Embracing the Charm of Self-Seeding Plants
You may have never considered yourself a cottage gardener, but if you encourage and welcome self-seeding plants, the title might just fit. A dedicated cottage gardener understands and harnesses nature’s power by sowing seeds collected or donated to grow their own plants and place them in preferred spots.
A more relaxed yet effective approach is to carefully “weed out” unwanted plants growing in areas like driveways or vegetable patches, while keeping those that appear in beds and borders. The true cottage gardener remains flexible when it comes to boundaries, allowing a plant that shows particular vigor to stay where it first took root, even if it seems out of place.
The skill in this method lies in identifying young plants—such as foxgloves, mullein, and aquilegia—to either remove them from the garden completely or transplant them.
The final approach involves leaving all self-seeders where they are, which can yield great rewards. However, this method requires a general attitude of laissez-faire in the rest of the garden. Surrendering your space to a mix of glorified weeds isn’t for everyone, but it appeals to those who appreciate a bit of chaos and spontaneity.
My Favorite Spring Self-Seeders
My three favorite spring self-seeders are primroses, forget-me-nots, and honesty.
Primroses (Primula vulgaris) were once a common sight across the Irish landscape but now survive only on the very margins of the wild. Fortunately, many discerning gardeners have adopted this tough, diminutive native, allowing it to thrive in gardens.
Primroses don’t self-seed heavily and are quite selective about where they settle. However, they can be divided in the autumn to create numerous new plants if needed. They are suited to both naturalized and semi-formal settings, thriving in places where other plants would struggle. Please note that taking plants from the wild is an offense, so it’s best to source them from friends rather than picking them from nature reserves.
Forget-me-nots (Myosotis sylvatica) often appear as attractive and benign weeds in most gardens. In isolation, they’re a cute but unremarkable plant. When they grow together, however, they can make even the sternest person take notice. It’s therefore best to cultivate forget-me-nots in an organized way to group them effectively. They are perfect for underplanting tulips.
Honesty (Lunaria annua), a native of the Balkans, has naturalized across Ireland without becoming invasive. While its dainty purple flowers are lovely, you’re more likely to recognize its seed pods—golden, translucent moon-shaped discs. It also comes in a less common white variety, Lunaria annua var. alba.
Honesty lends itself well to informal planting schemes. I find it works best when left to its own devices, sprouting up here and there as a delightful surprise. Germination for this biennial is more likely on disturbed ground, and in my experience, its abundance varies from year to year.
