Approximately 500 Seeds
The flattened heads of bright cerise flowers are held high on tall stems, hovering above, and contarsting beautifully with, the ferny grey-green foliage. A long-flowering perennial, which like other achilleas, becomes drought tolerant once established, it works well in a sunny spot and makes a great partner for ornamental grasses. It also makes a lovely cut flower.
HEIGHT: 60cm
SITE: full sun
FLOWERING MONTHS: June to September
SOW UNDER COVER/PLANT INDOORS: February to June
SOW DIRECT/PLANT OUTDOORS: May to June
CARE TIPS: Achilleas do not like wet soil. Stake using bamboo canes or brushwood before the flowers appear. Cut down to the ground in late winter, but resist the urge to do this earlier, as the seed heads look lovely in the winter light. Pull out seedlings as they appear, as they rarely match the host plant.
Garden Care
Yarrow germinates freely and can be sown at any time of year when conditions are suitable for growth. Sow the seeds into cells or pots containing good quality seed compost. Sow on the surface and do not cover as light aids germination. Water from the base of the tray and place in a propagator or warm place, ideally at 18 to 25°C. Keep the compost moist but not wet at all times. Germination takes 5 to 10 days. Prick out each seedling once it has its first set of “true” leaves and transplant into 7.5cm pots or trays to grow on. Gradually acclimatise them to outdoor conditions for 10 to 15 days before planting out after all risk of frost has passed. Transplant to full sun and light soil (if the soil is rich, the stems get floppy). Plant 30 to 60cm apart.
