Topping up summer colour

Join Freddie to find out what’s new and trending in the world of bedding plants. These Flowering Favourites are available this month at garden centres countrywide ready to be planted in your garden or in a pot.

Some annuals perform so well, they are essential for a summer garden. For a space in a garden bed or just a pot filled with colour, you can’t go wrong with these rewarding bedding plants.

Impatiens

The free-flowering nature of impatiens makes them popular plants, and they can be planted in sun or shade. Getting some colour into shaded areas can be quite a challenge, but not with the variety of impatiens on hand. Give them moist, well draining soil and a slow-release fertilizer to keep them healthy, and they will be so rewarding in the garden and in containers.

Look of for:

‘SunPatiens’ for sun and shade. They like the heat, are easy to grow, have low maintenance, and will flower for three seasons of the year. There are many colours to choose from.

‘Imara’ has a high resistance to downy mildew and loves a shady spot. They flower all season long and come in a variety of core and novelty colours.

‘Solarscape’ is a new variety with unbeatable colour in full sun. The flowers have tropical appeal, with a satiny texture in vibrant, glowing hues.

Don’t forget to plant capsicums

Whether you choose sweet peppers or chili peppers, it’s time to get them in the ground for a good fruit harvest through summer. They love the heat of summer and will do well with regular watering, a good cover of mulch, and feeding for flowers and fruit.

Marigolds

Vibrant balls of yellow and orange are just the thing for bright colour in a mixed flower bed or container. Marigolds (Tagetes) thrive in full sun in well-drained soil. They are known for their pest-repelling properties, which makes them ideal to plant between veggies and herbs. Plant seedlings into moist soil and deadhead the flowers regularly to encourage more blooms.

Look out for:

‘Proud Mari’ with fully double blooms on sturdy stems in a compact series.

‘Safari’ (Tagetes patula) has a range of great colours, including yellow, orange and red, with combinations of colours in large blooms on compact plants.