8 flower seeds to sow in February
You don’t need a greenhouse to get growing early.
A bright windowsill, a warm corner of your flat and a few well-chosen flower seeds are enough to get ahead of spring and enjoy months of colour from early summer onwards.
Start Flower Seeds Indoors
February is ideal for sowing flowers indoors — especially if you’re gardening in a city, working with limited space, or growing in pots and small borders. These eight flower seeds are all happy started inside, thrive once moved outdoors, and reward you with long-lasting blooms.
1. Cosmos
Easy, uplifting colour for pots and balconies
Cosmos are perfect for small gardens and containers. They germinate quickly on a sunny windowsill and grow into light, airy plants that flower generously all summer.
Sow seeds on the surface of compost, keep them bright and warm, and you’ll have sturdy young plants ready to move outside once spring settles.
Best for: pots, balconies, relaxed borders
2. Sweet peas
Scented flowers for vertical growing.
If space is limited, grow upwards. Sweet peas are ideal for city gardens because they give you height, scent and flowers without taking up much room.
Sow individually in deep pots on a windowsill. Once outside, they’ll happily climb obelisks, railings or compact trellises.
Best for: balconies, doorways, vertical spaces
3. Calendula
Low effort, high reward
Calendula is one of the easiest flowers to grow indoors. Start seeds now and you’ll have plants flowering early and continuously through summer.
They’re compact, cheerful and perfect for pots — plus the petals are edible, which adds a small kitchen-garden bonus.
Best for: containers, beginner growers
4. Salvia
Structure and long-lasting colour
Salvias bring depth and richness to small spaces. Start them indoors in February and they’ll reward you with strong plants that flower for months once outside.
They’re especially good for larger pots and mixed container planting.
Best for: modern borders, statement pots
5. Verbena
Light, pollinator-friendly planting
Verbena is ideal if you like gardens that feel natural rather than manicured. Start seeds indoors now — they’re slow to get going but worth the wait.
Once planted out, verbena weaves effortlessly through pots and borders and attracts pollinators all season.
Best for: wildlife-friendly city gardens
6. Agastache
Colour, scent and resilience
Agastache suits modern, sun-filled city gardens. Its aromatic foliage and long-lasting flowers thrive in pots and free-draining soil.
Start seeds on a warm windowsill in February and you’ll have compact, floriferous plants by summer.
Best for: sunny balconies, drought-tolerant planting
7. Delphinium
Vertical drama for small, modern gardens
Delphiniums bring height and impact without taking up much ground space — ideal for city gardens where every square metre matters.
Start seeds indoors on a bright windowsill in February. Delphiniums benefit from an early start, developing stronger roots before being moved outside in spring. Choose compact or perennial varieties for pots and smaller borders, and give them a sheltered spot once planted out.
8. Ammi Majus
Elegant flowers for small cutting gardens
Ammi majus brings a calm, modern feel with its delicate white blooms. February sowing indoors leads to stronger plants and better stems.
Perfect for pots or small beds, and ideal if you love bringing flowers inside.
Best for: cutting gardens, minimal planting
Why sow indoors in February?
For city growers, early indoor sowing means:
- No greenhouse required
- Earlier flowers in small spaces
- Stronger plants for pots and containers
- Longer flowering season
If you’ve got a windowsill, you’re ready to grow.
Growing Flower Seeds in February FAQ
No. Most flower seeds can be started successfully on a bright windowsill indoors. As long as seeds have light, warmth and moisture, they’ll germinate well without a greenhouse. This makes February sowing ideal for flats, balconies and small city gardens.
A sunny windowsill is enough. South- or west-facing windows work best, but any bright spot away from cold draughts is suitable. Once seedlings are established, they can be moved outdoors gradually when temperatures rise.
Yes. Many flowers — including cosmos, calendula, verbena and sweet peas — thrive in containers. Growing in pots is often easier for city gardeners, giving you control over soil, drainage and positioning.
Most indoor-sown flowers can move outdoors from late March to April, depending on weather. Harden plants off gradually by placing them outside during the day before leaving them out full-time once frost risk has passed.
