GARDENING PLANTS
SHORT DESCRIPTION
SOWING & PLANTING GUIDELINES
Blue flowering plant; suitable for bed edgings and
borders; 12 – 20 cm Sow in open ground or seedbeds and thin to 15 cm apart
Perennial border plant; 30 – 50 cm Sow in seed trays or shaded beds and transplant at 30cm
spacing
Dwarf bushy plants with purple or white flowers; good
for borders; 12 – 15 cm Sow in open ground and thin to 15 cm spacing
Tall and attractive; 1 m Sow under protection; prick out when two leaves have
formed, at 8 cm apart; plant in permanent positions at 30 cm
Aquilegia Delicate-looking perennial grown as an annual; 60 cm Sow under protection; prick out when three leaves have
formed; plant at 45 cm spacing
Asters Blue, pink or white star-shaped flowers carried on long,
bushy stems; 60 – 120 cm Sow in open ground, but transplant at 40 – 60 cm spacing
when small
Bellis Perennis Dwarf edging plant with white, pink or crimson flowers;
10cm Sow in open ground, but transplant at 15cm spacing at 4th
leaf stage
Brachycome Good bedding annual with flowers from white to deep
blue; 30 cm Sow in open ground and thin to 20 cm spacing
Calendula (Marigold) Orange or yellow flowers; double hybrids also available;
30 – 40 cm Sow in open ground, and thin to 20 – 30 cm spacing
Carnations Annuals; most popular the Florists’ Carnation; some richly
scented; 30 – 45 cm Sow in open ground, and thin to 18 cm spacing.
Chrysanthemum Perennial border plant with large varieties growing up to
2 m; 30 – 60 cm Sow in open ground and thin to 20 – 30 cm spacing; sow
larger varieties in boxes and prick out to pots
Good border plant with blue or purple flowers; 30 – 45 cm Sow under protection and prick out into pots; plant at
required spacing (depending on variety)
Cosmos Only some varieties grown in gardens; Pink or white
flowers; 60 – 100 cm Sow in open ground and thin to 10 cm spacing
Delphinium Border perennial making excellent display; some hybrids
from 1 – 2 m; up to 45 cm Sow in boxes and prick out when leaves have formed; plant
out at 10 cm spacing
A blue marguerite; quite hardy Sow in shade beds or boxes and transplant at 40 cm
spacing
Digitalis (Foxglove) Very showy bi-annual; spring and summer flowering;
Flowers are purple, pink, and white; 1 – 2 m Sow under protection and transplant to desired flowering
location while small
Gerbera (Barberton Daisy) Herbaceous perennial with scarlet single flowers; orange,
red, pink, or yellow hybrids available; 35 – 50 cm Sow in open ground, and thin to 18 cm spacing
Alcea roasa (Hollyhock) Finicky plants requiring a lot of attention, but very
rewarding; 2 – 2.5 m Sow under protection; prick out when three leaves have
formed; plant out when clumpy rosettes have formed
Lupins Showy; large range of colours; 60 –100 cm Sow in individual pots under shelter;
plant out in April and May
Nemesia A bright bedding plant of many flowering shades; 18 cm Sow in open and thin to 18 cm when about to flower
Poppy Dainty and colourful; 30 – 40 cm Sow under protection; prick out when three leaves have
formed; plant at 30 cm spacing
Fragrant and attractive; in purples or lilacs; 30 – 60 cm Sow under protection; prick out when two leaves have
formed; plant at 30 – 40 cm spacing
Sweet pea Old-world charm, intense fragrance, and in a wide
variety of colours; 3 – 3.5 m Sow under protection and transplant into the open at 20 cm
spacing
Violets Richly scented and easy to grow; many varieties and a
wide range of colours; 15 – 30 cm Sow under protection; prick out when three leaves have
formed; plant at 20 cm spacing
Zinnias Hardy, daisy-like flowers in wide range of colours;
30 – 60 cm Sow under protection; prick out when four leaves have
formed; plant at 20 – 30 cm spacing
Ageratum
Alstromeria
Alyssum
Antirrhinum (Snapdragon)
Cineraria
Felicia amelloides
Stocks
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Sowing guide: Western Cape & Western Cape Coast
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