Reseeding plants is an easy way to get repetition in the garden
See the repeating pools of blue flowers along the spring pathway in the photo above? This repetition has mostly happened naturally as annuals and perennials reseed around the structural trees and shrubs in Ted and Nadine Staunton's Vancouver garden: “I tend to leave most of them unless they’re in the way or impeding another plant. Because it’s such a large garden I don’t have time to manicure every spot.”
Pull volunteers you don’t want
Nadine doesn’t do much deadheading but instead pulls the volunteers that she doesn’t need. She has, however, learned the hard way not to compost plants that have gone to seed, after an unfortunate incident with forget-me-nots. This hasn’t dampened her enthusiasm for these beautiful clouds of blue spring flowers though. Learn more about them and more of her favorite reseeders below.
You Might Also Like:
Tour More of This Vancouver Garden!
Easy Flowers to Grow
This or That: Black-Eyed Susan vs. Purple Coneflower
8 Reseeding plants to fill spaces in the garden
When you have a large property, you need large numbers of plants to fill it up. Reseeders are a good solution if you don’t mind doing some “editing” of unwanted plants every year. Here are a few of Nadine’s favorite species that spread quickly and make a big impact once established.
1. Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis)
Type: Perennial
Blooms: Clouds of chartreuse blooms in late spring to early summer
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 10 to 18 in. tall, 18 to 30 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8
2. Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana)
Type: Perennial
Blooms: Clusters of three-petaled purple, pink or white flowers in late spring
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 18 to 24 in. tall and wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9
3. Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica)
Type: Perennial
Blooms: Tiny sky-blue flowers in late spring
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 6 to 9 in. tall, 6 to 12 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8
4. Serbian bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana)
Type: Perennial
Blooms: Blue star-shaped flowers in spring
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 8 to 10 in. tall, 18 to 24 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 7
5. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp. and hybrids)
Type: Perennial
Blooms: Golden yellow, daisy-shaped flowers with black centers from midsummer through fall
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 2 to 3 ft. tall, 1 to 2 ft. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8
6. Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Type: Perennial
Blooms: Nodding two-tone red and yellow flowers in late spring to early summer
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 12 to 36 in. tall, 12 to 18 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8
7. Bachelor’s button (Centaurea cyanus)
Type: Annual
Blooms: Cornflower blue flowers in late spring to early summer
Light: Full sun
Size: 24 to 30 in. tall, 9 to 12 in. wide
8. Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica)
Type: Bulb
Blooms: Pendulous lavender flowers in spring
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 12 to 18 in. tall, 3 to 6 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9
You Might Also Like:
Buy the Current Issue of Garden Gate Magazine
Watch Our Videos on YouTube
Travel to Gardens With Us!
