Flower beds

[YellowHpok]

This is the first summer that I've ever had a garden, so have been watching with interest to see what grows before making any longer term planting decisions.

Thing is, I have no idea what to do with the (immature) flower bed. It has some massive Alliums that popped up and look amazing, a few pansies, and then I've added in some small white things from home bargains and a load of cornflowers. Some of them are starting to look a bit dead now. What do I do with them?? Especially the things which are perennials?

Hopeful bump

Could you take a photo? Most perennials just need to be left until the leaves fully die back then you can cut them off and wait till next year.

If you want annuals to set thier seeds, leave them to develop seed pods and disperse their seed. If you want to avoid having them come back next year, remove them before they set seed.

Give them a good watering and dead-head them. They will then produce more flowers.

Flowers are funny things. Their sole purpose in life is to produce seed. Once the plant has done that, they stop flowering. If you remove the dead flowers you also remove the seeds, so it makes them start flowering all over again.

Some perennials just flower the once, and then put their energy into reproducing themselves. If you remove any developing seed heads, the plant can put all its energy into growing bigger and stronger instead. Younger plants can benefit if you do this the first year or two.