New to gardening! Looking for some easy plants for my raised beds:-)

[BrightBlueStar]

Hello! I've just moved in to a house with a garden for the very first time! We've just had some raised beds built. They get a fair bit of sun in the day but not loads and loads. Can anyone recommend any nice and easy colourful flowers/plants that will work well this time of year?

Also, I have two raised beds and was hoping to use one for veggies and one for flowers. One bed gets more sun than the other. Should I use that one for the vegetables? what are good vegetables to plant this time of year?

I've never done any gardening before so any advice appreciated!

How exciting"!

I'd use the sunnier bed for veggies.

Lots of stuff can go in now...see something like Sarah Ravens what to sow now on her website to get an idea and choose the stuff you like to eat.

I'd plant strawberries as I love them, some herbs as they are expensive and put some lettuce in.

How exciting a garden for the first time! Gardens take time to evolve and its fun planning them, over time. Looking on Pinintrest, RHS site and visiting open gardens all help.

Meanwhile,I'd use the sunny one for the veg. Easy veg to plant at this time of year are courgettes, runner beans, sugar snap peas and beetroot. Little plants can be got at Homebase, B&Q and garden centres.
In the flower bed the you could put some perennial structure flowers in the middle such as Phlox, day lilies, roses or lavender and then bedding plants around the edge ( also got from the above sources). For the time being and then you can begin to structure how you want it for next year.

If you want instant flowers you could have hydrangeas that will bloom all summer, plus bedding plants that will continue to flower, like geraniums. I'm a novice gardener too, I've only started within the last couple of months. I know there is a huge temptation to buy lots and get it all planted fast, but try and resist! Plan a bit more, get inspiration online and then plant what you want at the right time. I bought a few books second hand on Amazon that I would really recommend; Alan Titchmarsh the complete gardener, Alan Titchmarsh how to garden -flowering shrubs, and the tree and shrub expert.

I have just planted a sunny bed. I like softer colours like pinks and purples with white. I want colour but also for it to look decent for the longest time possible. I've bought lots of lavender purple, pink and white; lots of hebes; escallonia pink Elle; pittosporum Elizabeth; a white rose; a white and a pink weigela; delphiniums and Salvia for height; white and purple campanula; lobelia and geraniums.

I am also planting a part shady bed with three different white hydrangea; a pink rose; again lots of lavender but only dark purples this time; hebes with silvery foliage; aquilegia; agapanthus and some grasses.

Good luck! I've loved starting to garden.

Wow!!! Thanks guys! Am soaking up all your advice!

I know next to nothing about gardening but it might be worth looking at neighbours' gardens to see what grows well in your area. E.g. I find lavender grows really well in my south London garden but my parents, on the south coast, can't grow it successfully (and they are experienced gardners!)