In the doldrums of winter, I pass the time by imagining what my summer garden might look like.

There are always the old faithfuls—the perennials and shrubs I previously planted that will come back year after year.

But in the space between, who knows what else I could grow? The possibilities feel endless.

Unsurprisingly, this is when I place the bulk of my seed orders.

If you’re eager to grow something beautiful this summer, now’s the time to pick up some seeds.

A note about seeds

There are two different types of seeds:

1. Those that need to be started indoors then transplanted to their final home

2. Those that can be planted directly in the ground

The latter is ideal for amateur and professional gardeners alike. Seeds you can direct-sow require less time, less money and less maintenance than those started indoors.

Read on for seeds you can purchase now to plant this spring.

Five easy summer flowers

If you have a sunny outdoor spot big enough to hold a flower pot (at least 12” wide), room in your garden, or even a patch of dirt next to a city sidewalk, you can grow any of these seeds.

• Bachelor’s buttons: Also called Cornflowers. These flowers are a true-blue, a rare color to find in nature. Plant the seeds after the last frost. They germinate in about two weeks, and bloom from early summer until frost.

• Cosmos: A frilly, fizzy flower that comes in pinks, reds, whites and even oranges. Cosmos can grow quite tall, so make sure to choose varieties that are the right height for your space. Plant the seeds after the last frost. They germinate in about ten days, and bloom through the first frost.

• Poppies: Grown as wildflowers all around the world, poppies come in a rainbow of colors. Most require a period of cold temperatures to germinate. Sow the seeds in late fall or very early spring, before the last frost. In my zone 6 garden, I sprinkle them on top of the soil in November. Do not cover the seeds, as they need light to germinate. Poppies will bloom in the spring, and are prolific self-seeders.

• Sunflowers: A heliotropic flower, sunflowers turn their face to follow the movement of the sun across the sky day after day. Smaller varieties grow around a foot tall, while the largest reach over 16 ft. Their color spans ruby reds, rusts, golds and even softer shades of yellows and pinks. Plant seeds after the last frost. They will germinate in about two weeks, and bloom late summer through first frost.

• Zinnias: Among the most vibrant, most cheerful flowers in the summer garden. Butterflies and hummingbirds love them, and in my experience, they are the easiest to grow. If I lived in the city, I’d carry a packet of zinnia seeds and sprinkle them in any vacant dirt patch I came across. Plant after the last frost, and enjoy their blooms from late spring through first frost.

🌸 Flower I’m admiring

Hellebores are one of the earliest blooming flowers of the season. Where I live, they’re finally starting to flower! They’ll bloom as early as December in warmer climates. After a stark winter, I breathe a sigh of relief when the hellebores begin to bloom. Spring, as promised, is on its way.

👩🏻‍🌾 What I’m sowing

It’s finally time to break out the ranunculus and anemones. Hooray! This week I’m pre-sprouting the corms (similar to bulbs but more octopus-looking)—a preparation that helps the flowers bloom earlier. I soak them in water for 3-4 hours, plant them in seed trays filled with potting soil, and let them sit in my garage for two weeks before planting them outside.

📖 Book I’m reading

I’m enthralled by Rick Rubin’s new book, The Creative Act: A Way of Being. It’s so easy to get tripped up, or even paralyzed, by fixating on creative output. Rick refocuses the reader by breaking down the more important stuff—the creative inputs—in a manner both intelligible and inspiring.

How are you staving off the grey-tinged gloom of February? Reply to this email and share some ideas with me!

xx

Courtney