what flowers/plants are the easiest to grow, that come back each year?

[whiteandyellowiris]

so far we have done quite well with strawberries, they have come back, a fushia, dianthus, mini apple tree, and some lillies look like that are coming back, but no buds yet

so looking for a few more ideaas

Don't forget to get some sweet pea plants, they are lovely and the more you cut the more you will get .

BlueSkySunnyDay, that's good to know about rose 'New Dawn'- dh bought me one for my birthday, and since I've planted it, it seems to be doing well, but as my only previous rose experience has been a tough-as-old-boots climber from the pound shop, I was a bit wary about a 'proper' rose!

I have horrible clay soil which kills most things, especially bulbs, but herbs always survive for me- have a bay tree, thyme, sage (take cuttings every couple of years to grow new plants as they go woody after a bit) chives, rosemary and of course mint for Pimms! Red hot Poker also survives (and is a handy snail trap- they don't eat it but do like to shelter among the leaves so are easy to hunt!)

I've found Poundland, Wilkinsons and Poundstretcher to be really good for cheap plants, shrubs, bulbs and seeds- you have to be careful to make sure they look healthy and haven't been hanging around the shop for a while, but they're cheap enough to get some basics in, then go to nurseries for more exotic specimens or specific colours.

betty it is a really nice rose, fragrant, flowers for quite some time and is the most beautiful pale antique pink colour. Its also survived me moving it 2 or 3 times as I kept changing my mind what to do with the garden.

Agree, New Dawn is lovely, I have it in the garden, it repeat flowers through the summer and climbs into the oak. Alfred Carriere (ivory, rampant) and Munstead Wood (maroon, fabulous scent) and Gertrude Jekyll (pink, fragrant) and Generous gardener (ivory) are all also very lovely. it is worth checking out David Austin's site.

My favourite climbing rose, of which I have 8 on 4 arches ( still not yet blooming this year), is a german bred one from Kordes called Rosium Eutersen. Enormous filled blooms of bright pink which change to paler shades with a perfume and bushy growing habit.

Rosarium Uetersen

i'm going to go to a extra nice garden center tomorrow

Re tulip leaves - I was taught to leave them on until they turn brown so that they can feed the bulb. However, they must be removed as soon as they turn brown and not allowed to decay into the soil as this can cause tulip disease.

Marking place.....

When the geraniums have flowered is it the flower 'stick' that you have to cut close to the ground to get more flowering?

I don't know about the annual ones but we have the old fashioned perennial geraniums when you lift up the top leaves and stalks you can see lower younger leaves at the bottom. I cut off all the top bit and they flower again.

Penstemons are brilliant perennials. Lovely blooms, last for aaaaages, well into November some years, and nice full greenery the rest of the year. Lots of colours, not too sensitive!