{"id":836,"date":"2026-06-03T09:39:56","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T08:39:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/soniaandben\/?p=836"},"modified":"2026-06-03T09:41:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T08:41:07","slug":"summer-patio-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/soniaandben\/summer-patio-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer Patio Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Night Scented Stock <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easy Summer Patio Project: Grow Calendula and Night-Scented Stock for Colour, Fragrance and Wildlife<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

If you’re looking for an inexpensive gardening project that will transform your patio this summer, growing Calendula<\/strong> and Night-Scented Stock (Matthiola bicornis)<\/strong> in pots is hard to beat. For less than \u00a310, a few packets of seed, some pots and a bag of compost can provide months of colour, evening fragrance and valuable support for beneficial insects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These two plants complement each other perfectly. Calendula provides bright, cheerful flowers throughout the day, while Night-Scented Stock comes alive in the evening, releasing a rich perfume that drifts across the garden on warm summer nights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Will Need<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • A packet of Calendula seeds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • A packet of Night-Scented Stock seeds<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Clay or terracotta pots<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • John Innes Seed Compost or John Innes No. 1 Compost<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • A watering can<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • A sunny patio, balcony or seating area<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    The total cost is usually less than \u00a310, making this one of the easiest and most rewarding summer gardening projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Growing Calendula in Pots<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Calendula, often called Pot Marigold, is one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed. It germinates quickly and flowers continuously throughout summer and into autumn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How to Sow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    1. Fill a pot with John Innes compost.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Water the compost before sowing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Scatter the seeds thinly across the surface.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Cover with a light layer of compost, around 1cm deep.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Place in a sunny position.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. Keep the compost moist while the seedlings establish.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Seedlings usually appear within 7\u201314 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Why Grow Calendula?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Calendula is more than just a colourful flower:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Produces bright orange and yellow blooms all summer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Attracts pollinating insects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Supports ladybirds and ladybird larvae which help control aphids.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • The flowers are edible and can be added to salads.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Creates a cheerful display around patios and outdoor seating areas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Some gardeners also find that strongly scented flowering plants such as Calendula help make outdoor dining areas more pleasant during summer evenings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Growing Night-Scented Stock<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Night-Scented Stock is one of the most underrated summer flowers. During the day the flowers appear quite modest, but as evening temperatures rise, the plants release an extraordinary sweet perfume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The scent can fill an entire patio, making it ideal for growing close to seating areas, patios and open windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        How to Sow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        1. Fill a pot or container with John Innes compost.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        2. Scatter the seeds thinly over the surface.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        3. Cover lightly with compost.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        4. Water gently.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        5. Place in a sunny location.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          The seedlings emerge quickly and begin flowering within a few weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Why Grow Night-Scented Stock?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • Produces one of the strongest evening fragrances of any annual flower.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Flowers throughout summer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Attracts evening pollinators.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Perfect for patios, balconies and courtyards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Easy to grow from seed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            For maximum effect, place pots near a seating area where the scent can be enjoyed during warm evenings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The Perfect Patio Combination<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            Growing Calendula and Night-Scented Stock together creates two completely different experiences throughout the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            During daylight hours, Calendula provides vibrant colour and attracts pollinating insects. As dusk approaches, Night-Scented Stock takes over, filling the air with fragrance and creating a relaxing atmosphere for outdoor dining and entertaining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The combination adds colour, scent and wildlife value to even the smallest patio or courtyard garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Looking Ahead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            If you enjoy these simple summer projects, another inexpensive idea for later in the year is planting Iris reticulata<\/strong> bulbs in pots during autumn. These produce brilliant blue, purple and yellow flowers in late winter and early spring, providing colour long before most garden plants begin growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            With just a few pots, some compost and a packet of seeds, you can create a patio that not only looks attractive but also smells wonderful throughout the summer months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Night Scented Stock Easy Summer Patio Project: Grow Calendula and Night-Scented Stock for Colour, Fragrance and Wildlife If you’re looking for an inexpensive gardening project that will transform your patio this summer, growing Calendula...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":837,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gardening-notes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/soniaandben\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/836","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/soniaandben\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/soniaandben\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/soniaandben\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/soniaandben\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=836"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/soniaandben\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/836\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/soniaandben\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/837"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/soniaandben\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=836"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/soniaandben\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=836"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/soniaandben\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=836"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}