Seed Subscription: Flower, Tropical Climate, Summer 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:

• 

  Celosia- Pampas Plume

  A 70cm annual with dark green leaves and mixed colour feathery flowers. Ideal for garden beds, borders, and mass plantings. Makes a long-lasting cut flower, fresh or dried. Thrives in hot, dry conditions.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 3mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 21-27°C.Annual. Height 70cm, Spacing 20cm. 90 days.

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

• 

  Linaria- Fairy Bouquet Mixed

  Annual. Dwarf variety growing to 30cm. Small dainty flowers in a range of colour including yellow, rose, salmon, orange, and cream. Good for edging, beds, rockeries and as a cut flower.

  Sow direct, 5mm. Germination 14-21 days @ 20-30°C.Annual. Height 30cm, Spacing 15cm. 70 days.

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

• 

  Lobelia- String of Pearls

  A perennial, typically grown annually, reaching 15cm high with a cascading habit. Pink, white, blue flowers bloom above dark green leaves in summer-autumn. Ideal for pots or as groundcover over retaining walls.

  Raise seedlings, 0mm. Germination 14-21 days @ 21-24°C.Perennial (usually grown as an annual). Height 15cm, Spacing 20cm. 90 days.

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

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  Salvia- Blaze of Fire

  Perennial often grown annually. Upright, bushy plants with oval, hairy, green leaves. Produces spikes of bright red flowers. Ideal for garden beds, borders, mass planting, and containers. Also known as "Scarlet Sage", "Red Salvia", "Fireball".

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 4mm. Germination 12-15 days @ 22-24°C.Perennial (usually grown as an annual). Height 30cm, Spacing 30cm. 75 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)

• 

  Viola- Bambini Mix

  Compact perennial growing to 15cm. Medium green foliage with large rounded flowers in a mixture of colours. Long flowering hardy plant. Good for beds, pots, containers and hanging baskets. Also considered a form of garden pansy.

  Raise seedlings, 6mm. Germination 4-7 days @ 17-21°C.Perennial (short lived). Height 15cm, Spacing 20cm. 110 days.

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

• 

  Aster- Hulk

  Bushy annual, 60cm high with unique cream to yellow flowers resembling 'fried eggs'. Ideal for commercial cut flower growers, blooming from late spring to autumn. Suitable for beds, borders, and containers. Easy to grow. Also known as 'China Aster'.

  Raise seedlings, 6mm. Germination 10-15 days @ 20-22°C.Annual. Height 60cm, Spacing 30cm. 110 days.

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

• 

  Zinnia- Macarenia

  Annual grows to 30cm, with large, gold-tipped scarlet flowers up to 8cm wide. Mostly double flowers, some singles. Ideal for beds, borders, mass plantings. Easy to grow in large containers. A Fleuroselect award winner.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 6mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 21-29°C.Annual. Height 30cm, Spacing 20cm. 90 days.

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

• 

  Pansy- Swiss Giants White Lady

  Biennial normally grown as an annual. Plants grow to 15cm and produce spectacular displays of large, pure white flowers with a classic pansy face and subtle yellow centers. Good for beds, containers, and creating elegant garden displays.

  Raise seedlings, 6mm. Germination 4-7 days @ 17-21°C.Perennial (short lived). Height 15cm, Spacing 30cm. 110-130 days.

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

• 

  Californian Poppy- Rosa Romantica

  Hardy annual with feathery, silvery green foliage growing 25-35cm tall. The double flowers have pleated petals streaked in shades of rose pink to pale yellow and cream. Flowers appear in spring, summer and autumn. Drought and tolerant once established.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 3mm. Germination 14-21 days @ 16-21°C.Annual. Height 25-35cm, Spacing 30cm. 55-70 days.

  Best months in Tropical Climates: JAN SEP OCT NOV DEC (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

Tips for gardening in summer:

• Watering: Learn when to water by using your index finger to check soil moisture. Scratch back a little of the surface soil and use your finger to see if soil is moist about 5cm below the surface; if it’s on the dry side, it’s time to water.
• Pinch for More Flowers: Pinch the main stems of flowering plants to encourage strong growth, a bushier habit and more flowers. Once plants are 20-40cm tall and have several sets of leaves, use sharp, clean snips or secateurs to cut off the top 10cm or so of the main stem of the plant, making the cut just above a set of leaves. Flowers including aster, zinnia, chrysanthemum, calendula, marigold and dahlia will all benefit from pinching.
• Crop protection: As fruit and veggies develop they may need protection from burrowing insects, fruit fly, birds, possums or bats. Berries, fruit trees and soft fruit like tomatoes are especially at risk. Use insect exclusion netting, bird netting or fruit protection bags to protect crops. Ensure your netting is pegged or tied securely at the bottom to stop pests getting in.
• Provide shade for sensitive plants: Use shade cloth or even old sheets to protect delicate seedlings and leafy greens from the harsh summer sun, especially during the hottest part of the day.

Pests and diseases to look out for in summer:

• Aphids: Small, sap-sucking insects that congregate on the new shoots or the underside of leaves. They can cause leaves to wilt or become discoloured, and also excrete honeydew which can attract ants and other insect pests. To manage aphids, remove them by spraying with a garden hose, apply a soap or alcohol spray, or encourage predatory insects to your garden.
• Whitefly: A sap-sucking insect related to aphids, whitefly are found in large numbers on the underside of leaves, and will swarm in clouds when disturbed. Plants may have yellowing leaves or may wilt, and growth will be slowed. Whitefly can be removed with a garden hose or sprayed with soap spray. Badly affected plants should be destroyed.
• Slugs and snails: These slimy pests love the humidity of summer nights and can decimate seedlings and tender young plants. They leave tell-tale silvery trails and irregular holes in leaves. To control them, try hand-picking them at night (with a torch) and disposing of them, creating barriers crushed eggshells around vulnerable plants, or using beer traps.
• Fungal diseases: The combination of warm temperatures and summer humidity can form the perfect conditions for fungal diseases to spread. Water plants in the morning at ground level, avoiding wetting foliage wherever possible. Prune off affected foliage, space plants to allow more airflow, and treat fungal outbreaks with homemade or purchased sprays.

Product code: SS_FLO_TROP_SUM_2025