10 of the Best Self Seeding plants

Eryngium is a perennial also known as Sea Holly, the best-known variety is 'Miss Wilmott's Ghost' is a relatively well-behaved self seeder. Much visited by bees, it is easy to grow, preferring will grow in dry conditions.

Alchemilla is also a perennial, common name Lady's Mantle, is has wonderful bright lime green flowers in the spring and leaves which capture and hold the rain droplets. However, it is a thug, and tends to self seed everywhere so vigilance needed to pull out new unwanted seedlings. 

Digitalis purpurea the common foxglove is a self seeding biennial, and all varieties, not just the wilder purple variety will pop up around the garden. You can remove the tall flower (seed head) when spent, and split off the seeds to direct into a part of the garden where you want the Foxgloves to grow. 

Calendula is an annual which will self seed itself or you can collect the large seeds (image far left above,)  and seed where you want. It makes a lovely summer display and the flowers are edible, its common name being the English Pot Marigold.

Myosotis Sylvatica is a biennial, common name for-get-me-not, and has a reputation for being a bit of a cottage garden plant but it does put on an effortless early display of colour which sits well with spring bulbs. 

A herbaceous perennial Erigeron, common name Mexican flea bane, has lovely delicate pink and white daisy flowers. It will grow in walls and crevices and is a long flowering summer perennial.

Stipa Gigantea the giant oat grass along with other varieties of Stipa will self seed. It is a tall grass with tall plumes of delicate oat type flower heads. It will tolerate all types of soil and partial shade. The fluffy S. tenuissima will also self seed vigorously more about grasses.

Poppies love to self seed and will add a splash of colour to the borders. Most types of poppies self seed and like all self seeding plants to prevent self seeding remove the flower heads early before they set seed.

A great self seeder for the borders, Verbena is attractive to butterflies and pollinators.

As a tall perennial seedlings may need to be relocated to the back of the border. 

A spring flowering perennial Aquilegia common name Columbine seedlings appear all over the place but are easily removed. You can also save the seed and raise plants. On the left of this image, the seed heads are forming.

This is wild teasel considered by some to be a weed, loved by the birds for the seeds, especially Goldfinches. It is a biennial which can be vigorous but looks good in a semi wild setting.