• Cornflower Blue Ball displayed against a white background
  • The Cornflower Blue Ball in soft lighting to accentuate its hue
  • The Cornflower Blue Ball as part of a decorative arrangement
  • Top view of the Cornflower Blue Ball highlighting its spherical shape
  • Close-up view of the Cornflower Blue Ball&
  • The Cornflower Blue Ball&
  • The Cornflower Blue Ball partially obscured by a butterfly to show scale
  • The Cornflower Blue Ball with a soft shadow beneath it
  • Angled shot highlighting the color of the Cornflower Blue Ball
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Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden

Cornflower Blue Ball

£2.20
£2.20
Tax included.

Close your eyes and imagine a country cottage garden.  It is slightly wild and utterly charming, overflowing with colour, scent, and the peaceful humming sound of busy pollinators. Which flowers come to mind? Possibly roses, perhaps hollyhocks?... and most definitely cornflowers. No cottage garden would be complete without them.

Once a common sight in cornfields across the UK before the use of herbicides, these brilliant, cobalt blue native flowers are now a rare sight but thankfully live on in our gardens. They are a dream to grow. Easy, prolific (producing endless amounts of flowers over several months if you keep on top of the dead-heading), beloved of butterflies and bees, and will happily self-seed. 

They also make excellent cut flowers, lasting for 5-7 days in a vase.

Quantity of Seeds 400 Seeds
Type Annual
Genus Centaurea cyanus
Sow Seeds

Sow in September for larger, stronger plants and/or in late April.  Can be sown in modules to transplant later or directly into the soil.  Pre-water the soil before sowing.  Sow thinly and cover only very lightly. Do not let the soil dry out.  Grow in poor, well-drained soil and in full sun, and it is advisable to grow through some netting as they are prone to flopping over in high winds without support.
Plant Out July–October  Keep cutting and deadheading to encourage more blooms
Flowers June-September
Height & Spread

60-90cm high x  30cm spread

 

Cornflower Blue Ball

RHS Plants for Pollinators.

The RHS Plants for Pollinators mark is only given to plants that support pollinating insects.
    Cornflower Blue Ball displayed against a white background
    The Cornflower Blue Ball in soft lighting to accentuate its hue
    The Cornflower Blue Ball as part of a decorative arrangement
    Top view of the Cornflower Blue Ball highlighting its spherical shape
    Close-up view of the Cornflower Blue Ball&
    The Cornflower Blue Ball&
    The Cornflower Blue Ball partially obscured by a butterfly to show scale
    The Cornflower Blue Ball with a soft shadow beneath it
    Angled shot highlighting the color of the Cornflower Blue Ball