Bishy Barnabee’s Cottage Garden

Beginners

Forgiving flowers, fast results — perfect for your first garden

Quick picks
Sow this monthSpring favouritesCut flowersFor the vasePollinatorsBees and butterfliesHardy annualsAutumn-sow readyEasy to growFirst-time friendlyUnder £2.50Stock up favourites
116 products
Close-up of plump, juicy Aji Crujiente chilli pods
Chilli

Aji Crujiente Chilli

Crujiente is Spanish for crunchy, and that is the whole point of this one

Sow: Jan–Mar
£2.99 View
Clusters of white Ammi majus flowers by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd bloom densely on green stems, with a few purple blossoms in the sunlight and dreamy blurred trees and a structure in the background.
Annual

Ammi majus

Flat white lace-cap heads on tall slender stems…

Sow: Mar–May · Sep–Oct
£2.20 View
Vivid blue, star-shaped Borage flowers and fuzzy buds from Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd grow on hairy stems with large green leaves, set in a leafy garden beside a wooden fence, bringing vibrant life to the scene.
Herb Seeds

Borage

If you grow one plant for the bees, grow borage

Sow: Mar–Jun · 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
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Growing flowers as a beginner — your questions answered

I have never grown anything before — where do I start?

Start with cornflowers, calendula, nigella, or cosmos. These are the most forgiving flowers we sell. You can sow them directly into the ground from March onwards, they germinate quickly, and they flower within about ten weeks of sowing. You do not need a greenhouse, special compost, or any expensive equipment. Just prepared soil, water, and a little patience.

What is the most common mistake new gardeners make?

Sowing too early. There is a strong temptation in February to start sowing because it feels like spring is finally arriving — but soil temperature is what matters, not the calendar. Seeds sown into cold soil sit there, rot, and never come up. Wait until March or April, when soil has warmed enough to crumble nicely between your fingers. Your seeds will reward your patience.

Do I need a greenhouse?

No. Many of the most rewarding flowers — cornflowers, calendula, nigella, ammi, cosmos, larkspur — do best when sown directly outside. A sunny windowsill is plenty for the half-hardy types like cosmos and zinnias if you want to start them a few weeks earlier. A greenhouse is a nice-to-have, never a need-to-have.

How quickly can I expect flowers?

For fast annuals like calendula or California poppy, you can have flowers within eight to ten weeks of sowing. Most cottage garden annuals flower from June or July through to the first frosts in October or November. Sweet peas take a little longer to settle in. Biennials like foxgloves and sweet williams flower in their second year — worth the wait but plan accordingly.