Fuller's teasel
The ultimate in seed-heads; perfect for feeding birds, cutting and wreaths
Sow: May-June
Cut: autumn of next year
Teasels grow wild but bringing them into the garden means inviting in beauty. Year-round silhouettes, seeds for the finches and nectar for the bees. I can’t beat a few heads in a vase to get me through a long winter; they will last forever if dried properly, but leave a few standing for the goldfinches.
Direct sow in poor soil, although mine does seem very happy self-seeding in the middle of my kitchen garden.
The ultimate in seed-heads; perfect for feeding birds, cutting and wreaths
Sow: May-June
Cut: autumn of next year
Teasels grow wild but bringing them into the garden means inviting in beauty. Year-round silhouettes, seeds for the finches and nectar for the bees. I can’t beat a few heads in a vase to get me through a long winter; they will last forever if dried properly, but leave a few standing for the goldfinches.
Direct sow in poor soil, although mine does seem very happy self-seeding in the middle of my kitchen garden.
The ultimate in seed-heads; perfect for feeding birds, cutting and wreaths
Sow: May-June
Cut: autumn of next year
Teasels grow wild but bringing them into the garden means inviting in beauty. Year-round silhouettes, seeds for the finches and nectar for the bees. I can’t beat a few heads in a vase to get me through a long winter; they will last forever if dried properly, but leave a few standing for the goldfinches.
Direct sow in poor soil, although mine does seem very happy self-seeding in the middle of my kitchen garden.
Growing guide: Cornflowers are simple to grow and, as hardy annuals, they start quickly and easily from seed in either autumn or spring. I sow mine into 9cm pots (fill with a peat-free multi-purpose compost) in September and keep in a sheltered place over the winter. When I plant out into the ground at the end of April (they won’t mind a bit of frost), they will grow away wonderfully.