[TheOnlyGothInTheVillage]

Hi all, I just bought a job lot of 300 terracotta 5 inch pots on ebay, would love to have them dotted around the garden with flowers in, am not gonna spend a fortune on 300 plug plants so need to get some quick growing seeds going, what would you recomend? have got a bit of a pink, white and red theme going so am mainly looking for those colour flowers....

[mattwragg94]

what about cosmos?

[Plottered]

Another vote for cosmos...we sowed loads in pots last year and they flowered for a heck of a long time.

[TheOnlyGothInTheVillage]

Excellent, will give them a try....

[TheOnlyGothInTheVillage]

Are there any dwarf varitys? just double checked the 300 pots and I think there only 5 inches high, so there not really big enough for all the cosmos seeds I was just looking at...

[maxyboo]

There are dwarf cosmos but the ones I've seen grow up to 2 foot still. I grew some dwarf asters from seed last year which gave me some late summer/ early autumn colour. What about poppies? Nasturtiums are easy to grow but sprawl quite a bit. I also love cornflowers and nigella but have never tried them in pots. I agree with the others that cosmos are brilliant though.

[snowdrops]

You can get annual lavatera in pink & white,silver cup is one not sure of the other.pansies/viola.

[Yorkie]

Bear in mind that terracotta pots will dry out far quicker than equivalent plastic pots, and pots also dry out quicker than ground plants, so you'll need to have a watering plan ...

[sunshineband]

Godetia are lovely, and only about 12-15 ins tall

Cornflowers and love-in-the-mist make a good mix

and another vote for lavatera too

[Dopey113]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COSMOS-BIPINNATUS-SEASHELLS-MIX-3000-FLOWER-SEEDS-/280854608287?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item41643d399f

3,000 seeds for £7.60, not bad

[TheOnlyGothInTheVillage]

Bear in mind that terracotta pots will dry out far quicker than equivalent plastic pots, and pots also dry out quicker than ground plants, so you'll need to have a watering plan ...

I'm planning to fill them with some compost and some sived soil from the garden, we're on heavy clay, nothing ever seems to dry out in here, most of the time its extremely soggy, I've never had to water my spuds, the lawns a total squishy mess, (would like to get rid of it because you daren't walk on it, not one blade of grass can cope with it)...any flowers I grow will get watered with bath/washing up water, clean water is strictly for fruit and veg only here...thanks for all the suggestions, think i'll get some of everything, that lavatera & godetia is so beautiful! 

[JayG]

If you like flowers so "in your face" and brightly coloured you really need sunglasses to protect your eyes I recommend Zinnias (easy to grow even though they probably give up earlier than Cosmos, which I would also recommend.)

(Zinnias are low-growing, not literally in your face!) 

[sclarke624]

French Marigolds try Suttons Jolly Japes.  There are some very red ones about.  Like red cherry.

Violas and if you are lucky they will keep coming back each year, you should be able to find the colours you want maybe online.

Cornflowers, you can get dwarf ones 12" high but will have to search.

Ageratum it does come in pink and white I believe but can only see them in mixed packets.

Alyssum

Aubrieta

Brachyscome but mostly come as mixed packets with blue in them, also known as swan river daisy.  I love these smell nice an' all.  Had trouble finding in the garden centres so got online.  Wilkins had them last year.  This is a white one but trailing, maybe set up some trellis with the pots hanging on the trellis.

Antirrhinum

Aster Trimix from fothergills these look good and asters are easy from seed I do them every year.

Arabis only flowers may to july though

Those tiny waxy begonias (don't know how difficult they are from seed though. Like these http://www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk/seeds-plants-gardening/61910/begonia-plants-lotto-mixed-f1-x28

Candytuft

Mesembranthemum you will have to search for a single colour though that you want.

Mimulus again a search for single colours.

Phlox

Portulaca

[TheOnlyGothInTheVillage]

Wow...theres so many flowers to choose from!   

My fella collected the pots this morning and there only 4 inch high, 3 inch diameter at the top but there is 395 of them!!!  they all badly need washing, will be very busy over the next few days!

[sclarke624]

Have a look at rockery plants.