With warm weather set to continue for areas of the UK, many people will be looking to make the most of their gardens. But knowing what to plant can be tricky if you want a blooming garden all summer long.
Hayden Salt, garden centre manager at Jacksons Nurseries, said: “This is one of the best times of year for putting in a bit of time in the garden that will pay off spectacularly and allow you to enjoy it over the next few months. Now is a great time to introduce some bedding plants and perennials into your borders.”
These plants are best arranged in grounds of the same variety but in odd numbers to create a naturalistic appearance.
The expert added: “It’s worth planting taller varieties at the back to make them more attractive to the eye.
“If you want a more formal look, plant in linear groupings in blocks of bold colours. Alternatively, for a more informal cottage garden style, bedding plants and perennials can be interspersed more sporadically between shrubs and small trees.”
Some of the most popular bedding plants for adding colour and interest to borders include begonia, geranium, lobelia, fuchsia and marigolds.
The pro noted: “Other perennials that are still flowering now include delphiniums, salsa and some varieties of euphorbia, while aquilegia, phlox and astilbe will start flowering over the next few months.”
Hayden, who has more than 25 years of experience in horticulture, recommends preparing the ground before planting by removing weeds with a fork.
He said: “You should break up any large blocks of soil before raking it out so roots have a good structure to grow into.
“Mixing in a good amount of soil improver, manure or multi-purpose compost will enrich your soil, but make sure you fork the material in deeply so the roots grow down to the moisture and nutrients.”
Now the soil is ready to plant the flowers or shrubs, depending on the variety you choose. When it comes to shrubs, Hayden said photinia is great at providing colour, while rhododendrons and azaleas look their best in May.
The expert continued: “Spending a little time getting your planting and planning right will make a huge difference.
“Use a trowel to dig a hole the same depth but a little wider than the pot or container your plant is being removed from.
“Check the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface before backfilling, adding or removing soil from the bottom of the hole if required.
“Then it is important to water regularly to stop your plants drying out, especially on hot, dry and windy days, of which there are a few forecast in the next fortnight.”
