Alyssum 'Carpet of Snow' Seeds

Lobularia maritima 'Carpet of Snow' (commonly known as Sweet Alyssum, Sweet Alison, or Sweet Alice—the "sweet" referring to its honey-like fragrance, whilst "Alyssum" comes from the Greek words meaning "without madness" as it was once believed to cure rabies!) is a Hardy Annual in the UK, meaning it completes its entire life cycle (germination, growth, flowering, seed production) within one growing season and is tough enough to tolerate light frosts (down to approximately -5°C) without protection! However, it's technically a short-lived perennial in its native Mediterranean coastal habitats where winters are mild!

This charming plant belongs to the Brassicaceae family (the mustard/cabbage family—which explains why the leaves and flowers have a slightly peppery, kale-like flavour and are entirely edible!), though it was formerly classified in the genus Alyssum (hence the common name still sticking despite botanical reclassification to Lobularia). The species name "maritima" is Latin for "of the sea" or "coastal," reflecting its natural habitat along Mediterranean shorelines, Canary Islands, and Azores where it grows wild on rocky cliffs, sandy beaches, and coastal areas—thriving in poor, gritty, well-drained soil with full sun and salt spray!

The "Carpet of Snow" Name Origin: This particular variety earned its descriptive, evocative name honestly—when planted in drifts or allowed to spread naturally, the incredibly dense profusion of tiny white flowers literally creates a snow-white carpet effect that looks like fresh snowfall blanketing the ground! Individual flowers are minuscule (approximately 5-6mm across—smaller than your little fingernail!), but they're produced in such extraordinary abundance (quite literally hundreds per plant!) that the cumulative visual effect is genuinely spectacular!

The Fragrance Factor: The sweet honey-vanilla perfume is genuinely one of Alyssum's greatest assets! On warm summer evenings, the scent intensifies beautifully, wafting gently through gardens and attracting night-flying moths alongside daytime pollinators. Plant it near pathways, seating areas, beneath windows, or in containers close to doors where you'll brush past it regularly and release the fragrance!

The Tough Mediterranean Character: Despite looking delicate, wispy, almost ethereal, 'Carpet of Snow' inherited genuine toughness from its wild coastal ancestors! It tolerates wind remarkably well (unlike many annuals that get battered and bruised), handles salt spray beautifully (making it perfect for seaside gardens!), thrives in poor, gritty, well-drained soil (actually flowering MORE prolifically in lean conditions than rich soil!), and can even tolerate light drought once established (though flowers more continuously with consistent moisture)!

The Self-Seeding Bonus: In sheltered positions with good drainage, 'Carpet of Snow' often self-seeds generously, producing volunteer seedlings the following spring! This isn't invasive or problematic—the seedlings are easy to recognise and pull out if unwanted, or transplant whilst tiny if you want to move them. Many gardeners deliberately allow self-seeding to create naturalistic drifts that return year after year with zero effort!

The Edible Flower Surprise: Both flowers and leaves are entirely edible! The flavour is distinctive—slightly peppery and reminiscent of kale or mustard greens (reflecting the Brassicaceae family connection). The flowers make gorgeous edible garnishes for salads, summer drinks, cold soups, or desserts, whilst young leaves can be added to mixed salads for a mild peppery kick! Always ensure you're picking from plants not treated with pesticides!

Alyssum 'Carpet of Snow' ranks amongst the absolute easiest, most reliable, most forgiving hardy annuals you can possibly grow from seed—genuinely perfect for complete beginners (including children!) whilst remaining beloved by experienced gardeners for its consistent, utterly dependable performance!

How to Sow:
When to Sow: You have excellent flexibility with timing!
• Indoor Sowing (Late March-May): Provides earlier flowering and allows you to grow plants to transplant size before outdoor planting. Sow 3-6 weeks before last expected frost.
• Direct Outdoor Sowing (April-June): Simplest method! Alyssum actually prefers direct sowing as it dislikes root disturbance. Sow where plants are to flower for best results.
• Succession Sowing Strategy: For continuous flowering from late spring through autumn, sow batches every 3-4 weeks from April through early July!

Indoor Sowing Method:
• Sow seeds late March-May in modular trays or small pots filled with seed compost
• CRITICAL - Surface Sow Only! Alyssum seeds need light to germinate! Gently press seeds onto moist compost surface, then either leave uncovered or sprinkle finest dusting (2mm maximum!) of vermiculite or sieved compost over them. DO NOT bury seeds deeply!
• Keep compost consistently moist (use fine mist spray to avoid displacing tiny seeds)
• Maintain temperature 15-20°C (60-68°F) for optimal germination
• Place in bright light (windowsill or greenhouse) but NOT direct scorching sun
• Germination typically occurs within 7-15 days (can take up to 30 days in cooler conditions—be patient!)
• Once seedlings develop first true leaves, thin to one per module or transplant into individual 7cm pots
• Grow on in bright, cool conditions (excessive heat makes seedlings leggy and weak!)
• Harden off gradually over 7-10 days before planting outdoors after last frost (typically late May-early June)

