully with pastel cottage plants or bold summer colours.

🌿 Quick facts:

  • The name ‘Farinacea’ means ‘powdery’, referring to the soft, silvery sheen on the flower stems and buds.

  • Salvia belongs to the sage family – its scented foliage can help deter some garden pests naturally.

Sow: Indoors from March or direct from May
Perfect for: Borders, patio containers, or wildlife patches

🪴 Quick Tips for Success

🌿 For All Garden Beds:

Sow in full sun into well-raked soil

Water regularly until established

Deadhead spent flowers to prolong blooming

Add a label — you’ll thank yourself later!

🌱 For Pots & Containers:

Use a loam-based compost (like John Innes No. 2) for stronger roots

Add crocks or stones at the base for drainage

Keep pots moist but not soggy — especially in warm weather

Group containers together to help retain humidity and attract pollinators

🐝 Bonus Tip:

All five flowers above support bees and other pollinators — your garden will be buzzing in no time.

🛒 Browse Our Seeds

Shop all flower seeds or explore what’s perfect to sow now for summer blooms.

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