How to choose the right bedding plants for your garden
Bedding plants are a wonderful way to add seasonal interest to your garden. Different flowers can bring different shades and hues of colour, scents and aromas, and an array of textures to your outdoor space.
You can plant bedding plants at any time of year, with some more adept to colder climates and weather conditions, and some which prefer warm weather and sunny spots.
No matter the season, bedding plants are an easy way to create vibrant, eye-catching displays.
Knowing which type to pick can depend on the size of your outdoor space, the purpose for your planting, how much sunlight your garden gets,
and what season you’re planting in – so we’ve taken away the guesswork and put together our top tips on picking the best bedding plants for you.
Best bedding plants depending on garden size
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The best part about bedding plants is that you don’t need to have a large outdoor space to make a big impact.
Large or small gardens, and even patio spaces and window boxes can look good when dressed in bedding plants.
For medium-large gardens
One way to create a striking floral display in large gardens is through raised beds and borders. By planting flowers in borders, you’re able to soften any hard edges around patios, decking, and walkways, or to separate your lawn from a boundary.
If you’re working with a larger border that extends the length of your garden, then choosing different colours, shapes, and aromas will create an interesting display. You can also choose bedding plants that offer different height and colour combinations.
Snapdragons flower from summer to autumn, with tall, green, leafy stems adorned with ruffled flowers in whites, pinks, oranges and reds.
Nicotianas add colour and height to summer displays, which can create a bigger impact in more compact spaces.
Cosmos are relatively easy to grow, and their long stems and colourful petals are striking in beds and borders.
For small gardens
If you don’t have much space in your garden to create a full border or flower patch, there’s still bedding plants that make an impact in smaller areas. Even though you’d be working with a more limited space, you would still be able to mix and match different flowers to create a display to suit your style.
French Marigolds are cheerful blooms that brighten up any outdoor space. Their red, orange, and yellow colour combinations remind us of warm, summer days.
Begonia Sempeflorens produce glossy foliage and bright-coloured petals that are delicate enough they won’t overwhelm a smaller space, but bold enough to not look lost, too.
Busy Lizzies offer vibrant pops of colour and bloom from spring into autumn, providing you with near year-round depth to your borders.
For small balconies, patios, and windows
If you’re really in a pinch for space, then why not display your plants in hanging baskets or window boxes? Planting this way is fuss-free and can add a cheery splash of colour to your displays.
If you’re adding different bedding plants to the same pot, we’d recommend picking flowers that need the same kind of care, or flower at the same time of year.
Otherwise, you can mix and match your plants and pots and play around with different layers and textures – use our thrillers, fillers, and spillers technique.
We suggest bedding plants that are relatively small as to not overwhelm your space. Make sure that your container is big enough for the plants that you’ve chosen and works well on your windowsill or patio/balcony. We’ve put together a guide on how to plant flowers in a pot, container, or window box here.
Trailing Lobelia bloom as a mass of small flowers, making them great for filling containers, and trailing down window boxes or hanging baskets.
Million Bells have bell-like flowers and have a trailing habit, which means they look great in window boxes and pots as spillers.
Fuchsias are elegant plants that come in a range of pastel shades and work particularly well in hanging baskets with their trailing flower
Why plant bedding plants?
There are many different reasons you might be looking to add bedding plants to your garden, and this itself can affect which plants you choose to buy. Whether you’re creating a garden that encourages wildlife and pollinators, showcases your personal style, or it’s your first time planting flowers, there’s bedding plants to suit you.
Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and moths are important to our overall ecosystem, so converting your garden into a haven for these critters is a great way to be eco-conscious and do your part for the environment.
Cosmos are in constant bloom throughout summer and autumn and offer a decent quantity of nectar and pollen for our bee friends.
Sunflowers are always a striking addition to a garden, and their pollen can actually help bees withstand certain diseases and infecFor attracting pollinators
tions, keeping them happy and healthy!
Ageratums are instantly recognisable with their fluffy, pom-pom like blooms and attract a wide range of pollinators, especially butterflies.
For creating a colourful display
If you’re looking to create a colourful display in your garden, bedding plants are a great place to get started. They can act as a focal centre point in your garden or used to decorate beds and borders around the edge of your outdoor space.
Create uniformity with a monochromatic look by choosing flowers that follow a specific colour palette, or with plants that are a similar shape and size. Otherwise mix and match your favourite flowers for a display that shows off your personality.
Petunias are available in a wide range of colours, including pink, purple, white, red, and yellow. They’re easy to grow, low maintenance, and a great addition to any garden or landscape.
Salvias come in many colours, from striking reds to pastel pinks and interesting blues. Their bell-shaped petals highlight the distinctive beauty of this plant.
Mimulus Magic add just that to your garden – magic! Their bright, summery colours and often speckled petals create an eye-catching display in your garden.
