Seed Subscription: Flower, Sub-Tropical Climate, Winter 2024

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:

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  Armeria- Morning Star White

  A 15cm tall perennial that flowers in its first year. It has dark green leaves and white flowers in late spring/summer. Armerias are hardy, tolerating various conditions, ideal for rockeries, borders, and containers. Deadhead for repeat flowering.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 0mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 21-24°C.Perennial. Height 15cm, Spacing 20cm. 100 days.

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

• 

  Brachyscome- Mixed Splendour

  Annual plant growing to 25cm with grey/green foliage and single flowers in blue, pink, white. Ideal for borders, rockeries, edging, or containers. Native to Western and South Australia.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 3mm. Germination 14-21 days @ 18-21°C.Annual. Height 25cm, Spacing 20cm. 120 days.

  Best months in Sub-Tropical Climates: MAY JUN JUL (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

• 

  Impatiens- Camellia Flowered Mix (Balsam)

  Annual growing to 45cm. Fleshy green foliage. Large double flowers in a range of colours including violet, scarlet, rose, salmon and white. Grows well in shady positions. Can be grown in containers. Impatiens balsamina is also known as Balsam.

  Raise seedlings, 6mm. Germination 14-21 days @ 22-26°C.Annual. Height 45cm, Spacing 40cm. 85 days.

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

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  Carnation- Chabaud Superb Finest Mix

  Hardy perennial growing to 60cm. A very ornamental plant with fragrant double flowers in a range of colours. Good for beds, rockeries and as a cut flower. Can be used in potpourri.

  Raise seedlings, 6mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 18-22°C.Perennial. Height 60cm, Spacing 40cm. 180-200 days.

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

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• 

  Nasturtium- Peach Melba

  Dwarf annual, 30cm max. Compact with round green leaves, semi-double cream-yellow flowers with peach-red spots. Ideal for beds, borders, mass planting, containers, hanging baskets. Edible leaves/flowers. Fast, easy to grow, drought tolerant.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 15mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 16-20°C.Annual. Height 30cm, Spacing 25cm. 70-80 days.

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

• 

  Golden Marguerite- Kelawayi

  Perennial plant, 50cm tall with green lacy foliage, yellow daisy-like flowers. Ideal for garden borders, cut flowers. Attracts bees, drought tolerant. Flowers used for traditional fabric dye.

  Raise seedlings, 2mm. Germination 14-28 days @ 18-21°C.Perennial. Height 50cm, Spacing 35cm. 60-80 days.

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

• 

  Californian Poppy- Carmine King

  Annual plant growing to 40cm with grey/green fern-like foliage. Produces carmine rose flowers, often with cream centre's. Closes in dull weather. Ideal as a cut flower, for beds, borders, rock gardens. Can grow in poor soil. Drought tolerant.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 3mm. Germination 14-21 days @ 16-21°C.Annual. Height 40cm, Spacing 30cm. 70 days.

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

• 

  Dahlia- Coltness Single Mix

  Frost tender perennial (usually grown as an annual in cold climates) growing to a compact 60cm. Large single flowers in a range of bright colours bloom from summer into autumn. Ideal for borders, bedding, containers and as a cut flower.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 10mm. Germination 3-5 days @ 18-21°C.Perennial. Height 60cm, Spacing 30cm. 115 days.

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

• 

  Sweet William- Scarlet Beauty

  Perennial herb up to 60cm with lance-shaped leaves and strong stems. Scarlet red flowers bloom in late spring. Ideal for beds, borders, and containers. Best when grown in clusters. Great cut flower. Easy to grow from seed; may self-seed in the garden.

  Raise seedlings or sow direct, 3mm. Germination 10-14 days @ 18-22°C.Perennial. Height 20cm, Spacing 30cm. 120 days.

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

• 

  Four O'Clocks- Salmon Sunset

  Perennial bushy plant with large green leaves and fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers in salmon pink to orange. Suited for borders and large containers. Flowers open in the evening or on cloudy days, attractive to moths. Tolerates hot conditions and drought.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 20mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 20-22°C.Perennial. Height 60cm, Spacing 50cm. 75-85 days.

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

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Tips for gardening in winter:

Weeding and tidying: Rain helps weed seeds germinate and it is easier to remove them when the soil is damp. Be sure to remove weeds before they get a chance to mature and set seed, and ensure you get the weeds out roots and all. Hand tools are useful for small areas and hoes or tillers make the job go faster in larger gardens. Rake up fallen leaves so they don’t form a compact layer which can stop water reaching the soil. Add these extra leaves to your compost heap. Clear out any dead or diseased plants and to prevent the spread of disease, place this plant material in the bin rather than the compost bin.

Pruning: Check your tools. Cleaning and sharpening your secateurs and pruning saws makes the job much easier, and a clean cut means there is less chance for disease to enter ragged wounds. It is easier to prune deciduous trees and shrubs in winter because you can see the structure of the plant more clearly. Remove any dead wood, and take out crossing branches or stems that might rub against each other. 

Watering: You may not need to water your plants as frequently in winter, but make sure your plants are still getting enough. If required, give them a deep soak once a week early in the day so that excess moisture can evaporate before nightfall and avoid the risk of fungal diseases.

Plot and plan: Use some of the down time in winter to review your garden and think about what you’d like to plant in the coming seasons. If you’re growing annuals, do you want to plant the same again, or try some new varieties or colour schemes? If you’re growing veggies, remember that crop rotation is a good idea to break the cycle or build-up of any pests and diseases that may be in the soil. This has the added benefit of reducing, or even eliminating, the need to spray with chemicals.

Pests and diseases to look out for in winter:

Slugs and snails: These pests can damage a wide range of plants, especially flower and vegetable seedlings. They are most active in the cooler wetter months, or when thunderstorms activate them in summer, and come out at night to feed. Controlling weeds and removing places that can harbour slugs and snails can be an effective way to control and reduce the number of these pests. If you choose to use bait, it is best applied in Autumn before snails get a chance to lay eggs. Most baits can be toxic to pets and other wildlife, so use any bait with caution.

Fungal diseases: A range of fungal diseases can occur in winter. You can prevent these from taking hold by practising good hygiene. Pick up any fallen and rotting fruit and put it into the rubbish, as it can cause disease which carries over into the following year’s crop.

Product code: SS_FLOW_SUB_WIN_2024