Bishy Barnabee’s Cottage Garden

Annual Flower Seeds

130 cottage garden seeds, grown and trialled on our Norfolk farm

Quick picks
Sow this monthAutumn favouritesCut flowersFor the vasePollinatorsBees and butterfliesHardy annualsAutumn-sow readyEasy to growFirst-time friendlyUnder £2.50Stock up favourites
130 products
Poppy Flanders Red
Annual

Poppy Flanders Red

The British field poppy, the same Papaver rhoeas…

Sow: Mar–May · Aug–Sep
£1.59 View
Close-up of vibrant red and carmine-pink Cornflower Red Boy blooms from Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd, growing among green stems and buds in a field, with foreground flowers in sharp focus and a softly blurred background.
Annual

Cornflower Red Boy

The name oversells it, and the flower is better for it

Sow: Mar–May · Sep
£2.30 View
Calendula Neon by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd displays vivid electric-orange blooms amid lush green leaves, creating a stunning sunlit display. This eye-catching flower is also edible.
Annual

Calendula Neon

Densely double ruffled heads in tangerine and deep…

Sow: Mar–May · Sep–Oct
£2.50 View
A close-up of a Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Cosmos Fizzy Rose flower with a long stem, shot from below against a blue sky with scattered clouds and blurred green trees in the background.
Annual

Cosmos Fizzy Rose

Semi-double blooms in soft pale mauve-pink, each petal…

Sow: Mar–Jun
£2.20 View
A close-up of Bupleurum Griffithii by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd shows vibrant yellow blooms with round green leaves and lime-green bracts, set against a soft-focus green backdrop—an ideal, unique filler for florist bouquets.
Annual

Bupleurum Griffithii

Zesty lime-green starburst heads above oval blue-grey leaves…

Sow: Mar–May · Sep–Oct
£1.95 View
A Zinnia Green Envy flower from Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden, with pale yellow-green petals, bloomed at the center amidst soft white Queen Anne’s lace and lush foliage, evoking chartreuse-lime garden beauty.
Annual

Zinnia Green Envy

A green flower, which is a rare thing and the reason florists pay attention

Sow: Mar–Jun
£2.15 View
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Growing annual flowers — your questions answered

When should I sow annual flower seeds?

Most half-hardy annuals are sown indoors from late February to April, then transplanted outside once the risk of frost has passed. Hardy annuals can be sown directly outdoors from March onwards, or autumn-sown in September and October for stronger, earlier plants the following year.

What is the difference between hardy and half-hardy annuals?

Hardy annuals (HA) can withstand frost and cold conditions, so they can be sown directly outside or overwintered as young plants. Half-hardy annuals (HHA) need warmth to germinate and are killed by frost, so they are usually started indoors and only planted out after the last spring frost.

Can I sow annual seeds in autumn?

Yes — hardy annuals like cornflowers, larkspur, ammi majus, and sweet peas thrive when autumn-sown. They establish stronger root systems over winter and reward you with bigger plants and earlier flowers the following summer. Sow in modules and overwinter in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse for best results.

Which annuals are best for cut flowers?

For a productive cutting patch, look for varieties with long stems, vase life, and the ability to keep flowering when picked. Cosmos, zinnias, ammi majus, scabious, sweet peas, snapdragons, and cornflowers are all reliable performers. The more you cut, the more they bloom.