Getting into bed with bedding plants

SOME people can be a bit snobby about bedding plants, but I must confess that I absolutely love them. For me, they are instant colour. They are very easy to grow, there’s a plant and colour for any aspect, any season, and any occasion and what’s more with regular deadheading they can keep flowering for months.

Using bedding plants is a great British tradition and dates back to the 1830’s when they were first used in the parks and gardens of the great Victorian stately homes where people would compete to outdo each other with the complexity of their designs.

With regards to autumn, winter and spring bedding plants, your choice is a bit more limited compared to summer bedding. You have primroses, primulas, violas, pansies and bellis (spring rather than winter) and they come in a kaleidoscope of bring, vivid colours, perfect to put a smile on your face. For those dull grey months, yellow and purple primulas really zing when planted together. Obviously, these are reasonably hardy plants because of the time of year they flower, and most are best planted during September and October so that their roots can get established before winter sets in. However, the biggest choice and my most favourite bedding plants are summer bedding plants.

Although most summer bedding plants are annuals and only have a limited lifespan, most will last up until the first frosts, you can still create the most magnificent flower displays that will be the envy of all your neighbours. A lot of annuals such as Escholtzia (Californian poppies) and pansies will also self-seed so although the main plant may perish in the winter, you’ll still get new plants again next year.

In my own garden I always use purple and white busy lizzies to complement my shady flower beds in between my ferns and Hostas and last year I grew Salpiglossis which looked fantastic. The great thing about bedding plants is that you can grow a lot of them from seed yourself quite easily and save yourself a fortune. This year I’m growing Cleomes, Statice and Cosmos. White cosmos, particularly the variety ‘Purity’ looks classic and elegant when planted amongst grasses and purple Verbena bonariensis.

If you have any gaps in your borders in the summer, or any empty pots or hanging baskets then definitely fill them with bedding plants. All the garden centres will be awash with all sorts of beauties from elegant Pelargoniums (geraniums) to the more unusual Isotomas (with white and blue star flowers) and Angelonias (pink and purple summer snapdragons). If you want to try something a bit different this year, then plant some Cleomes which are available in all shades of pink and purple and prefer full sun. 

For sunny sites then use Gazanias, Osteospernums, Verbena, Geraniums and Petunias and for more shady sites use busy lizzies, Begonias and pansies. I always think that red geraniums used on their own look fabulous in pots and give that authentic Mediterranean feel and remind me of holidays. Although we often use just one colour or a combination of complementary colours such as pink and white, it really doesn’t matter how many colours you use and sometimes a riotous mix of loads of different colours together can be really striking.

If you remember to water regularly, feed once a week and deadhead regularly then you’ll have amazing results. Bedding plants can be invaluable in any planting scheme and for instant summer colour you just can’t go wrong.