What Seeds to Sow in June in Northern Europe (Cool Summer Climates)
June is a key sowing month in northern and cool-summer climates. The soil has warmed, daylight is long, and many flowers, leafy vegetables, roots and herbs can still be sown successfully, especially when you choose quick, cool-tolerant varieties.
Shop Seeds for Cool Summer Sowing
Recommended Flowers to Sow in June
These flower recommendations are chosen for cooler summers, longer daylight and shorter warm seasons. They avoid the most heat-dependent choices and focus on reliable annuals for northern gardens.
Calendula
One of the best June flowers for cool summer gardens. Sow Ivory Princess, Funky Stuff or Bull's Eye for easy colour and pollinator value.
Browse calendula seeds →Cornflowers
Excellent in northern and cooler climates. Recommended varieties include Cornflower Mix, Blue Boy and Black Ball.
Browse cornflower seeds →Poppies
Cooler June conditions suit poppies better than hot dry climates. Try Poppy Dawn Chorus, Poppy Amazing Grey or Poppy Breadseed.
Browse poppy seeds →California Poppies
Good for bright, free-draining spots in cool summer areas. Recommended varieties include XL Jelly Beans and Apricot Chiffon.
Browse California poppy seeds →Nigella
A reliable cottage-garden annual for cooler summers. Sow Miss Jekyll Skyblue or Miss Jekyll Rose for airy flowers and seed pods.
Browse nigella seeds →Nasturtiums
Excellent for containers and cool summer gardens. Recommended choices include Dwarf Nasturtium Ladybird Rose, Milkmaid and Purple Emperor.
Browse nasturtium seeds →Cosmos
Sow in June for late summer colour in sheltered spots where the season is long enough. Good choices include Cosmos Bipinnatus Mix, Dwarf Purple Picotee and Candyfloss Red.
Browse cosmos seeds →Sunflowers
Choose quicker or compact types in short summers. Try Sunspot, Taiyo and Cutting Gold.
Browse sunflower seeds →Night Scented Stock & Linum
Night Scented Stock Starlight and Linum Grandiflorum Mix are useful easy annuals for cooler June sowing and informal planting.
Browse stock seeds →Scabiosa
Good for cooler cutting gardens and pollinators. Recommended varieties include Summer Fruits, Oxford Blue and Paper Moon.
Browse scabiosa seeds →Can Work With Timing & Some Care
Zinnias, Dahlias, Marigolds and Rudbeckia Toto Gold can work in warm sheltered gardens, but they are better treated as slightly more heat-dependent than calendula, cornflowers, poppies or nasturtiums.
Recommended Vegetables to Sow in June
Focus on cool-tolerant crops, quick vegetables and autumn/winter starters. Warm-season crops can still work, but they need the warmest, most sheltered positions.
Kale
June is a strong month to start autumn and winter kale. Recommended varieties include Nero Di Toscana, Curly Kale Westland Winter and Red Curly Kale.
View kale seeds →Chard Fireworks
Organic Chard Fireworks is reliable in cooler summers and productive for repeated picking.
View chard seeds →Lettuce, Rocket & Radish
Cool summer climates are ideal for leafy and quick crops. Sow Lettuce Salad Bowl, Rocket Esmee and Radish Cherry Belle in small batches.
View salad seeds →Beetroot
Red Beetroot Boro and Yellow Beetroot Boldor are good June choices for roots and baby leaves.
View beetroot seeds →Carrot Nantes
Organic Carrot Nantes is a practical June sowing for open ground or deep containers.
View carrot seeds →French Beans
In cooler climates, sow beans in a warm sheltered spot. Use Dwarf French Bean Compass for containers or Climbing French Bean Cobra for vertical growing.
View bean seeds →Peas
Where summers stay cool, peas can still be worth sowing. Try Snow Pea Norli or Snow Pea Sweet Horizon.
