Wild & romantic: summer flowers for natural gardens
A natural garden is more than just a sea of flowers in bloom – it’s a mini-oasis, full of life, where bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects can come and find food.
For your garden to be a festival of floral gorgeousness this summer you need to sow the right flower seeds now. Here are some fabulous flowers you can still sow through into May!
Flowers you can sow now
 1. California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) – golden waves of sunshineÂ
- Gorgeous, silky flowers in yellow, orange or red.
- Loves sunny, dry locations and flowers tirelessly.
- Low-maintenance, needs virtually no water and seeds itself.Â
- Perfect for natural, wild flowerbeds and dry areas.
See the varieties in our webshop:
2. Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) – delicate and elegantÂ
- Delicate pink, white and dark red flowers on long, slender stems.
- Flowers from July through into autumn.
- Low-maintenance, needs little water and loves full sun.Â
- Perfect for wildflower beds or as an eyecatching feature in natural gardens.
See the varieties in our webshop:
3. Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) – a wild garden classic
- Brilliant blue flowers that attract butterflies and bees.
- Looks wonderful combined with poppies and chamomile.
- Works well as part of a wildflower mixture.Â
- Edible flowers – perfect for decorating salads and desserts!
See the varieties in our webshop:
4. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) – golden summer magic
- A fast-growing summer flower that adds structure to any garden.
- Grows between 50 cm and 3 m high, depending on the variety.
- Attracts many wild bees and birds (the seeds are a tasty treat for birds in autumn).Â
- Ideal for natural corners or screening your garden from view.
See the varieties in our webshop:
5. Common corn-cockle (Agrostemma githago) – Delicate & wildÂ
- Gorgeous deep pink flowers with feathery leaves.
- Historic cornfield wildflower, once almost extinct – but making a comeback!
- Loves dry, sunny locations and seeds itself.Â
- Flowers from June to August – a rare treasure from the wild.
See the varieties in our webshop:
6. Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) – a riot of glorious colourÂ
- Brightly coloured blooms in pink, orange, red, purple and white.
- Fast-growing and low-maintenance, loves full sun.
- Perfect for natural flowerbeds and as a cut flower.Â
- Attracts many butterflies and flowers through into autumn.
See the varieties in our webshop:
 7. Borage (Borago officinalis) – blue flowers & edible leavesÂ
- Gorgeous – and edible – bright blue flowers.
- Perfect for natural gardens and a magnet for bees.
- Self-seeds – sow it once and you’ll have it coming back every year!Â
- The leaves are great for salads, bowl meals and herbal lemonades.
See the varieties in our webshop:
8. Scabious (Scabiosa) – heaven for butterflies
- Delicate, daisy-like flowers in violet, blue and pink.
- Wild bees and butterflies absolutely love it.
- Combines well with cornflowers and poppies.Â
- Flowers continuously from July through into autumn.
See the varieties in our webshop:
9. China aster (Callistephus chinensis) – Wonderful late-summer colourÂ
- Luxuriant blooms in blue, pink, white, purple and red.
- One of the most beautiful late-summer flowers – keeps going through into autumn.Â
- Loves sunny, sheltered locations and works brilliantly in natural gardens.Â
- Also makes a great cut flower!
See the varieties in our webshop:
 10. Golden everlasting / strawflower (Helichrysum bracteatum) – Colourful & long-lastingÂ
- Brightly-coloured, paper-like flowers in yellow, orange, red and pink.
- Perfect as a dried flower for later decorative uses.
- Grows fast and flowers continuously through into autumn.
- Low-maintenance and loved by bees.
See the varieties in our webshop:
11. Annual clary sage (Salvia viridis) – Captivating colour
- Intense purple-, blue- and pink-coloured flowers and bracts.
- Magnetic attraction for bees and bumblebees.
- Very low-maintenance and drought-resistant.Â
- Combines beautifully with cornflowers and scabious.
See the varieties in our webshop:
12. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) – Colour variety for natural gardensÂ
- Previously known for its golden-yellow flowers, but now available in many different colour variants – from deep burgundy red or copper to multicoloured flowers with dark centres.Â
- Very robust and perfect for natural beds and borders.
- Flowers from July through into autumn.
- Perfect for wild bees and butterflies.
- The dark, almost velvety-looking flower colours look stunning in romantic beds and borders.
See the varieties in our webshop:
Tips for a gorgeous floral display
✔  Direct sow outdoors or sow in pots?
You can direct sow most of these flowers outdoors – they germinate fast and will grow without needing a lot of attention.
✔ Best location
Nearly all summer flowers love the sun! Choose an open, sunny spot for the best possible flower display.
✔ Creating the right mix
Combine flowers of different heights to create a dynamic, natural effect. Cornflowers and California poppy make beautiful ground cover plants, while black-eyed Susan and sunflowers provide height.
✔ Flower power into autumn
By sowing now and regularly removing dead flowerheads later (except for those flowers you want to self-seed), you can extend the flowering period into October.
To sum up: a romantic summer display is super-easy
Sow these fast-growing, straightforward flowers in May to lay the basis for a gloriously wild and colourful natural garden. The first flowers will appear in just a few weeks’ time and will keep on producing a wonderful display through into autumn.
Feeling inspired to create your own wild garden? Then take a look at our range of summer flowers
