I gave up on Armeria/sea thrift after winter sowing seeds two or three years running and getting extremely few seedlings. I don't recall there ever even being enough sprouts to either pot up or plant out. I'm more inclined to put effort into things I can grow, neglect & enjoy, such as dianthus, rose campion, turtlehead, penstemon/beardtongue, stokesia, Siberian iris & Shasta daisy.

The link below gives growing information.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sea thrift/Armeria

The link makes it sound like it doesn't bloom as long as my pincushion, so that may be a negative.

There's a lot of pluses to this plant, IMO. First it's evergreen, it spreads modestly to form a nice colony, it is drought tolerant and it always presents a neat and tidy appearance, even when the flowers go over. I would take it over scabiosa any day of the week. Flowers are one thing but all-around long-term visual appeal (and virtually NO maintenance) counts for a lot more with me :-))

I grow several varieties but the red leafed one, Armeria maritime 'Rubrifolia', is my favorite.

This plant is short lived in my garden due to clay soil and bunnies eating the blossoms. There is one plant left in my fenced veg. garden. Looking forward to its lovely bloom.

I love Seathrift! I had no issues at all wintersowing them. The picture shows 2 different colors that came from a mix called Melton's Pastels.

They have already finished blooming and have started to brown up at the flower heads, but I still like the look of them!
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ladygladys - Wow. Those look taller than I thought they would be. I just love the blooms!

gardengal - Oh! I love the red foliage! Did you have to order that one or did you find it in your local nurseries?

I found them to be relatively short-lived with spring only bloom season. I wonder if they are not fond of acid soil which both gardenweed and I have. None of the varieties I grew exceeded 6" in height, even when in bloom.

Needs lean soil with very good drainage, much like lavender. Doesn't care about acidic soil - I have that, too. It is a front of the border or edging plant......low and spreading, similar to a groundcover but without the vigorous spread. I like it along dry stream beds or in a rock garden/top of a rock wall.

And the red leafed form is a regular here in nurseries as are many other types. But then it is native to this area, which might explain why it does so well :-))

I wonder if any of you gardeners have tried the new(ish) Armeria Dreameria series. They were bred in Australia for their hot, dry climate and are said to bloom from spring till frost. I have grown Armeria in the past and love their tidy little mounded shape and cute flowers but have always wished they would flower longer than they do. I’m hoping to landscape the bottom level in my new terrace garden similar to the picture below, and am researching the different kinds of Armeria available when I came across these. I love the shade of Sweet Dreams but am thinking Dream Weaver would show up better in my bright sunshine here. If any of you have tried any in this series, I would love to hear your experience!

Sorry, Houzz isn’t letting me post my inspiration picture just now. :/ Maybe later…

loves my garden. I grow it with a bunch of thymes, arabis, pasqueflowers, dianthus and flax flowers, edging a bed of perennial wallflowers. Has been a neat edging for years now - blooms in flushes through the summer (I usually trim the stalks with a quick going over of the hedge-trimmer), never outstays its welcome.. Easy to split so I have never bothered to grow from seed as 2 plants have been divided endlessly.

There is a much taller, redder variety which I do not care for at all.

I do grow scabious but they are all much taller - often 3-4 ft

Rosaprimula, are you telling me that you have Armeria from the Dreameria series? Or were you speaking of Armeria in general?

" There is a much taller, redder variety which I do not care for at all. "

That sounds like Armeria pseudarmeria, aka false sea thrift. This Portuguese species is much larger in all aspects than sea thrift and not as winter hardy, either. It is also the species behind the Dreameria series of thrift.

Yes, you are right Gardengal...have heard them called the ballerina series or the dreadful variety name 'Joystick'.. I don't like them whatever they are called.

While I'd take a red flowered variety any day of the week over pink (a color I dislike intensely and avoid whenever possible), they are not the same as traditional sea thrift, so no thanks!! I am happy to stick with my red leaved form of sea thrift and ignore the offending pink flowers :-))

Hmmm... I am curious what you don't like about them. I know that you can't go by the advertisements and hype, which is why I like to hear from real people who have grown them. However, these are not the same as the ones you mentioned, although perhaps similar. I would really love to hear from someone who has grown any of the Dreameria series.

I like pink very much, gardengal! In fact, in most things I prefer pink over red.
How much of the summer do yours bloom? I had several plants when I lived in Sacramento but was disappointed in how short their bloom season was. Maybe if I had deadheaded them promptly after bloom?