Direct Outdoor Sowing Method (Recommended!):
• Wait until soil has warmed slightly (late April onwards for most UK areas)
• Prepare soil by raking to fine tilth, removing large stones and debris
• Mark out shallow drills approximately 0.5-1cm deep (very shallow!)
• Water drill thoroughly BEFORE sowing (prevents seeds washing away)
• Scatter seeds thinly along drill—resist temptation to oversow! Alyssum seeds are tiny but each produces a substantial plant!
• Cover very lightly with finest soil (5mm maximum) or leave surface-exposed
• Keep soil consistently moist (gentle watering with rose on can) until germination
• Germination takes 10-21 days outdoors
• RUTHLESS THINNING ESSENTIAL! Once seedlings are large enough to handle (approximately 2-3cm tall), thin to final spacing of 15-20cm (6-8 inches) apart. This seems drastic, but overcrowded Alyssum produces weak, disease-prone plants with poor flowering. Properly spaced plants form robust, spreading mounds absolutely smothered in flowers!

Where to Plant:
Alyssum has straightforward, accommodating requirements:
• Light: Full sun to light shade. Maximum flowering occurs in full sun (6+ hours daily), but plants tolerate and actually benefit from light afternoon shade in hot southern gardens or during heatwaves
• Soil: Average to poor, well-drained soil. CRITICAL: Alyssum actively PREFERS lean, gritty, well-drained conditions! Rich, heavily fertilised soil produces lush foliage at the expense of flowers. It thrives in sandy, gravelly, or rocky soil where many plants struggle!
• Drainage is Absolutely Essential: Alyssum will rot and die in waterlogged soil, especially in winter. If you have heavy clay, improve drainage dramatically with grit, grow in raised beds, or stick to containers!
• Spacing: 15-20cm (6-8 inches) apart for individual plants to form proper spreading mounds. For carpet effect, space closer (10-15cm) but expect more crowding

Ongoing Care:
Watering: Keep soil consistently moist (never waterlogged!) for first few weeks whilst plants establish. Once established, Alyssum tolerates short dry periods surprisingly well, but flowers most continuously and prolifically with regular watering during prolonged dry spells. Container-grown plants need frequent watering (potentially daily in hot weather!).

Feeding: DO NOT OVERFEED! Alyssum flowers best in lean conditions! Excessive nitrogen produces leafy growth with fewer flowers. No feeding is usually necessary in average soil. In very poor soil or containers, occasional light liquid feed (half-strength) every 4-6 weeks maintains flowering.

Deadheading (Optional but Beneficial): Alyssum is remarkably self-cleaning—spent flowers naturally drop and fresh blooms keep coming! However, if plants become leggy, flower-tired, or covered in developing seedpods by midsummer (typically July-August), give them a light "haircut": shear plants back by approximately one-third using scissors or shears. Water well and apply light feed. Plants will regrow vigorously and produce fresh flush of abundant flowers within 2-3 weeks, extending display well into autumn!

Summer Slump Recovery: Like many cool-season annuals, Alyssum can look tired, scraggly, and slow flowering during extreme heat (particularly southern UK heatwaves). This is normal! Light shearing, regular watering, and cooling temperatures in September trigger remarkable revival—autumn flowering is often as spectacular as spring/early summer displays!

Frost Tolerance: Plants tolerate light frosts (down to -5°C) without damage, often continuing to flower into November in mild areas! Hard frosts (below -7°C) will kill plants, but by then they've given months of reliable flowering!

Container Growing:
Alyssum is BRILLIANT in containers, hanging baskets, window boxes, and mixed planters! Its trailing habit softens container edges beautifully, whilst fragrance and pollinator appeal make it perfect near seating areas. Use minimum 15cm (6 inch) pots for individual plants, or plant several in larger containers/baskets. Requires more frequent watering than ground-planted specimens but otherwise thrives!

Coastal Gardens:
'Carpet of Snow' is genuinely exceptional for seaside gardens! Its Mediterranean coastal origins mean it handles salt spray, wind, sandy soil, and exposed conditions brilliantly—often outperforming many "tougher" looking plants!

The pure, pristine, snow-white colour of 'Carpet of Snow' provides the perfect neutral, calming, versatile backdrop that works beautifully with virtually any colour palette—creating either crisp, fresh contrasts or soft, romantic harmonies:

