container gardening for a complete beginner

[desperateforaholiday]

Help needed please, I haven't got a clue about gardening, we've decided to spruce up our patio with pots and would like some ideas on what plants to buy, which will be easy to grow and low maintenance.
I bought some bulbs yesterday but I want a more instant impact so we are going out today to the garden center

At this time of year I would get some geraniums....they're lovely and easy to look after too. Red look good in my opinion and they always look nice in terracotta pots...very Italian! Just water them well...containers dry out a lot. You can add lobelia or ivy for some extra colour.

But your bulbs..they won't show up till next year, you know that right? It's also early to be planting bulbs in general....normally I do mine in October for a Spring show.

I second geraniums and you can have some lovely trailing ones growing down the pot. Plus they are very forgiving if you forget to water them for a day or so.
Lilies look lovely in pots and if you have a morrisons nearby they are selling 3 ready to flower lillies for £2.50. Plus they will come back up again next year.
Good old marigolds will give instant colour and the bees love them.
Begonias will be happy in a shady spot and you can lift the tubers after flowering and save for next year.

You can also get miniature Buddleia bushes, called "Buzz". They have normal sized flowers but stay small, ideal for pots and tubs.

like this

Butterflies and bees love them

Thanks, geraniums are on my list, the bulbs were from poundland, they are hostas, so I don't hold much hope that they'll ever grow