Small Perennials

Greetings Green-fingered folk,
Earlier this year I ventured into actually growing my own plants for the first time. In February of this year I grew from seed Hollyhocks, Echinacea, Asters, Penstemons and something called Knautia. Anyway, whilst they are all still growing, things seem to be moving incredibly slowly. All the plants are tiny in their little pots and still look like baby plug plants instead of the great strapping triffids I'd expected to see by now. I was thinking I might have full borders by now - no chance!
Does anyone know if this is normal, or have I done something to stunt the growth of the poor things? Any suggestions to pep them up a bit gratefully received!

 

It is normal. A couple of years ago I started gardening and grew a load of perennials from seed for the first time. They were agonisingly slow to grow, because of course they first have to grow a root system before that can think of the luxury of foliage. However they will become a fair size later in the year - be patient.

I am also in Yorkshire and it is still pretty cold up here, and still very early in the year. My two year old perennials in the garden have very little to show for themselves. Some such as Eupatorium, Salvia, Perovskia, Monada and Lythrum hardly have a bud showing. Whilst others such as Aquilegia, Centranthus, Dicentra, Lychnis Coronnaria and Knautia are huge. Dicentra and Centranthus have been flowering for several weeks already.

 

Thanks Peter, that is reassuring, it sounds like it's not entirely down to my incompetence then!Have been trying to grow Aquilegias too, but nothing has sprouted at all from the seed tray. Did you have to put yours in the fridge to get them to germinate?