• 🔴 Nasturtium 'Tom Thumb': The Vibrant Edible Partnership with Perfect Height Harmony! This combination is absolutely brilliant, genuinely outstanding, utterly practical for both ornamental AND productive gardens—creating spectacular visual impact whilst simultaneously protecting vegetable crops and providing dual edible harvests! The pairing works magnificently on multiple sophisticated levels: Colour Magic - Bold Complementary Contrast: The pure snow-white of Alyssum creates stunning, eye-catching, genuinely vibrant contrast against the saturated warm tones of 'Tom Thumb' Nasturtiums (brilliant scarlet-reds, fiery oranges, sunshine yellows)—the combination is fresh, cheerful, energetic, and quintessentially "summer cottage garden" without being garish or overwhelming! The white provides visual "breathing space" that prevents the hot Nasturtium colours from clashing, whilst the Nasturtium warmth prevents the white from looking stark or clinical! Perfect Height Matching: Both plants are low-growing, compact, mound-forming habits (Alyssum reaches 10-15cm, 'Tom Thumb' Nasturtiums reach 20-30cm maximum)—they work together as cohesive low edging, border fronts, or ground-cover partnerships without one overwhelming the other! Plant them in alternating drifts or intermixed for gorgeous tapestry effect! Dual Edible Harvest Bonus: Both plants are entirely edible—Alyssum flowers and leaves provide mild peppery-kale flavour, whilst Nasturtium flowers, leaves, seeds, and flower buds offer distinctive peppery-watercress taste (the seeds can be pickled as "poor man's capers"!)—together they create gorgeous, colourful, flavourful additions to salads, summer drinks, garnishes, and edible flower confetti! The "Companion Planting Protector" Strategy: This is where the partnership becomes genuinely brilliant for vegetable gardeners! Both Alyssum and Nasturtiums are renowned companion plants: Alyssum attracts beneficial predatory insects (hoverflies, lacewings, parasitic wasps) that control aphids, whilst Nasturtiums act as "sacrificial trap crops"—blackfly aphids preferentially attack Nasturtiums over beans, courgettes, and brassicas, protecting your vegetables! Plant this duo around the edges of vegetable beds to create a beautiful, fragrant, edible, pest-controlling protective barrier! Pollinator Paradise: Both plants are absolute pollinator magnets (Alyssum attracts bees and beneficial insects with honey fragrance, Nasturtiums provide easily accessible nectar for bumblebees)—together they create genuinely buzzing, wildlife-rich plantings! Cultural Compatibility: Both thrive in full sun, both PREFER poor-to-average well-drained soil (rich soil produces lush foliage with fewer flowers on both plants!), both tolerate drought once established, and both are genuinely easy, low-maintenance, beginner-friendly annuals! Plant generous drifts of white Alyssum with vibrant 'Tom Thumb' Nasturtiums dotted throughout—the combination creates stunning cottage-garden-meets-productive-potager effects that look gorgeous whilst working hard to protect crops and provide edible harvests!
• 💙 Cornflower 'Blue Ball': The Classic Cool-Toned Cottage Garden Dream with Perfect Height Layering! This combination represents quintessential, traditional, genuinely timeless British cottage garden planting at its absolute finest—the sort of romantic, nostalgic, deeply satisfying partnership that gardeners have treasured for literally centuries and that never, ever goes out of style! The pairing works beautifully on multiple sophisticated levels: Colour Harmony - Cool, Fresh, Timeless Elegance: The combination of pure snow-white Alyssum with the vivid, electric, intense azure-blue of 'Blue Ball' Cornflowers creates the most stunning, fresh, clean, utterly sophisticated colour palette imaginable—blue and white together evoke crisp porcelain, Mediterranean seaside villages, clear summer skies reflected in still water, classic Wedgwood china! The effect is cooling, calming, elegant, and genuinely timeless—it never looks dated, fussy, or overly trendy! Perfect Height Layering Strategy: This is where the partnership becomes genuinely brilliant from a design perspective! Alyssum forms the low-growing white "carpet" layer at ground level (10-15cm tall), whilst Cornflowers provide tall, vertical, elegant structure above (reaching 70-90cm!)—together they create gorgeous layered depth and dimension without creating visual barriers! You see BOTH plants simultaneously at different heights—the white carpet below, electric blue "dots" floating on slender silver stems above—creating that magical multi-dimensional cottage garden effect where every layer is visible and contributes to the overall picture! Flowering Timing Synchronisation: Both flower prolifically throughout mid-to-late summer (June through September with deadheading), creating months of overlapping colour! They peak together in July-August for absolutely spectacular displays! The "Cut-and-Come-Again" Bonus: Both are exceptional, long-lasting cut flowers! Cornflowers provide vertical structure and striking blue focal points in arrangements, whilst Alyssum provides fragrant white "filler" and softening texture—together they create gorgeous country-style bouquets! Regular cutting encourages both plants to produce even MORE flowers, so you get beautiful vases indoors AND extended garden displays—win-win! Pollinator Paradise: Both are absolute bee magnets (Cornflowers provide easily accessible pollen and nectar, Alyssum attracts beneficial insects with honey fragrance)—together they create genuinely buzzing, biodiverse plantings that support whole ecosystems of beneficial garden life! Cultural Compatibility: Both are hardy annuals thriving in full sun, both prefer average-to-poor well-drained soil (rich soil reduces flowering on both!), both are genuinely low-maintenance once established, and both can be direct-sown for easiest growing! Plant generous drifts of white Alyssum as low edging or ground-cover "carpet" throughout borders, then scatter Cornflower seeds or transplant young Cornflower plants throughout and behind—the tall blue "dots" floating above the white carpet creates genuinely magical, romantic, quintessentially English cottage garden effects that look professionally designed whilst being genuinely easy to achieve and maintain!

Sow indoors late Mar-May or outdoors Apr-Jun. Flowers Jun-Nov (until first hard frosts). Self-seeds freely in sheltered spots.