Bedding plants -how to maximise the plants I have

[edlyu]

Right - this is the year I finally get to grips with the garden after years of being idle allowing DH to get on with it.

I have bought a tray of mixed bedding plants to brighten up the front garden. I have plant pots of various sizes , a thin piece of border to plant out in and a couple of hanging baskets.

I have no idea when it comes to planting out and generally am unhappy with how it looks after I have left DH to sort it out. So this year I want to try to get it right and start to learn some planting tips and tricks.

So far I have ;
4 geranium
6 petunia
9 trailing lobelia
9 red salvia
9 french marigold

Is there a web site or somewhere i can find easy to follow instructions for how a finished bed /pot will look if I put these plants in ? I have looked myself but the ones Ive found all assume previous knowledge .

I can get more plants if necessary but thought the selection i bought was okay to start with.

Well now...what you have there is enough for about 3 pots or planters...no larger than a foot across each at the top...for your borders, to get a good display of bedding you should go for Lupins which are showy and bush out more than say marigolds.

The other things you have are best for planters or hanging displays.

To make a nice pot or hanging basket, fill it with compost and make sure it goes right to the very top of the pot, plant on or two geranium in the centre and about three or 4 lobelias around the edge spacing them evenly. Throw in a couple of petunias too....the geranium should be in the centre as it is the tallest of all the plants you have there.

Salvia and marigolds can go in pots but might be better for borders but ther'not much in your collection so far....put them right in the ground where you want some colour most...look on the labels for instructions regarding spacing but it's not big with small plants like that.

Water pots every single day without fail....don't let them sit in a puddle of water but ensure they drain and they'll go for most of the summer.

As I say, if you have a biggish border you will want some height in there too...so look out for lupins and snapdragons. Next year your lupins will come back again but bigger and taller. They're not expensive and are lovely.

Regarding your pots with red salvia and orange marigolds: some chocolate cosmos might look nice with those. And/or deep purple petunias.

Regarding your border: nicotiniana 'whisper mixed' or 'sylvestris' might look nice at the back. Hollyhocks, dahlias, lupins, geraniums,are all good value, flowering for ages, and could come up again next year, and something frothy like a crambe cordiflora provides variety and is nice too. You could plant dahlias, fuschias and michelmas daisies for Autumn colour. I'm no garden designer so one of the others might help with suggesting combinations and planting ideas.

Thank you both for your comprehensive information . I can use it to refer to when I go for the next lot of plants .

The border is really thin -about 2 plants wide against a shortish fence so really not much room for bigger plants.

I would like to plant perennials for next year so perhaps lupins can on the list for then . Its north facing if that makes a difference.

I also have a scrubby patch that used to be a rockery but was left to die .
I can make that a project but besides bedding plants which even I know only last a year what else can I put there ?
It doesnt have to be a formal rockery with those tiny plants that don't seem to do much . I think thats why it was left to die as it was so boring to look at. I want it to look lively and colourful so its nicer to spend time out there . At the moment the garden is lovely and green but really boring.

You could plant some clematis in the back of your narrow border to climb up your shortish fence. Countess of Wessex looks really pretty but if you like brighter colours Jackmanii or Nelly Moser are nice. Perhaps Jackmanii or another purply one will go better with your red salvia.
There are loads though: for summer flowering choose a group 2 clematis. It will come up year after year.
Look on the RHS website: there are plants recommended for north facing borders.
Azaleas look lovely in a rockery and give strong colour in spring and autumn.