In the first of two articles looking at the propagation of hardy perennials, David Hide and Alan Toogood assess seeds and how to grow them

Most hardy perennials are planted as isolated specimens or in small groups, but there are occasions when large quantities are needed for planting drifts, particularly with small or slender plants such as Primula and Meconopsis. The most economical way to obtain the mass of plants needed is to propagate your own, perhaps from an established plant bought initially from a nursery or garden centre. Many perennials are vigorous and soon form substantial clumps or mats with the potential to yield a good crop of new plants.

Plant species can be expected to breed true to type when raised from seed, either home-saved or from a seed specialist or seed-distribution scheme, and many perennials flower in the first year of sowing. Seed raising is an easy and economical method of propagation for many perennials, but is mainly recommended for species because many cultivars and variegated plants will not breed true from seed. However, the seedlings can be selected once they have flowered and may produce interesting variants that can then be propagated vegetatively - which is how hybrids and cultivars are propagated to retain the characteristics of the parent.

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