West Coast Seeds

Dwarf Pink Alyssum grows into a carpet of little pink, fragrant flowers. Plants grow and bloom quickly after sowing. They are excellent edging/border plants as they grow no more than 10cm (2-4″) tall. Its spreading habit makes it a useful ground cover. Alyssum is a great pollinator plant and will attract bees and butterflies. This makes it a fantastic companion for any flowering/fruiting vegetable.
Drought tolerant and suitable for containers or hanging baskets.

Love-Lies-Bleeding looks as pretty in the garden as it does in cut and dried bouquets. Long, vibrant burgundy tassels hang from tall, lush green plants. Its easy to grow these vigorous 90-150cm (36-60”) plants. Pair with Hot Biscuits and Green Tails for maximum impact.

Timing: Direct sow in late spring, once night time temperatures are steadily above 10°C (50°F). Optimal soil temperature for germination: 18-24°C (65-75°F).

Starting: Sow 5mm (1⁄4”) deep in well drained soil in full sun. Thin to 25-35cm (10-14”) apart. Seeds germinate in 4-10 days, depending on conditions.

Growing: Ideal pH: 6.0-7.5. Keep moist until germinated, and then simply keep the area weeded.

Harvest: Pick baby or mature greens as needed. Simply cut them with scissors as one would with mescluns. The leaves have an appealing, nutty flavour. If growing for seed, choose A.hypochondriacus and provide ample spacing. Seed will ripen in late summer or early fall. Rub the flower heads between your hands over a bucket or tray. Doing this into paper yard waste bags works well. If the seeds do not fall easily, leave the plants for one more week and try again.

Approx. 380 seeds

Gypsophila elegans. Grow this annual for cut flowers to fill out a bouquet or to dry on their own. Or mix some Gypsophila seeds in where grass is allowed to grow tall for a stunning ethereal effect all summer. Baby’s Breath grows to 45cm (18″) tall. Direct sow outdoors from early spring to July for continuous blooms. Cut back after flowering for a second bloom. Plants from Baby’s Breath Gypsophila seeds are drought tolerant, so suitable for xeriscaping.

Note that the Baby’s Breath one associates with bridal bouquets is grown in very controlled settings, and harvested with precision just as the flower buds begin to open, and immediately refrigerated. This is the same flowering plant, but it is difficult to predict exactly when the plants will be bouquet-ready. To grow for summer weddings, direct sow large amounts at regular three week intervals starting in early spring when there is still a risk of frost. That would be mid-March here on the coast. Keep plants relatively crowded. This is the only way to ensure that at least some of your Baby’s Breath will be at its peak for your special event. Annual.

Taraxacum pseudoroseum. Pink Dandelion is similar to the common dandelion in almost all regards except for its elegant pale pink petals that surround a familiar lemon coloured centre. The leaves are not as bitter as the common dandelion, but are produced in a similar rosette above a well-formed taproot, beneath flower stems that grow to 30cm (12″) tall in fertile soil. This striking cousin of the well-known wildflower is thought to be native to the Caucasus region of central Europe. This perennial is hardy in Zones 3 to 8, and is useful as a low-maintenance bedding plant. Care should be taken to deadhead spent flowers to reduce its spread. These appear from mid-spring to autumn. Perennial.

Timing: Direct sow from early March to early September. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 10-25°C (50-75°F). Seeds take 14-21 days to germinate. The flowering process begins 56 to 105 from sowing, and continues for the life of the plant.

Starting: Sow short rows every two weeks for a constant supply. Be careful not to plant more than you can use, as the flowers need to be controlled. Press seeds lightly into the soil’s surface and keep the seeded area moist until germination. Do not bury the seeds, as light helps to break dormancy. Thin seedlings to 15cm (6″) apart for full sized crowns. If you intend to harvest as baby greens, they can be planted 5cm (3″) apart.

These bright pink “paper daisies” make cheerful fresh and dried bouquets. Pierrot Red’s petite 2.5-5cm (1-2”), slightly cupped blooms, have black or yellow centers. Compact 45-60cm (18-24”) plants grow an abundance of flowers on slender stems that are easy to cut.

Approx. 50 seeds

A single grandiflora type, Dreams petunias have a well branched, upright habit, growing 25-38cm (10-15”) tall. Large, pale pink flowers, up to 7.5-10cm (3-4”) across, bloom spring through summer. Resistant to Botrytis.

Timing: Start seeds indoors 8 weeks before planting out. Direct seeding is not recommended.

Starting: Press seeds lightly into the soil surface as light is needed to germinate. Seeds should germinate in 14-21 days at 21-27ºC (70-80ºF).

Growing: Space plants 20-30cm (8-12”) apart in full sun in soil with a pH range of 6.0-7.0. Seed Specs: Usual seed life: 1 year.

Approx. 25 seeds

A single grandiflora type, Dreams petunias have a well branched, upright habit, growing 25-38cm (10-15”) tall. A mix of large flowers, up to 7.5-10cm (3-4”) across, of midnight, sky blue, and white, blooming spring through summer. Resistant to Botrytis.

