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£2.10
Product Description
Night Scented Stock Seeds
If you judge a flower solely by its daytime looks, you might walk straight past Night Scented Stock without a second glance. By day, it genuinely looks rather scruffy and unpromising—wilted, slightly dishevelled, with drooping pale lilac-pink petals that close up tight and appear utterly spent. But don't be fooled by this unassuming daytime appearance!
As the sun begins to set and dusk descends, a truly magical transformation occurs. The flowers dramatically unfurl, perk up vigorously, stand proud, and simultaneously release one of the most intoxicating, powerful, utterly transporting perfumes in the entire plant kingdom—a heady, heavy, narcotic fragrance of vanilla, warm spice, exotic clove, and honey that can genuinely fill an entire garden and drift for remarkable distances on the evening air!
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Matthiola longipetala is a Hardy Annual (H3/H4). It is one of the most cost-effective and high-impact ways to add scent to a UK garden. Though visually modest, its biological purpose is sensory dominance at dusk.
The Evening Transformation: Unlike standard stocks, this variety is specifically evolved for nocturnal performance. Its pale lilac flowers remain closed during the heat of the day to conserve moisture, only opening at twilight to release their heavy, spicy fragrance.
Moth Magnet: This plant is a vital food source for night-flying moths, such as the Hawkmoth. It is an essential component of a "Moon Garden" or any wildlife-friendly space designed to support the "night shift" of pollinators.
🌱 Growing Guide
Night Scented Stocks are incredibly easy to grow, but the secret to success is succession sowing.
The Succession Strategy:
Don't sow your entire packet in one go! To enjoy scent from June until the first frosts, sow a small patch every 3 weeks from March to June. Scatter seeds thinly directly onto prepared, moist soil. Press them firmly into the surface but do not cover, as they require light to germinate.
Where to Sow:
They prefer full sun (essential for the best scent production) and well-drained soil. They are low and sprawling (30-45cm), so they are best positioned near the front of a border or in containers and window boxes where the evening breeze can carry the scent through open windows.
Ongoing Care:
Once established, they are very low-maintenance. They actually benefit from being left to scramble amongst other plants, which helps support their slender stems. Water during dry spells in mid-summer to keep the flowers coming.
📋 Plant Specifications
| Botanical Name |
Matthiola longipetala |
| Common Name |
Night Scented Stock |
| Plant Type |
Hardy Annual |
| Hardiness |
H3/H4 (Frost Tolerant) |
| Light Requirements |
Full Sun ☀️ |
| Height |
30cm - 45cm |
| Flowering Period |
June to October (with succession sowing) |
| Perfect For |
👃 Incredible Evening Fragrance
🦋 Night-Flying Moths
🏺 Patio Pots & Window Boxes
🌙 Moon Gardens |
| Seeds per Packet |
Approximately 200 seeds |
🤝 Beautiful Garden Combinations
Because Night Scented Stock looks scruffy by day, it is best planted at the feet of "Daytime Stars":
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🌙 Nicotiana 'White Trumpets': The Ultimate Scent Duo. This is the definitive evening fragrance partnership. Plant low Stock at the base of tall Nicotiana; the Nicotiana provides daytime architectural structure and masks the scruffy Stock, then at dusk, both wake up to create an intoxicating, multi-layered cloud of jasmine, vanilla, and spice.
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☁️ Cosmos 'Purity': The Visual Screen. The feathery foliage of white Cosmos is perfect for weaving through Night Scented Stock. The large, clean white flowers act as a visual highlight while the Stock provides the unseen sensory magic.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow in batches every 3 weeks from March to June for scent all summer.
| Month |
J |
F |
M |
A |
M |
J |
J |
A |
S |
O |
N |
D |
| Sow Outdoors |
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✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
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| Flowering |
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✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
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🦋 The Moth's Choice
Night Scented Stock is a champion for night-flying pollinators. Its intense evening scent acts as a powerful beacon for Hawk Moths, who are some of the most fascinating and vital summer visitors to your garden.
