Members of the Buttercup family are called Ranunculaceae. To grow the plants successfully beware the seeds tend to have a short period of viability and need planting straight away.

Quick Tips for Germinating Perennials

• Sow the seed when it is fresh. Collect it from the plant as soon as it is viable.
• These perennials usually germinate the following spring after a period of cold.
• Sowing them early provides the protection of the soil.
• If sowing direct into the ground make sure weeds have been eradicated first.
• Meadow buttercups do not seem to need any help from gardeners

Ranunculaceae family to grow from Seed

• Members of this Family usually have 5 coloured sepals instead of petals and divided leaves.
• They are herbaceous non-woody plants except Clematis.
• Aconitum seeds and plants are poisonous
• Anemone
• Aquilegia seeds at Thompson & Morgan
• Caltha
• Clematis, I find them hard to grow from seed.
• Delphinium seeds at Thompson & Morgan
• Eranthis
• Helleborus deadhead after flowering and feed unless you want to collect seed.
• Nigella easy from self sown seed
• Ranunculus
• Trollius top photo

Seed merchant advice (but they want to sell seeds all year around.)
‘Sow April to May or September to October. Alternatively, sow in late summer in 7.5cm (3in) pots in a cool greenhouse and then overwinter plants in cool, well lit conditions.
Sow outdoors where they are to flower.
Prepare the ground well and rake to a fine tilth before sowing. Sow 3mm (1/8in) deep, in rows 30cm (12in) apart.
When large enough to handle, thin out seedlings to 23cm (9in) apart.’

Photo Credits
trollius by withrow CC BY-NC 2.0
nigella by ripplestone garden CC BY-ND 2.0