For starting a beginner’s garden
Starting your own garden is a rewarding experience – whether you’ve just moved into a new place and want to spruce up your outdoor space, or you’re taking up gardening as a new hobby, there’s plenty of bedding plants that involve very little maintenance and are perfect for beginners.
Petunias are a popular bedding plant in summer and will usually bloom until early autumn. They multiply considerably once planted, so you only need a few to get started.
Geraniums give months of colour and thrive best in the sun during summertime. For those wanting to challenge themselves a bit more, you can also find varieties that can be trained to climb trellis.
Bedding plants for every season
Bedding plants, for the most part, are seasonal. Many will help you transition from one season to the next but will likely only bloom for a set amount of time per year. You can update your borders, pots, and hanging baskets twice a year – once in late spring to see your garden into summer, and once again in early autumn for winter/spring blooms. However, you can always refresh your garden with seasonal plants whenever you feel your outdoor space needs replenishing, or you just fancy adding new flowers to your existing collection.
For spring
Spring is the start of the gardening season, and with it comes an opportunity to spend more time outdoors. Bedding plants are a great way to add instant colour and charm to your garden – just make sure you’re not planting anything before the worst of the winter weather has passed, around late March.
Primroses can withstand most weather conditions, making them ideal for early-spring planting. Their name was given from the Latin word ‘primus’ which means ‘first’, as it’s often the first flowers to bloom during spring.
Bellis Daisy have a unique petal pattern and texture which adds great interest to gardens. Their pom-pom like flowers move with the sun and are incredibly versatile.
Pansies and Violas are great for early spring, providing that first splash of seasonal colour. They’re versatile too, and look great in pots and baskets as well as in beds and borders.
For summer
Most summer bedding plants will come into their own from late May to early June and see you through until autumn. Summer flowers offer a range of wonderful stocks, shapes, and sizes – once planted, you won’t want to leave your garden!
Marigolds epitomise summer – they have a distinctive aromatic smell, and bloom in shades of yellow, orange, red, and cream. They’re natural sun-lovers and thrive on a warm summer’s day.
Geraniums compliment the colours of summer, with pinks, whites, and red flowers. They’re ideal for sunny borders and boast a bold style to your outdoor space.
Begonias are great for growing no matter the weather, and come in pink, red, and white varieties which contrast beautifully against their rounded, succulent leaves.
For autumn and winter
Although the days get shorter and colder in autumn, it doesn’t mean our outdoor spaces need to be barren. Lean into the beautiful shades of the season – reds, yellows, and deep purples provide a beautiful blaze of colour.
Mini cyclamens stand out with their heart-shaped leaves and tend to thrive more in the colder months and add a delicate elegance to pots and hanging baskets.
Chrysanthemums offer a blast of colour before winter approaches, and their extravagant flowers look great in any autumn garden.
Bud blooming heather isn’t just for sprawling hills and highlands, it looks just as great in your outdoor space too!
Can you still grow bedding plants in shaded gardens?
If your garden spends most of its time in the shade, then this can impact which bedding plants you choose to grow. Similarly, if your garden gets a lot of light, then other flowers might grow better than others.
If your garden is north-facing, or simply doesn’t get enough light, you can still make a statement using bedding plants in your borders.
Begonia sempeflorens are easy to grow and tolerant to drought, rain, and heat, making them ideal for shadier patches in your garden.
Fuchsias are known for their fountain-like shape and prefer shaded/partially sunny areas to overly bright ones.
Busy Lizzies work well in partial shade, so having direct sunlight isn’t necessary to enjoy all these flowers have to offer! Just make sure they’re sheltered from any harsh wind.
Best bedding plants for full sun
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Alternatively, if your borders or pots are south-facing and get a lot more sun, you’ll need to choose plants that are able to take the heat during the warmer months.
Gazanias, or African Daisies, have large, colourful petals, that surround a dark disc floret, and thrive in sunshine – if they don’t get enough of it, they’ll close!
Mesembryanthemums produce daisy-like flowers in bright colours that bloom all summer long. They love light, so be sure to pick a sunny spot to plant these.
Marguerites are the ultimate summer flower, with bright petals and luscious green leaves that lift any border or pot they’re planted in.
Discover the best bedding plants for your garden
Picking your bedding plants is a personal choice, but we hope we’ve provided you with enough inspiration that you know where to start!
Whether you’re working with a small balcony and want to create a display using pots and boxes, or you’re filling your garden top to bottom with colourful florals, bedding plants are a great way to fill your space with flowers.
Once you’ve picked your favourite florals, you can plant them in beds, borders, and hanging baskets.
Don’t forget, you can also speak to our Green Team in-store who can answer any questions you have about bedding plants or gardening!