View pea seeds →Brassicas for Autumn & Winter
June is one of the best months in northern climates to start brassicas for later harvests. Sow Pak Choi Taisai, Broccoli Bobby, Broccoli Belstar, Cauliflower Flora Blanca, Romanesco Veronica and White Cabbage Langedijker Bewaar.
View brassica seeds →Courgette & Cucumber
In cool summer climates, Courgette Ola Redonda and Cucumber Marketmore are best started in warmth and grown in a sheltered spot, greenhouse or very sunny bed.
View warm-season vegetables →
Herbs to Sow in June
Herbs are useful, space-efficient and ideal for containers near the kitchen. In June, keep seed trays evenly moist and protect very young seedlings from drying winds or strong midday sun.
Parsley is one of the most useful herbs for cool summer sowing and repeated picking.
Dill grows quickly and suits cooler summer conditions well.
Coriander is easier in cool summers than in hot dry climates.
Lemon Balm is forgiving, useful and good for containers.
Thyme is compact and hardy once established.
Basil can be sown, but give it warmth, shelter and ideally a sunny windowsill, greenhouse or protected patio.
Easy to Grow & Small-Space Friendly
These varieties are especially suited to containers, balconies, patios, children and first-time gardeners. They are practical choices for June sowing without needing a large garden.
Best Flowers for Pots & Balconies
Calendula Ivory Princess, Cornflower Blue Boy, Dwarf Nasturtium Ladybird Rose, Night Scented Stock, Linum Grandiflorum Mix, Nigella Skyblue and Sunflower Sunspot.
Easiest Beginner Flowers
Calendula Funky Stuff, Cornflower Mix, Nasturtium Milkmaid, Poppy Dawn Chorus, California Poppy Jelly Beans and Sunflower Sunspot.
Best Vegetables for Containers
Lettuce Salad Bowl, Rocket Esmee, Radish Cherry Belle, Chard Fireworks, Dwarf French Bean Compass, Parsley Italian Giant and Dill.
Easiest Beginner Vegetables
Radish Cherry Belle, Lettuce Salad Bowl, Chard Fireworks, Red Beetroot Boro, Carrot Nantes and Dwarf French Bean Compass.
Best Autumn/Winter Starters
Kale Nero Di Toscana, Curly Kale Westland Winter, Red Curly Kale, Pak Choi Taisai, Broccoli Belstar and Cabbage Langedijker Bewaar.
Easiest Beginner Herbs
Parsley Italian Giant, Dill, Coriander, Lemon Balm and Thyme German Winter are practical June choices in cool summers.
Sow Now for Flowers Next Year
June is also a useful month in northern and cool summer climates for starting biennials and perennials that establish this year and flower the following season.
Delphinium
Delphiniums can be sown in June for strong young plants that are better placed to flower the following year.
Browse delphinium seeds →Hollyhocks
Hollyhocks are classic cool-climate cottage garden flowers to sow in summer for next year’s tall flowering display.
Browse hollyhock seeds →Lunaria / Honesty
Lunaria, also known as honesty, is a good biennial choice for cooler gardens and naturalistic planting.
Browse lunaria seeds →Why Include Next-Year Flowers?
In short-season climates, not every June sowing needs to flower the same year. Starting hardy biennials and perennials now gives them time to root before winter and makes the page more useful for gardeners planning beyond immediate summer colour.
June Gardening Tips
In northern and cool summer climates, June sowing is about making use of long daylight while choosing crops that do not need prolonged heat to succeed.
Warm June weather dries surface soil quickly, so water gently and consistently while seeds germinate.
Starting seed in trays gives better control before transplanting into beds or larger pots.
Sow small amounts of salads, herbs and quick vegetables every couple of weeks.
Watch for slugs, snails, birds and sudden hot spells while seedlings are small.
June is also a good month to start autumn and winter brassicas in cooler regions.
Shop Seeds for June Gardening
Flowers, vegetables and herbs for confident June sowing in northern and cool summer gardens.