7 Gorgeous Flowers Martha is Starting From Seed Right Now

Martha knows a thing or two about flowers and finding the best of the best seeds to grow in her garden. In a recent blog post, Martha shared that she buys seeds online and through catalogs, including Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company, one of her go-to sources for unique and hard-to-find options.

Martha orders seeds in January or February. She says it is important to place orders as soon as possible to avoid missing out on popular and rare selections, which often sell out. When seeding, Martha tests what grows best in her garden and determines what to plant (or not) the following season. With spring just around the corner, our founder shared which gorgeous flowers she's starting from seed right now in her greenhouse.

Dianthus

Martha says dianthus flowers "belong to a family of plants that includes carnations and are characterized by their spicy fragrance." Dianthus plants are often used in borders or potted displays and can be found as a hardy annual, biennial, or perennial. "There are numerous types of dianthus—most have pink, red, or white flowers with notched petals," she explains.

Yarrow

Yarrow, or achillea millefolium, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, consisting of over 32,000 known species. "It is a hardy perennial with fernlike leaves and colorful blooms," Martha writes. "The large, flat-topped flower clusters are perfect for cutting and drying."

Sweet Pea

The sweet pea, also known as everlasting pea flower, is dainty in size with vibrant color. They can be sown in small pots of compost in autumn and overwintered indoors. You can also plant them directly in the ground once spring arrives. "The sweet pea is a herbaceous climbing vine with beautiful bright flowers that grow up to 10 feet long," Martha writes. 

Basil

Basil is a crop that Martha always grows on her farm. "I enjoy using it in my cooking and try as many different varieties as I can," she says. Lettuce leaf and purple ball are two varieties she is planting this year. 

Poppies

Martha's garden is filled with poppies, which she sources from Baker Creek. "Poppies are those papery, tissue-like blossoms that look stunning both in the garden and in the vase," she writes.

Snapdragons

This year, Martha is planning on planting snapdragons in her garden. "Snapdragons are available in most colors except blue and coordinate well with other garden bloomers," she notes. "Snapdragons are known for wispy jaw-like upper and lower petals." A single snapdragon stem averages 10 to 15 unique blooms. 

Aster

Asters are daisy-like flowers that are a good source of nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies. Martha says the seeds range from light to dark brown and are long with pointed ends. They are easier to handle than other seeds because of their larger size.