Bishy Barnabee’s Cottage Garden

Sow in April

The busiest sowing month — everything is possible

What to sow in April
Flower seedsAnnuals & perennialsVeg seedsFrom salad to squashHerb seedsKitchen and gardenDirect sowingStraight in the soilPollinator friendlyBees & butterfliesUnder £2.50Stock up favourites
231 products
A Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Lemon Balm cutting board with fresh herbs and a knife sits on the kitchen counter; behind it are a farmhouse sink, potted plants, shelves of jars, and copper pans.
Herb Seeds

Lemon Balm

Brush past this and you get a cloud of pure sherbet lemon

Sow: Mar–May
£1.75 View
Lettuce Tom ThumbNew
Vegetable Seeds

Lettuce Tom Thumb

The tiny Victorian butterhead that grows where nothing else will fit

Sow: Feb–Aug
£2.00 View
A cluster of delicate Linum Blue Flax flowers with slender green stems blooms outdoors in soft light—a hardy perennial grown from seeds by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd.
Perennial

Linum Blue Flax

Slender arching stems carrying hundreds of small clear…

Sow: Mar–May · Aug–Sep
£2.20 View
Linum Bright Eyes by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden features white five-petaled blooms with a striking purple and pink star center, flourishing in outdoor dark soil amid green leaves, perfect for creating vibrant meadow-style displays.
Annual

Linum Bright Eyes

Large silky white saucers, about three centimetres across,…

Sow: Mar–Jul
£2.20 View
Close-up of Malva Alba by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd, featuring delicate white petals with pale pink centers and veined details, blooming amid lush green foliage in bright sunlight.
Perennial

Malva Alba

The white musk mallow, and the most refined of the family

Sow: Feb–May
£2.95 View
A vibrant Malva Zebrina from Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd blooms with purple and white petals among green stems in a sunlit field—a delightful addition for any cottage garden enthusiast.
Perennial

Malva Zebrina

Soft lilac-pink saucers painted with deep purple veins…

Sow: Feb–May
£3.20 View
A lush Marjoram Sweet plant from Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden thrives in a sunny bed, surrounded by herbs and flowers, with a stone path and metal railing in the background.
Herb Seeds

Marjoram Sweet

Where Greek oregano is spicy and peppery, sweet…

Sow: Feb–May
£1.55 View
A cluster of vibrant green Mint Lemon leaves from Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden grows densely together, displaying textured, serrated edges and prominent veins.
Herb Seeds

Mint Lemon

If you cannot decide between mint and lemon, this settles it

Sow: Feb–May
£2.00 View
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Sowing in April — your questions answered

What can I sow in April?

Almost everything. Outdoors: hardy annuals (cornflowers, calendula, ammi, nigella, larkspur), peas, beans, lettuce, beetroot, carrots, parsnips, spring onions, and most leafy greens. Under cover: half-hardy annuals like cosmos and zinnias, tomatoes, courgettes, squashes, and pumpkins. April is the month where the planting calendar properly opens up.

Should I still be sowing tender plants indoors?

Yes. April is the ideal month to start cosmos, zinnias, tithonia, courgettes, squashes, runner beans, and French beans under cover. They need a few weeks of growth before they can go outside in late May. Start them in modules or small pots and pot them on as they fill their roots. Don't be tempted to plant them out before the last frost — they will not recover.

Can I succession sow this early?

Definitely — it's the secret to a productive vegetable garden. Sow lettuce, radishes, beetroot, and carrots in small batches every two to three weeks rather than one big sowing. The same applies to flowers like cornflowers and calendula — a second batch sown four weeks after the first will extend the flowering season well into autumn.

What if we get a late frost?

Cover anything tender with horticultural fleece, cloches, or even an inverted bucket overnight. Hardy seedlings sown direct will usually shrug off a light frost without complaint. Half-hardy plants like cosmos, zinnias, and tomatoes are the ones to worry about — keep them under cover until you are confident the frosts have passed in your area.