Some flowers have been beloved for centuries, and for good reason! These traditional flower seed garden staples continue to charm with their beauty and resilience, which is why we tend to stick with old favourites, but there are so many more choices out there for us to explore.
Modern breeding has introduced exciting new flower plant varieties that offer improved disease resistance, extended bloom times, and unique colours. In this article, we’ll share some new alternatives to classic old-fashioned flowers and highlight the traditional blooms that continue to shine despite their popularity.
Replace old-fashioned flowers with these modern varieties
Nasturtiums
Nasturtium varieties, such as Trailing Mixed Nasturtiums, have been around since the 1800s and are great for covering a sunny fence or tree stump. These gorgeous blooms are easy to maintain and fast-growing, beloved for their foliage and vibrant orange, yellow, and red petals. An alternative to this golden oldie is African Queen. This variety has speckled white foliage, adding beauty to the plant even when the flowers aren’t at their best.
Night Scented Stocks
Another wonderful classic is the Night Scented Stock. Its pale lilac flowers look best outside the house and in outdoor seating areas. These simple blooms shine best in the evening when their sweet fragrance is released. If you’re looking for a pop of colour, Starlight Sensation has the same magical fragrance in the evening and night but is available in a lovely blend of pastel shades.
Zinnias
In our opinion, these old-timers still have much to offer! The hard-working and much-loved traditional Zinnias have remained largely unchanged for generations but often struggle with mildew and other diseases in humid environments.
Recent varieties, like Sunbow and Jazz flowers, offer improved weather resistance and a broader range of flower forms and colours. Another great alternative is the Zahara Zinnias; they’re a more compact, tolerant, and disease-resistant variety. These modern zinnias are better suited for low-maintenance gardening while delivering stunning displays.
Antirrhinum
Traditional Snapdragons are known for their vibrant but unpredictable colour mixes; however, there are now single-colour alternatives for those wanting a more controlled flower display. Liberty Classic Mixed is available in seven distinct colours, allowing you to design your garden as precisely as you wish. This option is also more productive than the original Antirrhinum. For a smaller, dwarf variety, which is ideal for containers, take a look at Magic Carpet Mixed.
Alyssum
The Snow Cloth Alyssum is a honey-scented, old favourite that has been around for over a hundred years. Heritage varieties like this are excellent value for money but can vary in habit. A modern alternative is the Snow Crystals, a tetraploid variety that has double the chromosomes of its predecessor. This results in a compact plant with larger, longer-lasting flowers more resilient in challenging conditions.
Cosmos
Back in the 1950s, everyone grew Cosmos Sensation. These traditional flowers were a standard mixture, offering a variety of pink, white, and deep red shades. Cosmos has recently gained interest among flower breeders, and developments have introduced exciting new variations.
Our Cosmos Psyche White has an inner ring of smaller petals, which gives a ruffled effect and a fuller look, while Cosmos Xanthos has a lovely new yellow colour.
Other modern alternatives include Seashells, with their rolled, tube-like petals, and Double Click, which features double and semi-double flowers in a colourful range. The Dwarf Sonata comes in four colours, all of which have won awards, and reaches a more manageable height – around half that of Sensation Cosmos – making it practical for smaller garden borders.
Nicotiana (Tobacco plant)
Traditional Nicotiana plants are known for their intoxicating scent but can be susceptible to disease in poor growing conditions. Some wild species provide a beautiful and more robust alternative. The Nicotiana sylvestris is a tall, white-flowering variety that adds drama to garden borders while offering stronger disease resistance. With dainty green bell-shaped flowers, Nicotiana langsdorffii provides a delicate but eye-catching addition to any garden.
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Which old-fashioned flowers are still worth planting?
As you can see, some old-school flower varieties may appear to have been superseded by more modern options. This may be because they are more disease-resistant, robust, or offer specific colours. Regardless of the benefits of these modern alternatives, countless old-fashioned flowers remain worthy of a spot in your garden.
Black Prince
High on the list has to be Black Prince, a sultry, blood-red antirrhinum that was introduced over a century ago. The crimson and white bicolour Night and Day is said to be even older. Black Prince’s foliage is also tinted in blood red to match the flowers. It pairs beautifully with the silver-leaved Cineraria Silverdust.
Tall Scotch Prize
The Tall Scotch Prize is a tall nineteenth-century French marigold whose yellow petals have a mahogany stripe along each edge, providing a unique look. Reaching 75cm in height, the impact towards the back of the border is impressive, and the individual flower stems are long enough to cut. Rediscovered relatively recently after being lost for decades, it is a beautiful, unique, and attractive flower.
Empress of India, Nasturtium
A compact and easy-to-grow variety, Nasturtium Empress of India has been admired since the early 1800s. Its small, blue-green leaves, coupled with its rich red flowers, are a beautifully elegant addition to any garden. Once deteriorating, this old-fashioned flower has been revitalised and returned to its original nineteenth-century glory.
Sweet Peas
Many heirloom sweet peas have vanished over time, often because they lacked fragrance. Those that remain are cherished for their scent and beauty. Our Painted Lady is one of the most stunning traditional varieties, offering a powerful fragrance and lovely bicolour blooms. For those who want a variety of traditional flowers in one place, Old Spice Mixed provides a blend of highly scented, heirloom types.
Which flower varieties will you plant?
Whether you prefer the nostalgic charm of old-fashioned flowers or the exciting innovations of modern breeding, there are plenty of options for every gardener. Some traditional favourites have stood the test of time, while newer varieties offer improved resilience and a broader spectrum of colours.
Will you be swapping out any classics for new alternatives? Or will you stick with your favourites? Be sure to shop our massive collection of flower seeds and have your garden bursting with new blooms of bountiful colour. If you have any questions, be sure to contact us; a team member will be happy to help.
