The best bedding plants for summer
The weather is beginning to warm up, you’ve given your lawn its first trim of the season, and now it’s time for one of the best parts of spring gardening: planting your summer bedding plants.
Planting bedding plants is the first chance to get out and add some colour to your outdoors. Summer will be here before you know it! Start creating the perfect outdoor space to spend time in whatever your plans are – sunbathing, hosting a BBQ party, or having a play date with the little ones.
The best thing about bedding plants is they’re suited to gardens of all shapes and sizes, and they don’t require lots of gardening experience or fancy tools to plant out. They're just as happy in pots and baskets as they are in beds and borders, meaning you can even grow them on patios and balconies. Whether you’ve got a large garden to co-ordinate or just need a few pots to add colour to a window box, there are endless ways to use bedding plants to add a fresh wave of colour and gorgeous blooms to your outdoors from late spring through to autumn.
Bedding plants are suited to gardens of all shapes and sizes. They’re just as happy in pots and baskets as they are in beds and borders, meaning you can easily grow them on patios and balconies. There are so many shade and style varieties to choose from - create contrasting colour schemes, or go for the trendier monochrome look by pairing colours of similar tones, like orange and red or blue and lilac
Whether you’ve got a large garden to co-ordinate, or just need a few pots to add colour to your balcony or windowsill, there are endless ways to use bedding plants to add a fresh wave of colour and gorgeous blooms from late spring through to autumn, making them one of the most popular additions to any summer garden .
What are the best bedding plants for my garden?
Bold and bright colours are the best features of summer bedding plants. There are bedding plants for shady gardens, sunny gardens, small gardens and even balcony gardens! Whatever outdoor space you have, adding flowers to your beds, borders and pots is the best way to heighten its look and overall atmosphere.
We have 100s of easy-to-grow bedding plants available as young plants in-store at Dobbies. It’s quick and easy to transfer them to your garden, which is great if you’re new to gardening or fancy getting the kids involved!
You can choose your favourites, but to get you started here are some our favourites for spring and summer gardening:
Pansies and violas
These flowers are a traditional duo and much-loved amongst all gardeners. There are lots of colours, species and styles of pansies and violas. Despite their usual dainty size, they're incredibly resilient to cold and frosty weather. Plant pansies and violas out from early spring and they should flower for most of the year.
Marigolds
For a flower that screams summer, you need to have marigolds in your outdoors. Their brilliant flowers have a distinctive aromatic smell and bloom in shades of yellow, orange, red, and cream, attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies to your garden. Marigolds are natural sun-lovers, so these plants will thrive on a warm summer's day.
Sweet peas
Sweet peas make beautiful bedding plants as they’re wonderfully fragrant, incredibly easy to grow, and come in a range of beautiful soft colours. Planting them near your favourite spot in the garden so you can enjoy their scent is the best way to incorporate these sunshine lovers to your outdoors. They can also be picked and displayed in vases for when your indoor spaces need brightening up too.
Nasturtiums
Quick and easy to grow, Nasturtiums are perfect beginner friendly bedding plants. They come in lots of vivid colours like crimson red and salmon pink, but their bright orange shade is the most popular. The bushy varieties look great in containers and hanging baskets, or they can be planted at the front of borders to achieve depth, texture and colour in your garden design.
Begonias
Begonias are happy to grow in most conditions, making them perfect for all kinds of spaces. This pretty variety has small red, pink and white flowers, contrasting with shiny, rounded, succulent leaves in bronze or green.
Petunias
You can’t beat petunias for a spectacular hanging basket. Just a few plants create an enormous display, making them real value for money. Different petunia varieties have blooms in vivid shades of pink, purple, blue, white and red. They’re perfect flowers for sun traps in your outdoor spaces.
Geraniums
These sunshine lovers are traditional favourites of the summer garden. Choose from the beautiful shades of bushy zonal geraniums or pick trailing ivy-leaf ones for a flower display that will keep on going until autumn.
Bedding plants for sunny gardens
If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor space that’s also a suntrap, you’ll want to plant bedding plants that naturally thrive in the sunlight and warm weather. Some great sun-loving plants include:
Marigolds
Petunias
Nemesia
Sweet peas
Bedding plants for shady gardens
On the contrary, if your garden is more north-facing or never gets any sun, then you can still achieve a colourful space outdoors. All you need to do is choose bedding plants that don’t mind a bit of partial shade, such as:
Begonias
Busy lizzies
Violas and pansies
Nasturtiums
When to plant out summer bedding plants
As most bedding plants are annuals, frost and cold weather will cause them to die back quicker. Unfortunately, bedding plants aren’t very hardy, so you should only plant them out after the last frost of the year. Each different flower will have its own preferences on when it should be planted, but in general you should plant bedding plants outside from March, as long as you keep an eye on the weather forecast!
If you’re unable to plant them outside right away, you can care for them in a greenhouse or growhouse for a few weeks until you’re ready. Since most frost has gone for good come the end of April in the UK, May can be a perfect time to plant summer bedding.
Don’t worry if you’ve planted outside early and are caught off guard by some unexpected chilly weather. You can cover your plants with fleece or cloche in the event of a late frost in April or May.
Bedding plant combination ideas for pots & containers
You can elevate the look of your garden by combining bedding with different varieties of plants, shrubs, flowers, and even fruits and vegetables!
