Seed Subscription: Flower, Tropical Climate, Spring 2025

Subscriptions are an excellent way to explore new seed varieties without having to spend time choosing the seeds yourself, and are perfect for busy gardeners, delivering seeds and all the information you need to plant them directly to your letterbox. 

Each season we’ll choose a selection of seed varieties tailored to your climate, and send you the seeds plus a colour information sheet with photos, tips and sowing information - all you need to do is plant!

You are currently viewing a single season of seeds which can be purchased individually. To subscribe to a years worth of seeds click here.

Seeds included in this subscription:

• 

  Lupin- Russell Mix

  Perennial up to 90cm. Green palmate leaves with solid spikes of scented pink and purple flowers in spring and late summer. Attracts bees, good for cut flowers. Ideal at the back of beds for height. Tolerates poor soil. Lupins fix nitrogen, improving soil.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 15mm. Germination 15-75 days @ 12-22°C.Perennial. Height 90cm, Spacing 50cm. 200 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Penstemon- Rocky Mountain

  Native to the southern Rocky Mountains, this perennial grows up to 45cm. It forms clumps with green leaves and bright blue flower spikes in late spring to early summer. Ideal for cottage gardens, beds, borders, and rockeries.

  Raise seedlings or sow direct, 2mm . Germination 14-28 days @ 15-20 °C.Perennial. Height 45cm , Spacing 60cm . 85-100 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Chrysanthemum- Rainbow Single Mix

  Annual plant growing to 60cm. Produces single, bi/tri-coloured daisy-like flowers in various shades. Ideal for beds, borders, edges, and as cut flowers. Attracts butterflies. Easy to grow. Also known as Painted Daisy and Summer Chrysanthemum.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 4mm. Germination 10-21 days @ 20-25°C.Annual. Height 60cm, Spacing 35cm. 120 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Salvia- Tricolour Mix

  A 70cm annual plant with light green, hairy leaves. Produces long-lasting pink, blue, and white bracts. Ideal for garden borders and as a dried/cut flower. Also known as "Annual Clary".

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 4mm. Germination 5-12 days @ 24-26°C.Annual. Height 70cm, Spacing 30cm. 85 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

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• 

  Coreopsis- Mayfield Giants

  Perennial up to 90cm with a compact clumping habit. Green foliage produces many large, golden daisy-like blooms in spring and summer. Robust, drought-tolerant, ideal for beds, borders, pots. Excellent cut flower, attracts butterflies.

  Raise seedlings or sow direct, 1mm. Germination 7-30 days @ 12-21°C.Perennial. Height 90cm, Spacing 80cm. 70 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Schizanthus- Dr. Badgers Mixed

  Annual plant growing to 55cm with pale green stems. Produces orchid-like flowers in white, red, pink, and violet. Long flowering, ideal for garden beds and as a cut flower. Also known as 'Poor Mans Orchid' or 'Butterfly Flower'.

  Raise seedlings or sow direct, 3mm. Germination 5-10 days @ 18-22°C.Annual. Height 55cm, Spacing 30cm. 120 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Calendula- Touch of Red Buff

  Fast-growing annual, 60cm tall. Petals in coffee and cream shades with a russet to crimson underside for an antique effect. Light green, lance-shaped leaves, 5-10cm long. Great for mass plantings or cut flowers. Easy to grow, attracts beneficial insects.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 15mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 20-22°C.Annual. Height 60cm, Spacing 50cm. 70-80 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: MAR APR MAY AUG SEP OCT (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Marigold, French- Solan

  Compact annual growing to 20cm with pom pom-like flowers. Yellow-orange centre's with mahogany petals. Blooms from summer to late autumn, attracting bees. Ideal for small spaces, edging beds, borders, and containers. Easy to grow.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 5mm. Germination 4-7 days @ 24-28°C.Annual. Height 20cm, Spacing 20cm. 80-90 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Phlox- Blushing Bride

