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Top 5 Perennials to Grow from Seed

  • Jane Westoby
  • Feb 1
  • 2 min read

Plant Once and Bloom for Years - the best perennials to grow from seed

When it comes to garden planning, few things feel more satisfying than growing perennials from seed. It’s the ultimate slow gardening win: a little patience now for years of colour, structure, and pollinator joy.

Whether you're filling out a cutting patch, creating a border with presence, or just looking to grow more for less, here are five of our favourite perennials to sow from seed this season.


Pink Lupins in garden

1. Lupins – Bold Spikes, Cottage Garden Charm

If you’re looking for height, drama, and a bit of old-fashioned romance, lupins are your go-to. Their towering spires and pea-like blooms come in dreamy shades, and they bring structure to borders like nothing else.

Why we love them:

  • They fix nitrogen, enriching the soil as they grow

  • Beloved by bees

  • Start to flower in early summer, just as your spring bulbs fade

  • Cut & Come agian so they will continue to pump out the blooms through to midsummer

🌱 Sow in spring or late summer. Be patient—first year foliage, second year flowers.


Echinops in garden with a bee

2. Echinops – Architectural and Bee-Magnetic

Echinops (or globe thistle) is the ultimate "tough beauty." Silvery foliage, bold globe-shaped flowers, and an otherworldly presence that adds texture and contrast to softer blooms.

Why we love them:

  • Hardy, drought-tolerant and fuss-free

  • Loved by bees and butterflies

  • Great in dried arrangements too

🌱 Start from seed in spring and you’ll have strong plants to set out by autumn.

Two vibrant pink coneflowers with green centers bloom against a blurred brown background, showcasing detailed petals and upright stems.

3. Echinacea – Pollinator Heaven in a Petal Skirt

No perennial list is complete without echinacea. Also known as coneflowers, they’re long-blooming, robust, and add a wild, prairie-garden vibe to any space.

Why we love them:

  • Long flowering period from midsummer to frost

  • Supports bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects

  • Makes a striking cut flower

🌱 Sow indoors in spring, transplant after the last frost. Flowers usually from year two.

Pink dianthus flowers with serrated petals form a cluster against a dark green leafy background. Vibrant and serene mood.

4. Dianthus – Fragrant, Frothy, and Oh-So-Romantic

Dianthus (also known as pinks) grow to a compact habit, but they’re packed with charm. A cottage garden staple and a dream for making flower crowns.

Why we love them:

  • Long vase life

  • Blooms for months with deadheading

  • Great for edges, containers, or tucked into borders

🌱Sow in trays, prick out young plants, and enjoy a flush of bloom from the following spring.


Colorful yarrow flowers in pink, white, and yellow lie on rustic wooden boards. A pale blue wall serves as the backdrop.

5. Achillea – Soft Umbels and Reliable Colour

Achillea (yarrow) is the workhorse of the flower garden. Its flat, clustered blooms bring a meadowy feel, while its ferny foliage adds texture all season.

Why we love them:

  • Drought-tolerant and thrives in poor soils

  • Superb for pollinators

  • Adds softness to arrangements and is a great filler for bouquets and the garden

🌱 Easy to grow from seed—start now, and enjoy for years to come.


🌿 Keep Growing...

Want more tips to help you grow smarter, stronger, and with fewer headaches?

📖 Why Seeds Sulk: How the Equinox Affects GerminationDiscover why timing your sowings with the light is just as important as what you sow.


📖 The Magic of Cut and Come Again FlowersMaximise your blooms with flowers that keep giving all season long.

📖 The Flower Farmer’s Guide to Harvesting Cut FlowersGrow for the vase? Learn how to cut at just the right stage for longer-lasting blooms.

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