New Beginnings…
January is quiet in the garden — but it’s also where everything begins. While the soil rests and the days are short, we’re already sowing the first seeds for the season ahead. These early starts will grow into cottage-garden flowers full of colour, scent and life, ready for gardens in the months to come.
Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus) — kindness & connection
Sweet peas begin delicately, sending out fine tendrils that search for support. With time, they reward patience with scent and colour. Traditionally linked to friendship and appreciation, they bring softness and generosity to any garden.
Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) — strength & tradition
Hollyhocks take a slower path. In their first year they form strong leafy rosettes, quietly preparing for tall flower spikes the following season. They symbolise endurance and heritage — perfect for cottage gardens and old walls.
Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) — joy & lightness
Cosmos are generous, easy-going plants that flower freely all summer. Light and airy, they’re associated with harmony, balance and joy — perfect for informal, wildlife-friendly gardens.
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) — warmth & cheer
Calendula, or pot marigold, has long been valued for its bright colour and long flowering season. It symbolises warmth, resilience and cheer, bringing sunshine tones to borders and pots.
Aubrieta (Aubrieta deltoidea) — welcome & abundance
Often tumbling over walls and paths, aubrieta is one of the first flowers to welcome spring. Low-growing and generous, it symbolises abundance and early hope.
Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) — strength & expression
Snapdragons bring height, colour and character to summer borders. Traditionally associated with strength and self-expression, they add bold structure and playfulness to the garden.
Nigella (Nigella damascena) — mystery & delicacy
Known as Love-in-a-Mist, nigella weaves delicate flowers through feathery foliage. It symbolises mystery and trust, with seed heads just as beautiful as the blooms.
Begonias (Begonia semperflorens) — care & continuity
Begonias are steady, reliable and long-flowering, bringing lasting colour to pots and sheltered spaces throughout the summer.
Dahlias (Dahlia pinnata) — creativity & reward
Some dahlias are started early from seed, even in January, with a little warmth and care. They grow into generous, long-flowering plants that reward patience with spectacular late-summer colour.
Looking ahead: Chinese Lanterns (Physalis alkekengi)
Chinese lanterns will be sown later in the spring. Grown for their glowing orange seed pods, they symbolise protection and light, bringing structure and interest to the autumn garden.
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From little seeds…
Everything we grow begins the same way — a small seed, good soil, light, water and care. What we start now, and what we plan for later, will in time become flowers filling gardens across the seasons.
This is where From Little Seeds begins: patiently, thoughtfully, and with hope for what’s to come.
