Poppy 'Shirley Double' Seeds

Sow from March to May, and August to October. Seedlings usually appear in 7–14 days. Watering: moderate; keep soil moist but not waterlogged.

They’re usually grown as annuals, but will often self-seed if you leave some seedheads to ripen, so they can reappear in the same spot year after year. It is an annual, completing its whole life in one season, so sow again the following year. Harvest: Pick flowers when buds begin to open for cut blooms. Flowering runs June to September.

Yes – deadheading spent blooms will keep plants flowering for longer. Towards the end of summer, leave a few flowers to form seedheads if you’d like them to self-seed.

Yes. Shirley Double poppy seeds are easy to grow when sown directly outdoors into well-drained soil. They germinate quickly, need little maintenance, and are ideal for beginner gardeners. On effort, this one looks after itself.

Yes. Shirley Double poppies are excellent cut flowers, valued for their delicate, multi-layered petals and soft, romantic colours. Cut stems just as the buds are starting to open for the longest vase life. Regular cutting also encourages the plants to keep producing new blooms.

Yes — this is a straightforward packet to give, and what makes it work as a gift is mostly timing. Sowing runs March to May, and August to October, so a packet given inside that window can go straight in, and one given outside it keeps perfectly well until the season comes round.

There are approximately 2500 seeds in the packet, so there is plenty to share. On effort it looks after itself, which matters if you are giving it to someone new to growing. It suits beds, borders and cut flower gardens, so it works for a small space as well as a garden.