Are you tired of waiting until spring to start your flower garden?
Here’s a secret that experienced gardeners know but rarely share: September is actually one of the best times to plant flower seeds!
While everyone else is putting their gardens to bed, you can be getting a head start on next year’s blooms.
But why plant in September, you might ask? Well, many flower seeds actually need a period of cold to germinate properly – it’s called cold stratification.
When you plant these seeds in fall, Mother Nature does all the work for you over winter.
Come spring, you’ll have stronger plants that bloom earlier and longer than anything you could start indoors under grow lights.
Today, we’ll look at ten fantastic flowers that not only tolerate fall planting but actually prefer it.
These aren’t just any flowers – they’re reliable performers that will give you months of color with minimal fuss. Let’s dive in!
1. Larkspur (Consolida ajacis) – The Cottage Garden Classic
If you’re looking to add some vertical drama to your garden, larkspur should be at the top of your list. These elegant spires come in the most gorgeous shades of blue, pink, purple, and white, and they absolutely require cool soil temperatures to germinate properly.
Plant larkspur seeds about ¼ inch deep in well-draining soil during early September. The seeds will lie dormant through winter and spring to life when temperatures warm up. By June, you’ll have towering stems covered in delicate, spurred flowers that look like they stepped straight out of a Victorian garden.
Here’s what makes larkspur special: once established, it readily self-seeds, so you’ll likely have volunteer plants for years to come. Just remember to give them some afternoon shade in hot climates – while they love sun, they can get a bit droopy in scorching heat.
2. Bachelor Buttons (Centaurea cyanus) – The Cheerful Workhorses
Don’t let the old-fashioned name fool you – bachelor buttons, also known as cornflowers, are anything but boring! These hardy annuals are incredibly easy to grow and produce masses of papery, fringed flowers in brilliant blues, pinks, purples, and whites.
Sow the seeds about ¼ inch deep and six inches apart in slightly alkaline, well-draining soil. Yes, your planting area might look sparse at first, but trust me – each plant needs room to spread. Bachelor buttons planted in September will overwinter in zones 3-9 and burst into bloom come May, flowering for a solid 10-12 weeks.
And here’s a bonus: these flowers are magnets for beneficial insects! Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators absolutely adore them. Plus, they make excellent cut flowers that last for days in a vase.
3. Nigella “Love-in-a-Mist” (Nigella damascena) – The Garden’s Hidden Gem
Have you ever seen a flower that looks like it’s wrapped in delicate green lace? That’s nigella for you! These charming annuals produce the most intricate blue, pink, or white flowers surrounded by feathery foliage, followed by equally stunning inflated seed pods.
The tiny black seeds need light to germinate, so barely cover them when planting in September. Love-in-a-mist prefers well-drained soil in a sunny spot, and here’s the wonderful thing – it readily self-seeds. Plant it once, and you’ll likely have volunteers popping up in the most delightful places for years.
The seed pods are fantastic in dried arrangements, so you get double value from this plant. Just let a few flowers go to seed, and you’ll have beautiful dried material plus seeds for next year’s garden.
4. California Poppies (Eschscholzia californica) – The Drought-Tolerant Beauties
Despite their name, California poppies can thrive well beyond the Golden State! These silky, cup-shaped flowers come in warm shades of orange, yellow, pink, and cream, and they’re incredibly drought-tolerant once established.
Plant the seeds in sandy, well-draining soil – they actually prefer poor soil to rich garden loam. The seeds planted now will develop strong root systems over winter, leading to earlier spring blooms that can last from March through May. In mild climates, they might even bloom through winter!
California poppies have an interesting habit: they close their petals on cloudy days and in the evening, then open wide when the sun shines. It’s like having a natural weather predictor in your garden. And the best part? They self-seed prolifically, creating natural drifts of color year after year.
5. Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) – The Fragrant Carpet
Looking for a flower that provides both beauty and fragrance? Sweet alyssum is your answer! These low-growing annuals form dense carpets of tiny white, pink, or purple flowers that smell absolutely divine – especially in the evening.
