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Sow annuals whilst perennials are establishing?

amycat1amycat1 Posts: 4
in Plants
Hello, I’ve recently planted up
a mused herbaceous east facing border. I have a box of annual seeds and wondering whether I should sow them around the plants in order to get some colour this year. Will the annuals shade out the perennials whilst they are growing and will it look a bit crowded? Any advice welcome 🤗 
Amy 

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's certainly a useful method @amycat1 , but it'll just depend on what your annuals are as to how big they get, and how mature your perennials are, what they are, and how rapidly they're growing over the next month or so.
    Most annuals are easy enough to pull out if they become a bit too big for the space    :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • amycat1amycat1 Posts: 4
    Hi fairy girl, they came in mostly 9cm pots, some 3 litres, I have verbena, fox gloves, a thalictrum, geraniums, aquilegia, liastris, astilbe, phlox etc 
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I can't see any harm in sowing them, you might need to thin them out a bit when they start to grow, but they will certainly add some colour in the meantime :) 
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    I think it sounds like a very good idea. Keep an eye on things as long as your perennials take priority for water and light.Pull out any annuals that you need to. This is something I am doing too this year in a new border. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Sorry - I went out to play for a few hours, but the other 'girls' have given you the same  answer I'd have given   :)
    It's always handy to fill spaces like that, and perennials of that sizing will take a wee while to get to full maturity.
    While they're still small - at the end of summer, into early autumn, you'd be able to get some spring bulbs in about them too, to give you a nice succession of planting  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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