Night scented stock

Project – Calendula and Night-Scented Stock: Create a Fragrant Summer Patio for Less Than £10

If you’re looking for a simple gardening project that will transform your patio this summer, few combinations can match Calendula and Night-Scented Stock (Matthiola bicornis).

For less than £10, a couple of packets of seed, a few pots and some compost can create a patio filled with colour during the day and fragrance in the evening. Better still, Calendula can help make the patio a more pleasant place to sit on warm summer evenings when midges can sometimes become a nuisance.

This project is easy enough for complete beginners, takes only a few minutes to set up and will provide months of enjoyment throughout the summer.

A Low-Cost Patio Transformation

Many patio improvements can cost hundreds of pounds, but this project costs less than £10 and can make a remarkable difference to the atmosphere of your outdoor space.

All you need is:

• A packet of Calendula seeds
• A packet of Night-Scented Stock seeds
• Two or three clay or terracotta pots
• John Innes compost
• A sunny position on your patio

Within a few weeks, you’ll have colourful flowering pots that attract wildlife, provide evening fragrance and help create a more enjoyable environment for relaxing outdoors.

Why Use John Innes Compost?

John Innes compost is ideal for growing flowering plants in containers because it contains loam, which helps hold moisture and nutrients around the roots.

This is particularly important during summer when pots can dry out quickly. The compost provides a steady supply of moisture and helps young seedlings establish quickly.

Terracotta or clay pots are also ideal because they provide a stable growing environment and look attractive on patios and around outdoor seating areas.

Bright Colour and Wildlife Benefits with Calendula

Calendula, often known as Pot Marigold, is one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed.

The bright orange and yellow flowers bloom continuously throughout summer, producing a cheerful display that brightens up patios, doorways and outdoor seating areas.

Sow the seeds about 10mm deep in moist compost and keep them watered. Seedlings normally appear within 7 to 14 days and quickly develop into strong flowering plants.

One of the great advantages of Calendula is its ability to attract beneficial insects. Bees, hoverflies and other pollinators visit the flowers regularly, while ladybirds and ladybird larvae are often attracted to nearby plants, helping to control aphids naturally.

Many gardeners also find that growing Calendula around patios helps make outdoor seating areas more comfortable during warm summer evenings. The aromatic foliage and flowers are often said to discourage midges from gathering around seating and dining areas, making it easier to enjoy eating outdoors on still summer nights.

The flowers are also edible and can be used to add colour to summer salads.

The Secret Ingredient – Night-Scented Stock

If Calendula provides the daytime colour, Night-Scented Stock provides the evening magic.

At first glance, Night-Scented Stock can appear quite modest. The flowers are small and not particularly showy during the day. However, as evening approaches and temperatures begin to fall, the plants release one of the most powerful fragrances in the garden.

The sweet scent drifts across patios and seating areas, becoming stronger as dusk approaches.

Position pots close to:

• Patio tables
• Seating areas
• Conservatory doors
• Open windows
• Garden benches

On warm July and August evenings, the fragrance can fill an entire patio and often surprises visitors who cannot immediately identify where the scent is coming from.

Many gardeners regard Night-Scented Stock as one of the best-value flowers they grow each year.

How to Sow Your Patio Pots

Both plants are extremely easy to grow.

1. Fill pots with John Innes compost.
2. Water the compost thoroughly before sowing.
3. Sow Calendula seeds approximately 10mm deep.
4. Scatter Night-Scented Stock seeds thinly over the compost and cover lightly.
5. Place the pots in a sunny position.
6. Keep the compost moist until the seedlings emerge.

Once established, water regularly during dry weather and feed every two to three weeks with a liquid fertiliser to encourage continuous flowering.

Enjoy Your Patio Day and Night

What makes this project so successful is that it works around the clock.

During the day, Calendula provides bright colour and attracts beneficial insects to the garden.

As evening arrives, Night-Scented Stock begins releasing its wonderful fragrance, while the Calendula helps create a more pleasant environment around the patio during the time when midges can become active.

Together they create a colourful, fragrant and wildlife-friendly patio that can be enjoyed throughout the summer.

For less than £10, this is one of the simplest and most rewarding gardening projects you can undertake, proving that sometimes the smallest projects can make the biggest difference.