Timing: Start seeds indoors 8 weeks before planting out. Direct seeding is not recommended.

Starting: Press seeds lightly into the soil surface as light is needed to germinate. Seeds should germinate in 14-21 days at 21-27ºC (70-80ºF).

Growing: Space plants 20-30cm (8-12”) apart in full sun in soil with a pH range of 6.0-7.0. Seed Specs: Usual seed life: 1 year.

Approx. 25 seeds

Unique azalea type snapdragon with ruffled, double-petaled blooms. Madame Butterfly’s tall ivory white flowers create a full display with an antique look. Harvest when the lower 1/3 of flowers on the stem are open. 66-89cm (26-35”) plants can be grown in a greenhouse or in the open field and garden.

Sonja is a quintessential sunflower with its 10cm (4”) blooms of bright yellow/orange petals with dark centres. 96-106cm (38-42″) tall branching plants produce 8 or more flowers on long, strong stems. A day-length neutral variety that produces pollen loved by bees.

Plant Solar Power sunflower seeds in mass plantings if you have the room because the flowers are so striking. They look great on their own as well, or mixed in with other medium-tall varieties. Striking bi-coloured petals are mahogany with bright yellow tips around a dark brown centre for amazing contrast on 1.7m (5.5′) tall plants. Solar Power has thick, strong stems, but it is surprisingly nice as a cut flower, dominating any bouquet with its large size and flashy colour. All sunflowers are attractive to honeybees and other wild pollinators, and they can act as a kind of beacon to draw pollinators towards crops that require pollination like squash and pumpkins. Hardy Annual (HA).

Large bicolour blooms the colour of a desert sun in reds, golds, and yellows. Large 12.5-18cm (5-7”) pollenless blooms have strong, straight stems, creating sturdy, dramatic bouquets. Desert Sun’s vigorous, branching plants are 175-200cm (5.5-6.5’) tall.

Helianthus annuus. Rich copper red petals are highlighted with golden yellow around a nearly black central disc. Plant Velvet Queen sunflower seeds for 1.5m (5′) tall plants with simply gorgeous blooms around 13cm (5″) wide. This variety looks its best when contrasted with some bright yellow sunflowers in a border or raised bed. Be sure the soil is warm at planting time, and freely draining throughout the season. Velvet Queen is an early flowering type, so try planting at two to three week intervals instead of all at once. The bloom period will be longer this way, and the flowers are just right for cutting and bringing indoors. Annual.

Easy to grow single stem sunflower with strong stems and 10-15cm (4-6”) pollenless blooms. ProCut White Nite has cream, nearly white petals with a contrasting dark center, loved by professional cut flower growers. Harvest just as flowers begin to open to protect from insect damage. 120-180cm (4-6’) plants.

This mix of annuals and perennials blooms freely in the sun with little or no care once established. Beginning in the early spring and continuing through the summer this blend provides a changing show of colours and textures. Pacific Northwest wildflower seeds are a magnificent blend. Sow in March and April for best results, or plan a fall sowing. Break up the soil in the area you want to plant and scatter the seeds lightly. Be sure to keep the planted area moist until germination. This is usually not hard to accomplish in the rainy Pacific Northwest. Annuals and Perennials.

With the increase of wildfires, properties that border wildlands prone to fires need to become firewise. Plant this special wildflower blend as part of a fire mitigation plan. Create a buffer zone with these compact, fire resistant, annual and perennial flowers that have higher moisture content and lower amounts of volatile oils than common landscaping plants.
Recommended rate of application: 170g per 1,000 square feet. Annuals and Perennials.

Site Selection: If there are already no plants (including weeds) growing in the planting site, there may be a problem with the soil. Possible issues may be soil fertility, lack of drainage, or the need for soil amendments to improve texture. In such spots (eg, beneath a cedar tree), few plants will thrive, including wildflowers.

Benary’s Giants are the zinnias of choice for professional cut flower growers. Fully double, 10-15cm (4-6”) flowers have an excellent vase life. Vigorous plants perform well through the summer allowing for multiple cuts. Keep cutting for continuous blooms.

Papaver somniferum. Frosted Salmon Peony poppies are crowned by dramatic, fully double flowers in bright red to salmon pink. As the day passes, the petal edges fade slightly, giving the flowers a frosted appearance. They can grow to 10cm (4″) across. Hardy annual.

How To Grow, Timing: For best results, direct seed outdoors in the early spring, when the soil is cool and there is still some risk of frost. Three plantings at six weeks apart will prolong the blooming season. Or direct sow in the fall for blooms the following summer.

How To Grow, Starting: Since the seeds are very fine, barely cover with soil, and keep moist until germination.

How To Grow, Growing: Thin plants 20-25cm (8-10″) apart and deadhead flowers to prolong blooming. Poppies prefer a rich and well-drained soil but are highly adaptable to many growing conditions. Grow in full sun to light shade and for maximum impact, cluster plants in a border.

