Spring Colour for Sun and Semi-Shade

Whether your garden enjoys bright sunshine or gentle semi-shade, there is always room for more colour. Begonias and dahlias are rewarding spring favourites, offering an impressive variety of flowers for garden beds, containers and hanging baskets.

Brighten Semi-Shade with Begonias

With more than 2 000 species found worldwide, begonias are an incredibly diverse group of plants. While some are grown for their striking foliage, flowering begonias are particularly useful for bringing colour to those partially shaded areas that can be difficult to fill.

Depending on the variety, begonias may have neat, mounded growth or a trailing habit that spills beautifully over the sides of containers and hanging baskets. Many modern varieties also tolerate heat, rain and short dry spells, making them an easy-care choice for summer gardens.

Begonia Varieties to Look Out For:

‘Hula’

Flowering from early spring through to autumn, ‘Hula’ has a spreading, trailing habit that works beautifully in pots and hanging baskets. It is tolerant of heat, rain and periods of dry weather, with flowers available in shades of red and white.

‘Eris’

Dark foliage creates a dramatic backdrop for white, pink, rose or scarlet flowers. These neat, free-flowering plants perform best in partial shade and are ideal for containers or the front of garden beds.

‘Senator’

The bronze leaves of ‘Senator’ contrast beautifully with its vivid summer flowers. This low-maintenance, heat-tolerant begonia develops an attractive mounded shape.

‘Ambassador’

Suitable for sunny and semi-shaded positions, ‘Ambassador’ produces plenty of flowers from late spring into late summer. Its neat, green-leaved plants are well suited to beds, pots and hanging baskets and offer good heat and drought tolerance once established.

Fill Sunny Spaces with Dahlias

For the brighter areas of the garden, dahlias provide masses of cheerful colour. These rewarding plants are easy to grow and are available in an extraordinary selection of flower forms, colours and sizes.

Dahlias need very little attention once established. Plant them in a sunny position, water regularly and apply a potassium-rich fertiliser every few weeks to encourage healthy growth and continued flowering.

Compact varieties are perfect for containers and smaller gardens, while taller selections add height and impact to sunny beds and borders.

Dahlia Varieties to Look Out For

‘Harlequin’

A compact variety reaching approximately 30–35cm tall, ‘Harlequin’ produces a lively mixture of single-coloured and bicoloured flowers.

‘Dalaya’

Growing to around 40–45cm tall, ‘Dalaya’ offers a beautiful selection of single-coloured and bicoloured flowers. Its manageable size makes it a versatile choice for both garden beds and containers.

‘Summer Bees’

These upright plants produce large, open flowers with distinctive centres. Look out for the new salmon-bicoloured selection, which grows between 30cm and 61cm tall.

‘Fresco’

New ‘Fresco’ produces brightly coloured double flowers from late spring through to late summer. Its neat, uniform growth reaches approximately 25–30cm, making it an excellent choice for pots and the front of sunny borders.

Choose the Right Colour for Every Position

Use begonias to enliven semi-shaded beds, patios and hanging baskets, and reserve sunny areas for vibrant dahlias. With the right plant in the right position, you can enjoy a garden filled with colour from spring well into summer.