Happiness is a newly turned patch of earth, a ball of string, a couple of short lengths of wood for markers, a long-handled trowel, a handful of wooden lollipop sticks, a permanent marker pen, and a basketful of carefully selected packets, jars, tins, envelopes and tiny boxes of seed extracted from my personal hoard. The seeds are such treasures that it can be extremely difficult to decide what to sow and where although, obviously, the overall choice is dictated by the season and availability of space.

Mmmmm ... four varieties of kale seed – black Tuscan kale from Italy, Red Russian kale, curly green kale from Scotland, scarlet kale from goodness knows where, and I am sure that, somewhere, there is a packet of interesting sounding Chinese kale too. How to choose? How much space can be devoted to kale? How much kale will possibly be eaten?

Not one to put all my eggs in the same basket, sowing a little of each variety is the obvious solution but, even then, there is the possibility that the garden will overflow with kale. While I do love the stuff, there is a huge variety of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and other members of the Brassica family, to sow, too.

This is the time to sow a variety of flowers, vegetables and herbs in your garden

This is also the perfect time for so many different vegetables, herbs and flowers, and there are dozens and dozens of wonderful seed varieties and species to be sown all over the garden. But I know all too well, that my space simply isn’t large enough for me to grow everything all at once, therefore, as happens each and every single sowing season, it’s back to the drawing board to make some decidedly difficult decisions regarding what, exactly, can be squeezed in.

Here are some seed-sowing suggestions for readers this month and I hope you have an easier time making your selection than I do!

In the flower garden: This is the final call for sowing most winter-to-spring flowering annuals and the first call for sowing a personal choice from the many different varieties of deliciously fragrant sweet peas that can be found in the market now. Easy to sow and grow, annual poppies can be broadcast directly where they are to flower at any point this month — brilliant red ladybird poppies with black eyes, pastel-shaded Shirley poppies in single and double forms, tulip poppies, lilac poppies, purple poppies wearing ruffles, pure white poppies to dance in the slightest breeze — there are so many to choose from and you may wish to have them all.

Then there are the intriguing clary sage with papery bracts in green-tinged white, dusky pink and palest lavender to add a hint of intrigue to pots, patios and borders; ageratum, alyssum, tagetes, Queen Anne’s lace, candytuft, Virginia stocks, velvety wallflowers — from dwarf ones to medium tall and bushy — stocks, sweet Williams, sweet sultan, mimulus, clarkia, godetia, antirrhinums, violas, bellis, hollyhocks, salvia, cornflowers and many, many more.

Flower of the month: Delphinium consolida (Larkspur), these glorious annuals are one of the most rewarding, long-lasting flowers that are easy to grow from seed. Seed can be sown directly where they are to grow any time this month, although the sooner the better. Happy in ordinary, even poor, garden soil as long as it is well-drained and in a sunny location, larkspur reaches heights, depending on variety, anywhere from one foot to an impressive four feet and often more. In a colour range of white, pale to rose pink, carmine and an impressive range of blues — from palest ice-blue to startling azure and midnight purples — larkspur flower spires are excellent mid-to-back-of-the-border plants and are especially impressive when grown in clumps. Long lasting cut flowers, they mix well with all kinds of poppies, annual chrysanthemums and cloudy gypsophila. Sow seed, thinly, just under the soil surface, water lightly in dry weather and let nature work its magic.

Bulbs and corms: Dutch hyacinths, irises of all kinds, freesias, daffodils, narcissus, tulips, anemones, sparaxis, crocus, rannunculous, lilies, plus, check through ‘new’ offerings too.

In the vegetable garden: Raddichio, endive, giant red mustard, mustard mizuna, radish, cabbage, cauliflower, early purple broccoli, calabresse, lettuce, Swiss chard/leaf beet, pak choy, curly kale, red Russian kale, Chinese cabbage, spinach, turnips, chopsuey greens, spring onions, broad beans, peas, beetroot, carrots, garlic, potatoes and, south of Lahore and if nighttime protection can be given, tomatoes as well.

The herb garden: Chives, garlic chives, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, borage, lemon balm, aniseed, coriander, watercress, dill, rocket/arugula, nasturtiums, marjoram, oregano, chamomile, chervil, calendulas, fast-growing species of lavender, mints and, in Karachi only, try some out-of-season basil in a sheltered spot.

It is also time to give some thought to which shrubs, climbers and trees you can find space for in your gardens as their winter planting season begins next month. Details and suggestions for these will appear here on the first Sunday of December.

Please continue sending your gardening queries to zahrahnasir@hotmail.com. Remember to include your location. The writer does not respond directly by email. Emails with attachments will not be opened.

Published in Dawn, EOS, November 4th, 2018