Sweet Rocket 'Purple' Seeds
Hesperis matronalis (Sweet Rocket or Dame's Violet) is a cottage garden classic for a reason. It produces tall, branching stems topped with loose clusters of four-petaled flowers in a rich, vibrant shade of violet-purple.
While beautiful during the day, this plant truly comes alive at dusk. As the sun sets, it releases a powerful, sweet fragrance reminiscent of violets and cloves, designed to attract night-flying moths. It thrives in those tricky semi-shaded spots under trees or along fences, filling them with colour and perfume just when you want to sit out and relax.
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Sweet Rocket is a Short-Lived Perennial (often grown as a Biennial).
It behaves like a Foxglove or Wallflower. You sow it in summer, it builds strength over winter as a leafy rosette, and flowers spectacularly the following spring/early summer. While the original plant may die after a few years, it is a brilliant self-seeder, ensuring you have a permanent, wandering colony in your garden.
Top Tip: This is a "cut-and-come-again" flower. If you cut the main central spike for a vase, the plant will send up multiple side shoots, extending the flowering season by weeks.
🌱 Growing Guide: How to Sow and Grow
Hesperis is robust, hardy, and very easy to grow from seed.
Germination:
Sow outdoors in a seedbed from May to July. Scatter seeds thinly and cover lightly with soil. Keep moist. Germination takes 14-21 days. Alternatively, sow indoors in spring for planting out in autumn.
Where to Sow:
It loves dappled shade or sun. It prefers cool, moist, well-drained soil. It is perfect for planting under deciduous trees, in a wild corner, or at the back of a border where its height (90cm) provides a colourful backdrop.
Care While Growing:
Move the young plants to their final flowering position in Autumn (Oct). They are very hardy and benefit from a cold period to initiate flowering. Deadhead to prevent self-seeding if you want to control the spread.
📋 Plant Specifications
| Latin Name | Hesperis matronalis |
| Common Name | Sweet Rocket / Dame's Violet |
| Hardiness | H7 (Very Hardy) |
| Light Required | Part Shade / Sun ⛅ |
| Height | ↕️ 80cm - 100cm (Tall) |
| Spread | ↔️ 45cm |
| Spacing | 🌱 40cm apart |
| Great for | 🌙 Night Gardens 🦋 Moths & Butterflies 🌳 Woodland Edges 👃 Scent |
| Seed Count | Approx. 500 seeds per packet |
🤝 Perfect Garden Companions
The rich purple of Hesperis needs light or contrasting partners to stand out in the shade:
- ❄️ Ammi Majus (Queen Anne's Lace): The Wild Look. The frothy white lace of Ammi Majus breaks up the solid purple of the Sweet Rocket, creating a light, airy, naturalistic meadow feel.
- 🍋 Foxglove 'Primrose Yellow': The Woodland Contrast. Instead of standard purple foxgloves, pair the purple Hesperis with soft yellow Foxgloves. The yellow and purple are complementary colours, making both plants pop in the shade.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow in summer. Plant out in autumn. Flowers the following spring (May-July).
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow Outdoors | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | |||||||||
| Plant Out | 🌱 | 🌱 | ||||||||||
| Flowers (Yr 2) | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 |
⚠️ Family Trait
Hesperis is part of the Brassica (cabbage) family. This means it can occasionally be nibbled by Cabbage White butterfly caterpillars. Keep an eye on the leaves in late summer!
🏆 Officially Recognised Excellence
This is a superstar plant for biodiversity. Hesperis matronalis is listed on the RHS Plants for Pollinators list and is a crucial food source for the Orange Tip butterfly.
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£2.20 - Regular price
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£2.20
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