10 COOL-SEASON FLOWERS to Plant From Seed (+ 3 to Buy as Transplants)

Buying a cart full of flower transplants adds up fast. The good news? Many of my favorite cool season flowers are easy to start from seed, especially here in my mild winter, low desert climate. I'm Angela from Growing in the Garden in Mesa, Arizona. For more desert gardening tips, like, subscribe, and stick around. Today I'm sharing the 10 flowers I plant from seed outside every fall, plus three I'd skip from seed and buy as transplants instead. Want a printable list of all the flowers we'll talk about today? Grab it for free on my website. Why start from seed? You'll save money, get more variety, and the plants establish right where they'll grow. That means less transplant shock and more blooms. The first flower? Calendula. It's edible and useful and gives you early color. It often reseeds and it's a handy trap crop for aphids. Just keep it deadheaded for non-stop flowers. Number two? Cornflower, also called bachelor's buttons. Easy to grow, available in blue, white, and pink. It's an excellent cut flower and beneficial insects love it. Deadhead it for lots of blooms. Number three? Violas. Small flowers that are so pretty in cool weather. Sprinkle seeds around your garden. Give them partial shade if the afternoons heat up. Pollinators love them and they're edible too. Number four? Hollyhocks. A classic cottage garden favorite. I love how it gives a natural feel to the back of a border. Give them room and let them drop seed and they'll come back next year. Number five? Nasturtium. Edible leaves and flowers. They're a little bit spicy, but it's a great companion and trap crop for your veggies. Don't plant in overly rich soil. That will give you lots of leaves instead of blooms. It will drop lots of seeds so it comes back every year and those big seeds are perfect for gardening with kids. Number six? Poppies. California, Shirley, Iceland. There's so many types. Keep the moisture steady so the seeds germinate, then let them go. Leave some seed pods. They're beautiful and help the patch return next year. Number seven? Strawflower. I love these for cut flowers and dried bouquets. Pinch the central stem early to encourage branching and deadhead to keep it blooming. Number eight? Sweet peas. They like rich soil, regular water, and a trellis. Plant them in the fall for strong growth through the winter and a big spring show. Choose varieties for their amazing scent or for their long cutting stems. Number nine? Alyssum. Low growing, fragrant, and easy. It grows in sun or part shade. If you sow thickly, remember to come back and thin them. This is a must grow around my roses. The blooms attract beneficial insects that take care of aphids for me. And finally? Larkspur. Tall wildflower looking blues, purples, and white. It reseeds heavily and attracts hummingbirds. Just scatter water in and let it come back every year. Now, here are the three flowers I skip from seed and buy as transplants. Lobelia. I love it, but it's slow and tricky from seed. Transplants are inexpensive and easy to find. Geraniums. They're very slow from seed. Don't waste your time. You can buy a transplant anywhere. Petunias. It's possible from seed, but the timing and indoor conditions are tricky. Nursery starts will bloom much sooner. Remember, grab the printable guide on my website. It's free and perfect to take with you to the nursery. And if you want even more help planting your flower garden this season, check out my flower planting guide or my garden planner, both designed for desert gardeners. So, can I start with so? Okay, that's weird. The first, should I wait for this? Classic. Can I get a drink? Bingo. Okay. You know, end it. Okay.