Please help me fill my flowerbed

[Guineapiggiesmalls]

So, after three years of indecision, we’ve finally put our hard earned savings to having our garden professional sorted. I am beyond thrilled with it, but we now have two fairly large flower beds (Both 4x1 metre) that need filled! Our garden gets some sun and I’m happy to put in some effort.

But I’m completely lacking in inspiration! I went to the garden centre, but was totally overwhelmed and think I need advice.

I’d love something colourful and useful, like lavender or some herbs I could cook with, but really would just love some recommendations please.

One third evergreen for winter structure. Some evergreen herbs are Rosemary and sage. Aim for a triangle structure of gently rising and falling height of plants, rather than tall next to short.

Personally I like evergreen/succulents at the front of the bed too, to give a nice edge in winter. It lasts a long time!!

Look at neighbours‘ gardens to see what grows well there.

Plan the bed with circles for each plant, height, colour, flowering season. Tall at the back. Bear in mind how things look as they die back. Roses have lovely hips, but dying crocosmia is ugly and needs to be hidden behind an evergreen.

Under-plant perennials with bulbs. Alliums are gorgeous, and crocuses for spring colour.

Don’t do it all at once. Fill the gaps with easy annuals like marigolds and poppies. Add new plants over the years as you find ones you like, and notice gaps when the bed is lacking colour. (Bear in mind that many plants flower earlier in the garden centre than at home).

Following...

Have you thought about the colour of each bed? Do you want a mixture, or colours or specific shades? For example white, pink and purple, or light whites at the back, shading to darker colours at the front.
I’d draw a plan of each bed, research the Internet looking at some of the suggestions made to decide which you like and are suitable. Then take your plan when you go to the garden centre/ nursery.

Spend time wandering around where you live and see what does well locally.
As above- don't rush in, tempting though that is.

I've started snaking azaleas through the front of my beds, for the evergreen aspect, the fairly low growing habit and the early colour. Think about heights, when things flower and the sparse winter months.

We have a mid July lull where the helenium and rudbeckia aren't out yet.

And don't be afraid of bedding plants to fill gaps as you go through the season.

Good tip is get your evergreens in then, if you want flowers or colour every month, pop to the garden centre every month and see what you like.

Get some bulb catalogues or look on line at Sarah raven (expensive but great ideas for colour And usually good performance you can buy the same bulbs cheaper elsewhere). And get some bulbs ordered. Nothing nicer in the spring and early summer.

I bought Alan titmarsh how to garden, perennial garden plants. Brilliant book for new borders. It’s persuaded me to try some evergreen grasses.

I'm not suggesting you do this but as a complete novice myself, I found that Homebase do this thing called 'garden on a roll' where you enter the amount of space you need to cover in the flower bed and the conditions ie shade/full sun etc and they send you the plants and a membrane telling you where to plant. So I just looked on their images and bought the plants from elsewhere to replicate.

Second the advice to go bit by bit as there isa danger your beds qill look fabulous in say may and june, then a bit sad by august.

Also second the advice about alliums - the bees seem to love them.

It also tends ro look better when things repeat across the bed, indeed both beds. But do beware of thugs which grow huge, spread fast and swamp other politer plants. Best way to learn more is definitely to chat to people locally whose garden s are pretty - and look out for the older staff at garden centres to ask lots of questions, too. People who love gardening love talking about it too . I'll shut up now!!