It’s that wonderful time of the year where garden centers are stocked with fresh packets of seeds and bulbs, and the hope of spring in all its blooming goodness feels palpable.
It’s also that time of year where dreams of growing flowers heighten, garden plans are made, shopping trips occur, and all that excitement often can make us blind to the fact that just because all the seeds are offered in the store at the same time doesn’t mean they’re all going to grow and thrive by being planted at the suggested “after the last frost” date that’s most commonly put on packets.
Especially here in Virginia, where mild spring temps are short lived and heat and humidity often overtake us by late May.
Which is why it’s important to know that there is a lovely group of flowers called HARDY ANNUALS.
Hardy = strong, and that’s what these flowers are….but only when it comes to enduring cold temps and a slight frost from time to time.
Enduring heat and humidity? Forget about it.
Give hardy annuals just a few days of temps above 75 degrees and they will quickly start to wither and die. Like humans, all flowers have their strengths and weaknesses, and Virginia summers will always give a spotlight to those of hardy annuals. Believe me, I’ve tried to fight this fact, but heat will always overpower this group.
So does that mean you can’t grow them this year?
Not at all!
It just means that in order to give them a chance to really flourish and grow to their greatest potential, the ideal time to plant them is now (February -early March) or in the fall (preferred for the longest stems and healthiest plants but not required) in Zones 6-8.
So, now that you have the good news of knowing that you DON’T have to wait until April to plant everything, below is a summary of my five favorite hardy annuals that do well by being directly sown outdoors now here in Virginia! Unless the ground is frozen, it’s okay to place these seeds in the cold, wet earth. Remember, this is their time to actually live up to their “hardy” label!
But one more thing before I share: taking the extra step of covering your seed patch with a piece of frost cloth from now until mid March will help aid seed germination and increase their chance of survival if a week of heavy freeze does land upon us. Also, make sure the seeds stay hydrated! Thankfully nature usually takes care of that in the winter, but take a peek every few days to be sure.
Alrighty, here we go, my five favorite hardy annuals that you can plant in late winter to enjoy an early spring harvest:
Bupleurum
Yellow and lime green florets sit upon wiry stems: perfect as a greenery piece for early spring arrangements.
Agrostemma
(also know as Corn Cockle)
Offered in shades of purple or white, these large flowers sit atop thin stems that blow elegantly in the wind : often the first hummingbirds of the season can be seen dipping their beaks into these tubular blooms.
Bachelor Button
Offered in a multitude of different shades, these pin cushion like blooms sit atop straight stems. Wonderful as a cut flower, dried flower, and also can be used as edible floral confetti.
Larkspur
Graceful, tall stems are adorned with many lovely rosettes. Offered in a range of colors, also wonderful for drying. Warning: larkspur is poisonous and seeds nor plants should ever be consumed.
Poppies
There are many varieties of poppies, but I’ve had the best luck with the variety Papaver Rhoeas (aka common poppies) when planting them in late winter - specifically the packets offered from Everwilde Farms called Single Poppy Seed Mix.
*One more thing to note: if you’d like to plant a mixed flower patch comprised of this list, simply mix up the first 4 flower varieties, sprinkle that mixture onto a bare/prepared patch of ground, and cover over with soil. Then, sprinkle the poppy seeds as evenly as possible across the top of your growing patch. Do not cover those with soil but press them in lightly with your hand or foot. Cover with frost cloth, water over top so as to not displace the seeds, and keep on eye on it to maintain the moisture!