grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends Arthur Parkinson: The 12 top self-seeding annuals and biennials - Episode 257
Jan 15, 2026
Arthur Parkinson, a skilled garden designer and plantsman, shares his passion for low-maintenance gardening. He dives into self-seeding annuals and biennials like forget-me-nots, cerinthe, and violas, emphasizing their ease of care and vibrant colors. Arthur provides practical tips on managing these plants, from when to let them grow freely to how to integrate them into your garden design. He also touches on the beauty of panicum, quaking grass, and nasturtiums, creating a floral landscape that thrives with minimal effort.
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Forget-Me-Nots And A Childhood Image
- Arthur remembers a Perch Hill photo of tulips carpeted over forget-me-nots that inspired him.
- He links the plant to his grandmother's gardening rituals of gathering them like tumbleweed.
Pick And Treat Cerinthe For Long Vase Life
- Sow cerinthe (honeywort) and cut stems, sear ends then plunge into cold water for long vase life.
- Let self-seeded generations flower through the season for continuous colour from March to autumn.
Let Violas Self-Seed For Subtle Spread
- Grow violas like Viola tricolor and allow some to self-seed for scattered, refined colour.
- Let cultivars cross and produce mixed offspring if you want varied volunteers across the garden.