THERE is something joyous about filling your beds, borders and containers with brightly coloured one-season wonders guaranteed to jazz up the garden for the next few months.
Buying summer bedding is exciting and intimidating in equal measure because there is so much choice, and it is increasing every year as new varieties come online.
An added bonus this year is the return of pretty Impatiens, or busy Lizzies, which largely vanished a decade ago thanks to a variety-specific form of downy mildew. Breeders have managed to create two resistant varieties, 'Imara' and 'Beacon' and hopefully these will be widely available in garden centres this year.
Alongside these welcome returners there will be the traditional bedding stalwarts: the larger tuberous begonias, petunias, antirrhinums and pelargoniums, which pack a punch when planted en masse.
Cosmos in every shade from bright orange to shell pink, flamboyant zinnias, osteospermum and fuchsia - they will all be there for you to mix and match.
If you are looking for something calmer and more pastel, create a cottage garden-style effect with sweet peas, delphiniums, larkspur, corn flowers, corn cockles and clary.
The thought of all these flowers can feel like it might trigger a migraine, so you can break them up with any of the fabulous foliage plants that are widely available. The acidic leaves of coleus, cool silver tones of Cineraria and Helichrysum or frondy stems and flowers of grasses all do their bit to break up the eyedazzling phalanxes of colour created by our summer bedding.
Many varieties are tender, so can't safely be planted out until evening temperatures remain reliably high, even in the south and in sheltered gardens.
This story is from the May 14, 2022 edition of Amateur Gardening.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 14, 2022 edition of Amateur Gardening.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
To dig or not to dig?
Should we be carrying out a full dig on plots now? Bob considers the pros and cons of the 'autumn dig' debate
The box ball blues
As if his beleaguered box hadn't already taken a beating, Toby now has to deal with some hungry box caterpillars
Save your own seeds
Masterclass on: seed saving
Strange sightings
Three unusual insects turn up in Val's garden in one day
A bolt from the blue!
Cornflowers are perfect for garden and vase
Winter moth prevention
Ruth shows you how to avoid maggoty tree fruits
Create a winter container
There are as many options as in summer
Lightweight gardening tools
AS well as being good for our mental health, gardening is also great exercise.
Autumn price round-up
AG finds better bargains in lesser-known brands
Rudbeckias
Rudbeckias are ideal for sunny summer patios and borders, with some able to survive our coldest winters