Gap filling perennial from seed

clarawicks

hi all
this may be a big ask, but I’d like recommendations on a perennial I can plant from seed, where it is to grow, that’ll flower in its first year, I should plant now, fairly tall 50/60cm ideally, to fill some gaps between other perennials in my border... does such a plant exist!?
clara

fidgetbones

Chiltern seeds have a list of first year flowering perennials. However to get them to flower first year, you usually have to sow the seed inside in March, pot on and then plant out around now. It is too late to sow outside now and expect it to flower this year.

https://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/flowers/first-year-flowering-perennials

clarawicks

Thanks @fidgetbones I thought I was asking a lot. Oh well looks like I’ll need to go to the garden centre again, oh dear what a shame 😀

fidgetbones

I use annuals to fill in gaps between the perennials. I find cosmos is good, it flowers later on, so some of the early flowerers like the alliums and aquilegias and thalictrums,have been cut down, and the cosmos fills the space. It adds a fluffy sort of texture to it, and using one colour ( it will be white this year) pulls together everything else.

clarawicks

@fidgetbones if I were to plant some cosmos now would it be ok, or am I too late? I have some in the shed from a magazine.

fidgetbones

I think if you sow in a seed tray now, then pot on and plant out when the roots fill a 3 inch pot, then you will get flowers from July onwards. They really are very quick to grow in the summer months. You will be a bit behind, but as you have the seeds already, give it a go.