The Ultimate Guide to Bedding Plants
A Friendly Guide to Bedding Plants
If you are looking for a quick, impactful way to inject a massive burst of colour into your garden, bedding plants are your best friend. Whether you have sprawling borders, a cozy patio filled with pots, or just a few empty window boxes, bedding plants offer a spectacular, long-lasting display that can carry your garden right through the summer months. Here at Beautiful Gardens, we absolutely love the versatility they offer. Here is our straightforward guide to getting the most out of your bedding plants.
What Are Bedding Plants?
Simply put, bedding plants are fast-growing, highly decorative plants that are intended to create a temporary, seasonal display. Most summer bedding plants are tender perennials or annuals, meaning they will put all their energy into flowering furiously for one glorious season before naturally dying off when the first frosts arrive. Favourites include Petunias, Begonias, Marigolds, Lobelia, and Geraniums.
Choosing the Right Spot
The secret to a stunning display is matching the right plant to the right environment. Most summer bedding plants, like Sunflowers, Zinnias, and Geraniums, are absolute sun-worshippers and need a spot that gets several hours of direct light a day. However, if your garden is a little more shaded, don’t worry! Plants like Fuchsias, Begonias, and Impatiens (Busy Lizzies) are fantastic at brightening up dappled or semi-shaded areas. Always check the labels when buying your plants so you know exactly what they prefer.
Preparation is Key
Because these plants grow incredibly quickly and flower profusely, they are very hungry and thirsty. Before planting, take a little time to prepare the soil. Weed the area thoroughly and dig in some good quality compost or well-rotted manure to give them a nutrient-rich start. If you are planting into pots or baskets, use a high-quality, peat-free multi-purpose compost, and consider mixing in some slow-release fertiliser granules and water-retaining gel crystals to help them out during the hotter weeks.
The Art of Deadheading
If there is one golden rule for maintaining beautiful bedding plants, it is deadheading. Because the plant’s ultimate goal is to produce seeds, if you leave fading flowers on the stem, the plant will stop producing new blooms and focus its energy on seed production instead. By simply pinching or snipping off the dead or fading flowers every few days, you trick the plant into trying again, resulting in continuous, beautiful blooms right through to autumn.
Keep Them Hydrated
Bedding plants have shallow root systems, so they need regular watering, particularly if they are in pots or baskets. Check them daily in the summer, and water them deeply at the base to keep them happy and healthy.
With just a little bit of preparation and a touch of regular maintenance, bedding plants will reward you with a magnificent, colourful garden all summer long.
Further Information
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-design/bedding-plants-displays have a good guide on bedding plants and displays. They also have a blog post on thoughts for autumn as the summer is drawing to a close Autumn Bedding
Beautiful Gardens would be happy to talk to you about your bedding plants whatever the time of year.
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