  Annual growing to 45cm. The flowers, with dark centres and lighter coloured outer petals, change colour when open which results in a mix of blush pink to deep rose clusters of blooms. An old-fashioned cottage garden favourite and a fragrant cut flower.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 3mm. Germination 14-21 days @ 18-20°C.Annual. Height 45cm, Spacing 15cm. 70 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Nasturtium- Whirlybird Mix

  Annual, compact, non-trailing plants, about 30cm tall. Bright green leaves, spurless flowers in various colours. Ideal for beds, borders, rockeries, containers, hanging baskets. Tolerates poor soil.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 15mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 16-20°C.Annual. Height 30cm, Spacing 30cm. 70-80 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

Tips for gardening in spring:

Spring Gardening

Spring cleaning: Use this checklist to carry out a garden inspection. 

• Plant damage - look for plants damaged by winter rains, cold temperatures, frost, snow, or wind. 
• Tidy up plants and provide stakes or support where necessary. Make a note of which plants will need protection from winter weather for next year. Also look for rodent or deer damage on woody plants, evidence of new rabbit burrows or new shoots being eaten by rabbits. Protect plants with wire cages where appropriate.
• Hardscaping and outdoor living areas - check paving and decking for algae and mould and give it a good clean. Sweep patios and paths, and clean outdoor furniture. Gravel paths might need resurfacing. Check decks, benches, sheds, fences and wooden trellises for rotting timber. Walls that have become bowed may need fixing or reinforcing, and stepping stones or paving that has shifted may cause a trip hazard.
• Check gutters and drains - clearing out leaves and twigs reduces potential fire hazards and ensures rainwater can run off easily. 
• Irrigation system - check for leaks and parts that need to be repaired and unclog sprinkler heads that have become clogged with debris.
• Clean up garden beds - rake up old plant debris and matted fallen leaves if you didn’t do this in autumn. Doing so keeps pests and diseases at bay that thrive under such conditions. 
• Clean out bird baths and remove debris from water features and ponds.

Soil preparation: Boost soil structure and fertility by sprinkling with a slow-release organic fertiliser and topdressing with well-rotted compost or well-aged manure. Take extra care if using chicken manure, and use it sparingly, as it can be high in ammonia which can burn your plants. 

It is helpful to test your soil every 3-5 years to check if it is becoming deficient (or too rich) in any particular nutrient. The pH of the soil can sometimes limit the uptake of certain nutrients, so checking the pH is a good place to start. If necessary, amend the soil accordingly.  

Refresh the soil in pots and containers. Over time, nutrients are used up and soil may become compacted or hold less water. Repot suitable plants (divide if appropriate) into fresh potting mix, or simply remove the top few centimetres of soil and replace with fresh mix.

Get planting: If you haven’t already planned your garden, sort through your seeds and decide what you want to plant and where. If it’s still a bit cold in your area, you can start seeds indoors on a heat mat or in a mini greenhouse. If sowing directly in the garden, try the scatter method of sowing for a more informal approach this year.

If any of the flowers or vegetables you are planning on planting require support like stakes or trellises, set them up when you sow your seeds. This avoids disturbing the roots of newly emerging seedlings and young plants later on. 

Pests and diseases to look out for in spring:

Slugs and snails: Snail and slug eggs that have overwintered begin to hatch as the weather warms up. Baby snails and slugs start feeding immediately and cause as much damage to flowers and vegetable seedlings as the adults. Control and reduce their number by picking them off and removing weeds and places that provide refuge for them. If you choose to use bait, do so with caution as most baits can be toxic to pets and other wildlife.

Sap-sucking insects: Infestations of aphids and whitefly can detrimentally affect your plants. Female aphids can give birth to live young without the need to mate, and colonies multiply very rapidly when conditions are favourable. Adult whiteflies are usually only seen when they are disturbed and fly up in a cloud. Try physically removing these pests by squirting with a garden hose, or use a homemade pyrethrum spray or eco oil.

Fruit fly: Set up fruit fly traps and get ready to protect young tomatoes and other susceptible fruit using appropriate bags and nets.

Product code: SS_FLO_TROP_SPR_2025