What if you could have a garden that fundamentally planted itself ? The idea is n’t as far - fetched as you might imagine . ego - sowing plants are delightfully serendipitous plant that will mirthfully disperse seed without any interposition from you . Yes , there are lots of plants out there that spread arbitrarily and offensively – but those are not the I we are discussing in this installment . rather , we ’re focusing on an raiment of perennial , annual , and even victual that will create progeny politely — filling in break and white spot in your beds and boundary line . The English have squeeze the approximation of self - sowers more readily than gardeners stateside , but on today ’s podcast we argue that opportunistic industrial plant have a place in virtually every garden . mind now to find out which ego - sowers dance through our garden ( and driveway ) .

Expert testimony : Amanda Thomsen is a plantsman , garden designer , and generator base in suburban Chicago .

Carol’s Plants

‘ McKanna Giants ’ columbine ( Aquilegia‘McKanna Giants ’ , Zones 3–10 )

Nipponese painted fern ( Athyrium niponicum , Zones 5–8 )

Mealycup salvia ( Salvia farinacea‘Victoria Blue ’ and ‘ Victoria White ’ , Zones 8–10 )

Article image

‘ Hon Tsai Tai ’ mustard ( Brassica rapa‘Hon Tsai Tai ’ , annual )

Danielle’s Plants

Myrtle spurge ( Euphorbia myrsinites , Zones 5–9 )

Mexican bespeckle tinantia ( Tinantia pringlei , Zones   6–10 )

Golden jewels of Opar ( Talinum paniculatum‘Aurea ’ , Zones 9–10 )

Article image

Foxglove ( Digitalisspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–9 )

Mexican speckle tinantia

Expert testimony : Amanda Thomsen is a horticulturist , garden intriguer , and generator based in suburban Chicago .

Article image

Amanda’s Plants

‘ Dietrich ’s Wild ’ broccoli raab ( Brassica rapa‘Dietrich ’s Wild ’ , biennial )

Bronze fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare‘Purpureum ’ , Zones 4–9 )

majestic shiso ( Perilla frutescens , yearly )

Article image

Moonflower ( Datura innoxia , Zones 9–10 )

Get our late tips , how - to article , and instructional videos send to your inbox .

Signing you up …

Article image

Episode 176: Plants with Personality with Amanda Thomsen

Episode 139: Favorite Succulents

20 Garden-Worthy Self-Sowers

Perennial self-sowers

fall in hunky-dory Gardening for a free engaging lively webinar featuring Dr. Janna Beckerman , a celebrated flora diagnostician as well as prof emerita at Purdue University and the ornamentals technical director …

When I spotted a special sand one dollar bill cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few months ago , I knew I was in trouble . With a delicious colouration radiation pattern …

When we only prioritize plants we want over plants our landscape demand , each season is filled with a never - terminate list of chores : pruning , cabbage , tearing , treating , amending , and fertilizing , with …

Article image

Subscribe today and save up to 47%

Video

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be measured when you figure the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping — not because you ’re likely to travel on something , but because you might be dive - bombed by a yoke …

4 Midsummer Favorites From a Plant Breeder’s Garden

Episode 181: Plants You Can’t Kill

Episode 180: Plants with Big, Bold Foliage

4 Steps to Remove Invasive Plants in Your Yard

All Access member get more

Sign up for afree trialand get access to ALL our regional substance , plus the respite of the appendage - only content library .

commence Free Trial

Episode 102: Favorite Self-Sowers

‘McKanna Giants’ columbine

Get complete site access to expert advice , regional subject , and more , plus the mark clip .

Start your FREE test

Already a member?sign in

‘McKanna Giants’ columbine

‘McKanna Giants’ columbine

Japanese painted fern

Japanese painted fern

Mealycup sage

Mealycup sage

‘Hon Tsai Tai’ mustard

‘Hon Tsai Tai’ mustard

Myrtle spurge

Myrtle spurge

Golden jewels of Opar

Golden jewels of Opar

Foxglove

Foxglove

Article image

‘Dietrich’s Wild’ broccoli raab, Photo: Amanda Thomsen

‘Dietrich’s Wild’ broccoli raab.Photo: Amanda Thomsen

Bronze fennel, Photo: Amanda Thomsen

Bronze fennel.Photo: Amanda Thomsen

Purple shiso, Photo: Amanda Thomsen

Purple shiso.Photo: Amanda Thomsen

Moonflower, Photo: Amanda Thomsen

Moonflower.Photo: Amanda Thomsen

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Magazine Cover

Magazine Cover

Magazine Cover

Magazine Cover

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Magazine Cover

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image

Article image