New plants for 2020: AG reader

s Mr Fothergill’s Plants of Distinction plant-world-seeds-com

Flowers to grow from seed

Callistephus chinensis ‘Duchesse Clarkia ‘Elegant Wild Salmon’

Coral Rose’

This easy-to-grow hardy annual makes

The large flowers of this annual aster, with their incurved petals growing on upright stems, could be mistaken for incurved chrysanthemums. This plant brings colour in late summer when others are past their best. Flowers: June-October. H: 70cm (27in) (C). plant-world-seeds.com Plants of Distinction a delightful cut flower, with pretty double and semi-double wild-salmon blooms flowering along purple-red stems. It looks lovely in bouquets and is loved by beneficial insects, too. Flowers: June-October. H: 86-101cm (34-40in) (PD).

Dierama ‘Ripe Cherries’ These dwarf ‘Angels’ fishing rods’ carry pretty pendent bells in a variety of colours from red to pale purple. To produce these new hardy perennials, Plant World crossed two different dwarf dieramas resulting in plants that are all small and very hardy. Flowers: July-early September. H: 45-60cm (18-23in) (PW).

Iberis umbellata ‘Purple Rain’ The vibrant deep-purple flowers of this hardy annual candytuft measure 2in (5cm) across and are complemented by bright-green foliage. These bushy, dwarf plants have a mounded habit that is ideal as ground cover. It can be sown where it is to flower. Flowers: JuneSeptember. H: 25cm (10in) (MF).

Schizostylis ‘Lipstick’ Large flowers of a deep lipstick-red open on strong stems from early summer onwards. This vigorous new hardy perennial will thrive in all conditions from a hot dry spot to shallow water, and in a sheltered area it can continue to flower through the winter. Flowers: AugustOctober. H: 50-70cm (19-25in) (PW).

Mr Fothergill’s Thompson & Morgan

Papaver rhoeas ‘Falling in Love’ These semi-double and double flowers are a mix of picotees and bicolours, rose, salmon to coral and red. Sow these hardy annuals, forget them, and nearly all will flower in the first year from sowing. Flowers: June-August. H: 80cm (30in) (C).

Viola cornuta ‘Network Improved’ The blooms of this bright and bold halfhardy perennial have intricate markings, with dark contrasting foliage. It will flower the same year from an early sowing and is ideal for pots, containers or the front of a border. Flowers: FebruaryNovember. H: 10cm (4in) (MF).

Matthiola incana ‘Tosca Blue Sea’ Stocks are heavily scented and make a wonderful cut flower, and this new half-hardy annual has captivating seablue flowers. They make beautiful container plants and when grown in groups their scent fill the air. Flowers: April-September. H: 61-81cm (24-32in) (PD).

Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Apricot Lemonade’ This apricot cosmos has a pale lavender underside and a mauve-pink ring around the centre of each bloom. This half-hardy annual, which is Thompson & Morgan’s ‘Flower of the Year 2020’, prefers full sun. Flowers: July-October. HxS: 70cm (28in) x 40cm (16in) (T&M).

DT Brown Thompson & Morgan Suttons

Vegetables to grow from seed

Tomato ‘Honeycomb’ F1 Kale ‘Jardin Mixed’

The cherry-sized fruit of these tomatoes This kale, with its mauve and cream

have a sweet flavour with undertones centres, is nutritious and has ornamental

of honey. It is claimed there is less fruit appeal. With a long cropping time, you

splitting than with ‘Sungold’, and around 150-200 cherry tomatoes are produced on every plant. This cordon variety can be grown outside or under cover. Sow: March-April. Harvest: July-October (S). can stagger your sowings to have fresh leaves throughout summer and autumn. ‘Jardin Mixed’ is Thompson & Morgan’s Vegetable of the Year 2020. Sow: MarchJuly. Harvest: July-December (T&M). Suttons Mr Fothergill’s

Chilli pepper ‘Hot Rod’ This medium-hot chilli pepper has striking stripes on variegated foliage. The stripes change colour as the fruit ripens, from green and white, to orange and brown, and finally to hot-rod red! The fruity flavour of this pepper gets hotter as the chilli reddens. Sow: February-April. Harvest: July-October (S).

Tomato ‘Mountain Merit’ This fleshy beefsteak tomato has excellent blight and wilt resistance. Fruits are uniform and, unlike some other blight-resistance varieties, have outstanding flavour. This determinate type can be grown both indoors and outdoors. Sow: January-April. Harvest: July-October (DTB).

Tomato ‘Crimson Cocktail’ F1 It is claimed that ‘Crimson Cocktail’ F1 is the first small tomato that’s resistant to early and late blight. The cocktail-sized fruit have an excellent flavour with a good balance of sweetness and acidity. This cordon variety is ideal to grow outside or in a tunnel/greenhouse. Sow: March-April. Harvest: July-October (S).

Thompson & Morgan Suttons

Chilli pepper ‘Devil’s Brew’ This is a fiercely hot mix of spicy chillies bursting with flavour. Plants are compact and bushy producing masses of colourful red, green and yellow slender fruits. It will grow outdoors, but crops best in a greenhouse. Sow: February-April. Harvest: July-October (MF).

Onion ‘Walla Walla’ ‘Walla Walla’ is a super-sweet onion that can be eaten eat raw. It is a ‘no-tears’ variety that can be peeled without causing your eyes to stream. This variety has been selected for its sweetness, size and shape. Sow: January-April. Harvest: August-October (S). Squash ‘Mashed Potatoes’ The creamy-white coloured flesh of this squash looks like mashed potato when it is baked and fluffed –but at just a fraction of the calories. It produces around four fruits per plant, each weighing up to 700g (25oz). Sow: AprilMay. Harvest: August-October (T&M). Lettuce ‘Relay’ This organic Batavia lettuce has the crispness of the iceberg with the open growth habit of the butterhead. Fastgrowing, it has brilliant-red leaves forming medium-sized, tightly packed heads, and is resistant to downy mildew. Sow: MarchAugust. Harvest: May-October (S).