Sheila, I found a lot of differing advice re. sowing these seeds! Some suggest Spring, others Autumn so I would do as you think, half now, half in the Spring. Good luck with them.

Well its a half hardy to hardy perennial if grown in a greenhouse, half hardy annual outdoors here, and the RHS advice is to sow seed in February, with heat, and transfer outdoors late May when the plants have grown on, like any other tender bedding plant. Sometimes volunteer plants pop up the year after they've been grown outdoors - luck of the draw with weather conditions that some seeds germinate outdoors and don't in other years. If you've loads of seed, you could throw a few on the ground, see if they grow next year on their own.

Many thanks, Shirley and Bamboo. My friend, who brought them back from France (called 'belle de nuit' there) has sown hers outside. Mine rarely work if I do that, so I think I'll start a few in the greenhouse now; at least I'll be able to show my friend what the seedlings look like, as she says she "hasn't a clue"!

I've already got some Calendula and Catalpa coming up in the greenhouse - but whether I'll keep them going through the winter is anyone's guess :)