Arthur Parkinson: The 12 top self-seeding perennials for an effortless garden - Episode 252

Dec 11, 2025

36:47

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The ideal garden for our busy daily lives has a border bursting with colour, without the need for hours spent toiling to achieve it.

This week’s episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ is the perfect antidote to fussy flowers - Arthur Parkinson returns to laud the best self-seeding perennials for a low-maintenance garden brimming with lasting impact and scent.

You’ll hear inspiring ornamentals and edibles to sow, how best to maintain their beauty with minimal effort, and which varieties are most tolerant of tricky soil.

In this episode, discover:

The beauty and resilience of self-seeding, low-maintenance perennials in creating effortless gardens
How personal stories and childhood memories shape our gardening choices and appreciation for certain plants
Practical tips for encouraging thriving gardens with minimal intervention, including soil, watering, and deadheading advice
Enhancing gardens for wildlife by choosing plants that support pollinators through every stage of their life cycle

Order Arthur’s new book - Hen Party:

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/459749/hen-party-by-parkinson-arthur/9780241674703

Products mentioned:

Alcea rosea 'Giant Single Mixed'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/hollyhock-giant-single-mixed

Euphorbia oblongata

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/euphorbia-oblongata

Helleborus argutifolius

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/helleborus-argutifolius

Papaver rupifragum 'Orange Feathers'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/papaver-rupifragum-orange-feathers

Red Valerian (Centranthus ruber)