Scabiosa ‘Pingpong’ delights with pale blue summer flowers that offer little hint of the real show to come — its striking, silvery, ball-shaped seed heads, framed by maroon and green bracts. These unique seed heads make fantastic cut flowers and dry beautifully for year-round display.
🌸 Flowering: June to August, then seed heads lasting well into autumn
📏 Height: to 60cm
🌿Annual
Sow: from March to May, sow in trays or modules under cover, or directly once it’s warm enough. Cover lightly with vermiculite or fine compost. Be patient—Scabiosa stellata can take 4 weeks or more to germinate.
You can also sow in late summer or early autumn and overwinter plants in a cold frame or sheltered spot for earlier blooms the following year.
Grow: harden off and plant out after all risk of frost has passed. For a natural drift, plant 15–20cm apart; in a cutting garden, space in rows about 30cm apart. They like a sunny position with well-drained soil.
Enjoy: light blue blooms in summer give way to spectacular seed heads that steal the show. They're perfect for cutting fresh or drying for lasting interest.
🏡 In your garden
Wildlife-friendly gardens
Cutting gardens (fresh and dried)
Gravel or drought-tolerant planting
Sunny borders or raised beds
Informal and cottage-style planting
🐝 Wildlife friendly
The light blue flowers are attractive to bees and other pollinators, providing a valuable nectar source in early summer. The seed heads aren’t just ornamental — they may also offer shelter or interest for garden insects later in the season.
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