One simple way of achieving an aesthetically pleasing garden design is by choosing flowers in your favourite colours and pairing them with plants that compliment or contrast them tonally. For example, cool tones, such as blues and purples, and warmer tones, like red and yellow, will always look good when paired together. If you’re feeling bold, you can choose colours that are opposites on the colour wheel. Yellow and purple or orange and blue create a magnificent burst of colour that will catch the eye of all your guests.
Another smart way to pair plants together is by whether they’re sun loving or shade loving. This ensures your plants are kept happy when they’re planted in the same spot. Hostas and their wide green leaves are great shade-loving plants and will look great when paired with begonias and pansies.
Here are some other plant combination ideas you can use in your outdoor space:
In containers and baskets
Trailing ivy, verbena, petunias and geraniums
Hydrangea, pansies and violas, and lavender
Busy lizzies and begonias
In beds and borders
Geraniums, lavender and nemesia
Marigolds, nasturtium and salvia
Hostas and begonias
How to plant bedding plants in beds & borders
Once you’ve chosen your bedding plants you should decide on where you want them to go them before planting out. The best thing about bedding plants is they’ll look great wherever and however you plant them. While there are no set rules, there are some things you can do to make sure your displays look their best.
Use bedding plants to fill any gaps along the front of your beds and borders or amongst larger shrubs and perennials. Place taller plants like cosmos at the back of your beds and borders, and shorter flowers like marigolds or petunias at the front. Planting in groups or uneven numbers rather than in individuals looks the most natural for your garden.
Before you start planting out, it’s a good idea to water your plants while they’re still in their original container.
You will need
Firstly, prepare the ground by turning over your soil with a fork or spade. This helps break up compacted lumps of soil and gives your plants’ roots a good structure. Make sure to remove any weeds and large stones as you go.
Next, mix multipurpose compost or soil improver into your soil, which will enrich it with nutrients and keep your plants healthy.
Using a trowel, dig a hole slightly wider yet at the same depth as the plant’s original container. You’re aiming for the top of the root ball to sit level with the soil surface when planted. Carefully take your plant out of its container and pop it into the hole. Fill in any gaps around the plant using compost or the surrounding soil, securing it nicely into the ground. Finally, give everything a thorough water.
Make a hanging basket with summer bedding plants
Many perennials and bedding plants look amazing in a hanging basket and can instantly liven up a bare doorway, wall or fence. You don’t need to stick to flowers either - edible plants like herbs, tomatoes and strawberries can be grown in hanging baskets too!
Have a go at creating your own hanging basket just in time for summer. It’s a simple and fuss-free gardening project that gives you a cheery focal point to welcome guests or for you to admire while relaxing outdoor.
You will need
Firstly, choose a hanging basket that fits your style. From contemporary metal to traditional woven cone baskets, there’s something for every garden.
Pick your favourite mix of trailing and upright bedding plants. Mix and match on colours, textures and styles for a high impact display, or choose complementary tones for something more coherent. You’ll also want a mixture of trailing and upright bedding plants.
Stand the basket on an empty flowerpot while you're planting to keep it steady. Half fill the basket with compost then add water retaining granules and slow-release fertiliser for strong growth.
If you're planting a traditional basket with a liner, insert trailing plants through the sides, then cover the roots with a layer of compost and firm gently into place. Otherwise, position upright varieties like petunias or begonias in the centre of your basket, with trailing plants like lobelia around the edges to create a full looking waterfall effect. Plant in odd numbers, such as 5 or , to get a natural look.
Tuck compost into any remaining gaps and water well to settle into place. If the weather is still cold and frosty, keep your basket protected until all risk of frost has passed, then hang it outside wherever you’d like. Remember to water the basket every day and you’ll get months of lovely flowers!
If you have a greenhouse, it’s a great idea to plant up your hanging basket early, then keep it under cover inside. This gives your flowers time to settle in and establish. Just remember to harden off your basket before moving it outside. You can do this by moving it outside for a few hours on a mild day, then leaving it out longer and longer until they’re accustomed to the weather.
How to care for bedding plants
You won’t find a lower maintenance group of plants than bedding plants, but there are still a few things you can do to help them grow healthily and produce flowers for months on end.
Water your flowers regularly, or once a day during particularly hot spells of weather. Pay close attention to hanging baskets and pots as these dry out quickly. Even after it rains, make sure to check if your soil feels dry – sometimes the foliage of bedding plants acts as an umbrella and your plants may still need watered!
Unfortunately, slugs and other garden pests love bedding plants! Protect your beds and borders from pests with slug repellent pellets or slug traps.
Once your flowers have died back, deadhead them as soon as possible. This preserves your plants’ energy and is an essential step in prolonging the flowering period. By deadheading regularly, the plants’ energy will focus more on producing new flowers, therefore extending the beauty of your display.
When summer is over and the first frost has arrived, it’s a good idea to take out your summer bedding plants and composting them, then dig over the ground before it becomes too frozen or wet.
Our Green Team’s quick tips for bedding plant success
It’s always better to wait to plant out bedding plants later in the year, when you’re confident there will be no more frost.
Add slow-release fertiliser to the compost when you’re planting to give your plants the best possible start.
Keep on top of watering (roughly once a day) and never let the compost dry out.
Snip off faded flowers to encourage new blooms to grow.
Looking for more advice? Browse through our ideas and advice pages for more spring gardening and styling tips, or chat to a member of our Green Team in-store.