Approx. 550 seeds

Papaver rhoeas. Growing to 40-60cm (15-25″) tall, these delicately silky, white poppies with yellow anthers are stunning as they sway in the breeze, especially when grown in free-flowing drifts. The large saucer-shaped flowers bloom in early summer, attracting birds and pollinators. These poppies are deer resistant. Fleuroselect Novelty 2008. Hardy annual.

How To Grow, Timing: Start perennial poppies outdoors in early spring, when some chance of frost is still a possibility. Start annual varieties outdoors at the same time in Zones 3-7. In Zones 8-10, the best bet is to direct sow in the fall. Poppies are famously difficult to transplant, so starting them indoors is not recommended. If absolutely necessary, use peat or coir pots, and maintain a soil temperature of 12°C (55°F). Seeds will sprout in 20-30 days.

How To Grow, Starting: Sow on the surface of the soil, or barely cover seeds. Thin to a minimum of 15cm (6″) apart.

How To Grow, Growing: Poppies are easy to grow and the self-sow with abandon, without becoming weedy. Simply pull up unwanted plants (an easy task) before they bloom, or better yet, let them tell you where they want to grow. They will thrive for years at a time in surprising spots, like a crack in the driveway. Other times, they simply won’t take, no matter how much you try. Keep them moderately well watered in hot, dry weather, and do not fertilize. For the largest heads on Papaver somniferum, sow seeds in the fall or early winter. Thin plants to allow them some space, and keep the area weeded as plants grow larger. Grow this variety in full sun in well-drained, but ordinary garden soil. If spring and summer are cool and damp, or plants are over-crowded, expect smaller seed heads.

Approx. 895 seeds

Papaver oreintale. Pizzicato poppy seeds produce a superb semi-dwarf mix of red, scarlet, orange, salmon, mauve, rose, pink, and white. The large, cup-shaped flowers are 15-20cm (6-8″) in diameter. Expect up to twenty flowers per plant, followed by attractive seed pods from which seeds can easily be harvested. Pizzicato oriental poppy seeds are best direct sown in fall or mid-winter, and grow to a height of 50cm (19″). The flowers appear on stiff stems that stand up well in windy areas. This Oriental poppy mix blooms in June and July, after spring bulbs have faded, but before the arrival of summer flowers. After flowering, seed heads dry and the foliage fades away entirely, returning with autumn rains. This poppy is a good choice for xeriscaping, and it’s deer resistant to boot. Annual.

How To Grow, Timing: Start perennial poppies outdoors in early spring, when some chance of frost is still a possibility. Start annual varieties outdoors at the same time in Zones 3-7. In Zones 8-10, the best bet is to direct sow in the fall. Poppies are famously difficult to transplant, so starting them indoors is not recommended. If absolutely necessary, use peat or coir pots, and maintain a soil temperature of 12°C (55°F). Seeds will sprout in 20-30 days.

How To Grow, Starting: Sow on the surface of the soil, or barely cover seeds. Thin to a minimum of 15cm (6″) apart.

How To Grow, Growing: Poppies are easy to grow and the self-sow with abandon, without becoming weedy. Simply pull up unwanted plants (an easy task) before they bloom, or better yet, let them tell you where they want to grow. They will thrive for years at a time in surprising spots, like a crack in the driveway. Other times, they simply won’t take, no matter how much you try. Keep them moderately well watered in hot, dry weather, and do not fertilize. For the largest heads on Papaver somniferum, sow seeds in the fall or early winter. Thin plants to allow them some space, and keep the area weeded as plants grow larger. Grow this variety in full sun in well-drained, but ordinary garden soil. If spring and summer are cool and damp, or plants are over-crowded, expect smaller seed heads.

Approx. 350 seeds

The high performing Potomac snapdragon series was selected for stem and flower quality for production during long summer days. Appleblossom’s tall, strong stems have long, refined spikes of bicolour white and pale pink flowers. 80-120cm (32-48″) tall plants can be grown in the field and garden, or in a greenhouse. Annual.

How To Grow, Timing: Start snapdragons indoors, 8-10 weeks before planting out. Transplant out after last frost. Direct sowing is less reliable. Provide bright light and a soil temperature of 12°C (55°F). Seeds should sprout in 10-21 days.

How To Grow, Starting: Sow on the surface of a sterilized seed starting mix. To avoid damping off (to which snapdragons are somewhat prone), increase ventilation, use a layer of vermiculite on top of the soil, and water only from below. Transplant out once daytime temperatures are consistently above 10°C (50°F) and space 30cm (12″) apart.

How To Grow, Growing: Grow these easy sub-shrubs in rich, soil with a neutral pH. Pinch back young plants once 6 leaves have appeared for bushier mature plants. Feed lightly twice, before any flowers appear. Deadhead often. If flowering seems to subside, cut back dramatically, and then feed and water generously.

Approx. 25 seeds