Sow the fine seeds where you want them to grow, as sweet alyssum doesn’t like to be transplanted. Keep the soil consistently moist until germination occurs. In their native Mediterranean region, these plants grow as perennials, but in colder climates, while the plants may not survive hard frost, their seeds certainly will.
Sweet alyssum is perfect for edging paths, filling gaps between stepping stones, or cascading from containers. The young plants don’t like to stay dry for long, so plant them somewhere you can keep an eye on their water needs.
6. Calendula (Pot Marigold) – The Edible Beauty
Here’s a flower that’s not just pretty to look at – it’s delicious too! Calendula produces cheerful orange and yellow daisy-like blooms that are completely edible. The petals add a peppery, slightly bitter flavor to salads and can even be used as a saffron substitute.
But calendula isn’t just about the kitchen garden. These plants are natural pest control allies! Plant them where you’ll be putting your tomatoes next spring – they act as aphid traps while attracting beneficial insects like ladybugs, hoverflies, and lacewings.
Calendula seeds are large enough to handle easily, and they appreciate cool weather for germination. Plants that sprout before winter are often sturdy enough to survive mild winters intact, giving you blooms by mid-spring. Then you can succession plant more in spring to extend the flowering season.
7. Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) – The Cottage Garden Favorites
Is there anything more charming than a child pinching snapdragon flowers to make them “talk”? These beloved cottage garden flowers produce spikes of tubular blooms in virtually every color except true blue, and they’re prolific self-seeders when happy.
The seeds are tiny – almost dust-like – so scatter them on the soil surface and barely cover them. Snapdragons planted in fall get a significant head start on spring-planted ones, often beginning to bloom weeks earlier and producing more flowers overall.
While snapdragons can handle some frost, in very cold areas you might want to provide a light mulch for extra protection. Come spring, you’ll be rewarded with sturdy plants that bloom from late spring well into summer, especially if you deadhead regularly.
8. Coneflowers (Echinacea) – The Prairie Powerhouses
Want to attract every butterfly and bee in the neighborhood? Plant coneflowers! These native perennials are absolute magnets for pollinators, and their seeds actually benefit from the cold stratification that winter provides.
Sow coneflower seeds in full sun with well-draining soil. Don’t be surprised if you don’t see much action the first year – these plants put most of their energy into developing strong root systems. But by the second summer, you’ll have mature plants blooming their hearts out.
Here’s a heads up: birds love coneflower seeds as much as the butterflies love the flowers. If you want your planted seeds to have a fighting chance, cover them lightly with soil or even a bit of mulch. The mature plants will provide plenty of seeds for the birds later!
9. Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus) – The Fragrant Climbers
If you’ve never grown sweet peas, you’re missing out on one of the garden’s most heavenly fragrances! These climbing annuals produce butterfly-like flowers in soft pastels – pink, purple, white, and salmon – that smell absolutely divine.
Sweet peas have hard seed coats, so soak them overnight before planting. In mild winter areas, fall planting allows the seeds to develop strong root systems over winter, leading to vigorous spring growth and earlier blooms. Plant them about an inch deep near a trellis, fence, or teepee for support.
The cooler temperatures of fall and early spring are perfect for sweet peas – they actually prefer cool weather and can struggle in summer heat. Fall-planted sweet peas often bloom from March through June, giving you months of fragrant cut flowers.
10. Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) – The Fragrant Clusters
Last but certainly not least, we have Sweet William – a member of the carnation family that produces dense clusters of fringed, fragrant flowers. These biennials are perfect for fall planting because they spend their first year developing strong root systems and foliage.
Plant Sweet William seeds in the fall, and don’t expect much the first year – that’s completely normal! The plants are busy establishing themselves underground. Come the second spring, you’ll be amazed at the transformation. Thick mounds of blue-green foliage will send up sturdy stems topped with clusters of sweetly fragrant flowers in shades of pink, red, white, and purple.
Once established, Sweet William readily self-seeds, forming naturalized colonies that come back year after year. For continuous color, try planting a new variety each fall – you’ll soon have overlapping generations creating a tapestry of blooms.
Related Article: 27 Plants That will self-seed, spreading naturally throughout your yard
