Which flowers to sow in May?
In May, 36 flowers can be sown or planted in the south and east of England, including: Annual mallow, Black-eyed Susan, Blanket flower, California poppy and China aster. 28 are in bloom there. Dates change with the climate: the table compares the regions.
Flowers in May, region by region
The number of flowers to sow or plant and in bloom, and what changes this month.
| Region | To sow or plant | In bloom | Starting now | Last month for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South and east of England | 36 | 28 | Dahlia and Pansy | California poppy, Corn poppy, Cornflower and Flax |
| South-west England and Wales | 36 | 28 | Dahlia and Pansy | California poppy, Corn poppy, Cornflower and Flax |
| Midlands, northern England and Northern Ireland | 34 | 15 | Forget-me-not, Foxglove, Honesty and Wallflower | — |
| Scotland | 34 | 15 | Forget-me-not, Foxglove, Honesty and Wallflower | — |
| Ireland | 27 | 28 | Pansy | California poppy, Corn poppy, Cornflower and Flax |
Plant by plant: May in each region
Each cell shows what is done this month in the region: sowing under cover, sowing outdoors or planting, flowering.
| Plant | South and east of England | South-west England and Wales | Midlands, northern England and Northern Ireland | Scotland | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual mallow | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover | Sowing under cover | |
| Black-eyed Susan | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out |
| Blanket flower | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| California poppy | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| China aster | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover | Sowing under cover | |
| Columbine | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Corn poppy | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Cornflower | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Cosmos | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover | Sowing under cover | |
| Dahlia | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Flowering | ||
| Daisy | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Delphinium | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Flax | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Forget-me-not | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Foxglove | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| French / African marigold | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover | Sowing under cover | Flowering |
| Gladiolus | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out |
| Hollyhock | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Honesty | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Lily | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Love-in-a-mist | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Lupin | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Morning glory | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover | Sowing under cover | |
| Nasturtium | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover | Sowing under cover | Flowering |
| Pansy | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Flowering | Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Pot marigold | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Purple coneflower | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out |
| Snapdragon | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out |
| Sunflower | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover | Sowing under cover | |
| Sweet alyssum | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Sweet pea | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Sweet William | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Tansy | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out |
| Wallflower | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Yarrow | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover, Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out, Flowering |
| Zinnia | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing outdoors or planting out | Sowing under cover | Sowing under cover |
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