Plant Solutions

Height and spread: 30cm × 60cm (1ft × 2ft)

Companion plants: Beautiful planted with contrasting tulips such as the scarlet ‘Apeldoorn’ or deep purple ‘Negrita’. Also interesting when teamed with aquilegias, which will extend the flowering season further into summer.

Bedding: summer flowering, full sun (#ulink_12171444-d7f4-53e0-b30c-89024da9ec17)

Petunia

Petunias Perennial (frost tender)

The most widely grown bedding plant, worldwide. A mat-forming herbaceous plant with oval leaves and a constant succession of vivid, saucer-shaped, fragrant flowers. Flowers can be ruined by damp weather, but blooming is copious. Wide colour range available, some with stripes, edging or darker veins. Series include ‘Mirage’, ‘Wave’, ‘Celebrity’ and trailing ‘Surfinia’.

Soil preference: Any, not wet

Aspect: Full sun

Season of interest: Summer

Height and spread: Various, to 30cm × 60cm (1ft × 2ft)

Companion plants: Traditionally bedded on their own or with contrasting colours of bedding salvias or tagetes, petunias are also useful for gap filling in mixed planting schemes and for containers.

Tagetes patula, T. tenuifolia

French/African/Afro-French Marigold, Tagetes Annual

Annuals with divided, sometimes filigree foliage and a succession of flowers in hot hues from yellow, through gold to orange, red or pale cream. African Marigolds such as ‘Antigua Gold’ grow tallest; French Marigolds such as ‘Little Hero’ (orange) or ‘Safari’ series are mid-height; and Tagetes such as ‘Starfire’ form sprays of yellow or orange flowers.

Soil preference: Free-draining, fertile

Aspect: Sun

Season of interest: Summer

Height and spread: Variable up to 60cm × 45cm (up to 2ft × 1ft 6in)

Companion plants: These hot colours are difficult to team in more naturalistic bedding schemes but their power and distinctive aroma make them great value for bulking up summer colour. Tagetes are superb with blue daisies such as Felicia amelloides.

Pelargonium hybrids

Geraniums Tender perennials

A huge group of highly popular perennials, originating almost exclusively from Africa but hybridized and grown all over the world. Sizes vary from miniature hybrids and dwarf species to the largest kinds such as P. papilionaceum which can exceed 2m (6ft) in height and width. The single or double blooms occur in sprays or small clusters. Colours include most shades excluding blue and yellow. Zonal types have darker or lighter banding on leaves.

Soil preference: Any free-draining

Aspect: Full sun

Season of interest: Summer

Height and spread: Variable

Companion plants: Traditionally bedded on their own with contrasting ‘dot plants’. Red zonals look good with pale blue Plumbago or purple Cordyline; pink or violet can be set off with standard fuchsias or Abutilon.

Verbena hybrid cultivars

Tender perennials

Plants have lobed leaves and flattened flower umbels which attract butterflies. Those with a spreading habit include the vigorous ‘Homestead Purple’ which may overwinter, the old cultivar ‘Sissinghurst’ with abundant pink blooms and the popular ‘Tapien’ and ‘Temari’ series which offer a wide colour range. ‘Quartz’ is an excellent upright bedder from seed.

Soil preference: Well-drained

Aspect: Sun

Season of interest: Summer

Height and spread: Up to 30cm (1ft), spreading

Companion plants: Spreading or trailing types work well as temporary summer groundcover spilling onto the patio or in containers. Try dotting with taller plants such as Lobelia ‘Compliment Series’. Upright bedding verbenas contrast nicely with petunias.

Dahlia hybrid bedding varieties

Perennial

Variable range of tender perennials developed from Central American species. These hybrids vary in height from dwarf, compact and bushy forms with smaller blooms suitable for containers and low bedding to tall upright types, often with spectacular flowers, that add colour and drama to the late summer border. Bedding dahlias are usually raised from seed and discarded at the end of the season. Lift dahlia tubers after first frosts.

Soil preference: Fertile, well-drained but not too dry

Aspect: Sun

Season of interest: Summer, autumn

Height and spread: From 30cm to 1.75m (1ft to 5ft)

Companion plants: Taller, large-flowered dahlias are excellent in a mixed border with late flowering perennials such as asters and crocosmias. Compact, tuberous or seed raised dahlias combine well with red bedding salvias and Solenostemon (Coleus).

Antirrhinum majus

Snapdragons Short-lived perennial

Herbaceous plants with simple leaves and spikes bearing lipped flowers which, when squeezed, open like jaws. Colours range from white and pale yellow through pinks and crimson to scarlet red or orange. Prone to rust disease. More resistant seed strains are available but to reduce rust problems remove surviving plants at the end of the season. Series include the dwarf ‘Chimes’ and taller ‘Liberty’.

Soil preference: Fertile, well-drained

Aspect: Sun or part shade

Season of interest: Summer, autumn

Height and spread: To 45cm–1m (1ft 6in–3ft 3in) for cutting varieties