Before even thinking about choosing your plants take a look at what you are planting into. Hanging baskets are so difficult to maintain well; only consider them if you are using a micro irrigation system. Pots are by far the easiest way of getting instant impact and livening up your patio. They are much easier to maintain with just a few simple tips.

Spires of angelonias

Firstly never reuse your compost! There are so many offers on compost these days that you can get a really good deal on a top quality compost. Just remember that you get what you pay for; a well known branded compost will always have better ingredients in it than a cheap discount pack.

Drainage is very important, a few crocks (broken bits of pot or big stones) in the bottom of the pot will help excess water drain away: especially important if we have another wet summer. Lastly, add a handful of Osmocote when you fill you pot up. Composts contain enough food for six weeks but then your pot will need extra feeding. The Osmocote will feed for six months so adding it when you plant means that you can forget about feeding for the rest of the season.

The big new trend this year is to block colours. The annual open day at Ball Colegrave, one of the world’s leading seed companies, featured a catwalk of bold colours and strong looks. If you have small pots the new look is to plant single varieties into each pot then group them together for maximum impact. If you have larger pots, like wooden barrels, you can mix plants but keep them in solid blocks rather than dotting them round the container.

Top:Heuchera Key Lime Pie and
Heuchera ‘Crème Brûlée’

Left: Golden Ipomoea; Soft Primrose
Marguerites and Verbena
Aztec Magic White

Bright citrus colours are in; mix the bold foliaged, soft yellow Ipomoea with light, fluffy, primrose coloured Argyranthemum, that is a marguerite to you and me. The clear white flowers of Verbena ‘Aztec Magic White’ add tumbling clouds of white to the mix. Calibrachoa, formerly known as Million Bells, has a wonderful yellow form that would be perfect for this combination and flowers its socks off all summer long.

For a really sunny spot try Gazania ‘Sunny Day’, this has masses of big, bright yellow, daisy type flowers that revel in the sun. Another tip to help stretch your money further is to use coloured perennials in your pots too. The wonderful foliage of Heucheras makes a lot of impact in any pot and can then continue through the winter with a switch to pansies or polyanthus. Heuchera ‘Key Lime Pie’ has fabulous lime green foliage and Heuchera ‘Crème Brûlée’ has delicious toffee coloured leaves with a plum underside.

Top: Begonia ‘Mocca Series’

Right: Begonia ‘Million Kisses Passion’

The jungle is in and you don’t need unusual exotics to create it. Begonias have been fantastic over the last few years. More and more new varieties with different growth habits have been introduced so you can get just the look you are after. Begonia ‘Mocca Series’ are a group of varieties in a full range of colours but with lovely deep plum foliage. This against the rich zingy colours makes a very dramatic combination.

If you are looking for a trailing variety try Begonia ‘Million Kisses Passion’, this has smaller dainty flowers in a really good clear red and will tumble right down the side of your container without getting straggly.

Top: Nemesia ‘True Blue’

Left: Petunia ‘Tumbelina Priscilla’

If you want to have a New England, ocean side feel choose cool blues. Nemesia ‘True Blue’ is a real beauty; it has blue flowers with white centres. I can just see this in whitewashed wooden pots on decking.

Angelonia looks a real winner with spires of gorgeous lilac, lavender and deep blue flowers. My top tip when using blue is to use either pale lemon or lime to act as a counterpoint and lift your whole colour scheme. Lime flowered Petunias would be perfect to add to this combination. Petunia ‘Tumbelina Priscilla’, with pale blue double flowers, is perfect for trailing down the side of these containers.

Top: Begonia ‘Million Kisses Elegance’

Right: Verbena ‘Peach Melba’

Two new introductions for this season look to be real winners. The new Begonia ‘Million Kisses Elegance’ has flowers with the most glorious mix of rich peach and soft cream that will tumble over the side of any container. It is a very classy colour and would look gorgeous in a soft pale Mediterranean terracotta pot or a creamy stone coloured glazed pot. Verbena ‘Peach Melba’ was also in the same colourway with flowers opening deep peach and fading to soft cream.

Top: Dianthus ‘Amazon’

Left: Cosmos ‘Sonata’

This is an enduring look and there are some real stars if you want to create a looser more informal look. Dianthus ‘Amazon’ is a striking, big, sweetly scented form of sweet William. Gorgeous in pots you can also tuck a few plants in a spare corner so that you can have some to cut for the house as they keep really well. Cosmos ‘Sonata’ is another favourite for a sunny spot, it will also do well in poor soils too. It has really pretty fine foliage and single dahlia like flowers in shades of pink and white.

My selections here are just a taster of what is available at your local garden centre, do feel free to ask our experts for advice in store. Bedding plants are especially subject to the vagaries of the weather and even your own buying decisions. If you are making a special journey to your local centre to pick up any of these plants do call them first to check availability and if necessary reserve plants. Availability changes from day to day and from week to week and we will do our very best to make sure that the plants are in store when you visit us.