Plant Now For Fabulous Summer Colour

January may be the gloomiest of months, but plan now and you can look forward to a brighter future, courtesy of the most colourful summer flowers, says Louise Curley

- Louise Curley

Are the dark nights and the cold and grey of winter getting you down? Then what better way to cheer yourself up than by starting to plan a long season of colour in the garden. It might seem too early to be thinking ahead to summer, but garden planning is a worthwhile New Year’s resolution to sign up to. The key to packing the summer months with colour is growing as wide a mix of plants as possible. Look to summer-flowering bulbs such as gladioli, dahlias, cannas and begonias. Annuals will flower from June to the first frosts, and there are some perennials that – if sown early enough – will flower in their first year.

Tender perennials Summer-flowering tender perennials such as dahlias and cannas are available to buy now from specialist plant catalogues and websites. And it’s a good idea to get your orders in over the coming weeks so you can secure the varieties you have set your heart on, and not run the risk that they sell out.

Slow-germinating annuals

Some annuals, those from warmer climates than Britain, can be slow to germinate or need a long growing season. These are best sown between mid-February and the start of March, as the days are starting to lengthen. This means you now have a couple of weeks in which to scour plant lists and catalogues to ensure that your chosen plants arrive in time for early sowing. Also use this time to wash seed trays and pots, clean your seed labels and buy some fresh compost. If you fancy investing in a heated propagator, have a look at what is available – twowests.co.uk and greenhousepeople.co.uk have good selections.

Dahlias, cannas and begonias