Seed Subscription: Flower, Tropical Climate, Winter 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:

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  Candytuft- Empress White

  Flowering annual growing to 45cm. Produces blooms of small white flowers. Attracts bees and butterflies to the garden.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 5mm. Germination 16-20 days @ 18-30°C.Annual. Height 45cm, Spacing 20cm. 90-100 days.

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

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  Alyssum- Carpet of Snow

  Annual growing to 12cm. Low growing plant that produces masses of small fragrant pure white flowers. Ideal for carpeting. Good for beds, rockeries, paths and edging. Also known as "Sweet Alice".

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 2mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 18-22°C.Annual. Height 12cm, Spacing 20cm. 60 days.

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

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  Nigella- Persian Jewels Mix

  Annual growing to 45cm. Also known as "Love in a mist". Plants have feathery green foliage and produce decorative flowers in a range of colours. Good for borders, mass plantings and as a cut flower.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 3mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 16-18°C.Annual. Height 45cm, Spacing 30cm. 100 days.

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

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  Ageratum- Red Flint

  Fast-growing annual, 60cm high with abundant red flowers in Summer. Mounded plants with dark green leaves, small fluffy flowers. Ideal for beds, borders, containers. Taller variety with longer stems, good cut flower. Attracts bees, butterflies.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 1mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 25-28°C.Annual. Height 60cm, Spacing 40cm. 90 days.

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

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  Armeria- Splendens

  Compact perennial with dark green leaves and deep pink to magenta flowers. Grows to 10cm, flowers on 20cm stems in late spring/summer. Suitable for coastal conditions, poor soil, rockeries, borders, containers. Low-maintenance groundcover.

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

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

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  Sweet William- Herald of Spring

  Biennial, often grown annually. Bushy 60cm plant with light green leaves, clusters of sweet-scented flowers in reds, pinks, whites. Ideal for garden beds, borders, rockeries, cut flowers. Early and long flowering.

  Raise seedlings, 4mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 18-22°C.Biennial (usually grown as an annual). Height 60cm, Spacing 30cm. 140 days.

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

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  Californian Poppy- Red Chief

  Annual growing to 40cm. Fine grey/green fern-like foliage with bright red flowers. Flowers close in dull weather. Very good as a cut flower, in beds, borders and rock gardens. Can be grown 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 Tropical Climates: JAN SEP OCT NOV DEC (Click for full sowing chart, grow guide and more)

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  Sunflower- Dwarf Sonnet F1

  A pollen-free, dwarf annual sunflower growing 25-45cm with branched stems for multiple flowers over a long period. The flowers have a dark purple centre and overlapping gold petals with a distinctive rust to chocolate-coloured ring towards the centre.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 10mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 21-30°C.Annual. Height 45cm, Spacing 30cm. 65-70 days.

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

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  Cosmos- Rubenza

  A 120cm annual with dark green leaves and large, two-toned flowers that open ruby red and fade to antique rose. Ideal for beds, mass planting, and cut flowers. Attracts beneficial insects, self-seeds freely, and grows easily in dry or poor soil.

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 6mm. Germination 15-20 days @ 21-26°C.Annual. Height 120cm, Spacing 45cm. 85-95 days.

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

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  Snapdragon- Canary Bird

  A tall-growing perennial to 90cm, most commonly grown as an annual. The large, scented flowers are bright canary yellow. When the throats of the flowers are gently squeezed, they snap open and resemble a dragon's face. Good for garden beds. Excellent as a

  Sow direct or raise seedlings, 3mm. Germination 7-14 days @ 21-24°C.Perennial (usually grown as an annual). Height 90cm, Spacing 20cm. 115 days.

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

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_TROP_WIN_2025