April is the month when we start to think about the garden in summer. It becomes an extension of our living space as the temperature rises and we are drawn to live more outdoors socializing with friends playing with the kids or just relaxing. Like the house the garden needs decorating to enhance this experience and reflect our personality. We can achieve some stunning quick displays by planting bedding plants in the borders or in tubs and hanging baskets on the patio. Colour is the key word but colour combinations in plants can be confusing because we need to select varieties that like the same growing conditions, give the maximum flowering displays but a variation in height at the same time. Here are some good performing suggestions for you to try this year.
To cheer ourselves up choose a bright cheerful scheme to compliment any hot scorching days. This can be achieved with an orange, scarlet, yellow and contrasting blue by planting containers with Begonia Buttons Deep Orange, Coreopsis Sunfire, Geranium Fantasia Red, Nemesia Royal Blue, and Petunia Susie Storm. These can be planted together in larger tubs or in single varieties in smaller tubs but grouped. For hanging or pedestal baskets in this colour scheme try Begonia Cascade Orange, Bidens Painted Yellow, Calibrachoa Cabaret, Lobelia Blue Waterfall, Nasturtium Orchid Cream and Verbena Aztec Red. Finally compliment this jazzy palette with a border of Alstroemeria Indian Summer, Dahlia Happy Romeo, Gaillardia Mesa Peach, Geranium Bulls Eye Red, Lobelia Fan Blue and Salvia Patio Deep Blue.
An entertaining space cries out to be Pink. Shades of rose and pale pink, mauve and violet are just right for afternoon tea on the patio and cocktail treats with the girls. A really feminine colour scheme is achieved by planting containers with Bacopa Colossal Pink, Diasia Aurora Dark Pink, Geranium Horizon Apple Blossom, and Verbena Aztec Magic Silver. For hanging baskets use Bacopa Great Regal Blue, Begonia Million Kisses Blissful, Calibrachoa Hot Pink, Geranium Precision Light Pink, Scaevola Topaz Pink and Verbena Aztec Wild Rose. The border is stunning if planted with Achillea Pretty Belinda, Agryranthemum Reflection Pink, Cosmos Sonata Pink, Digitalis Dalmatian Rose, Osteospernum Margarita Purple, Salvia Mystic Spires Blue and Verbena Buenos Aires.
If you are looking for a bit of glamour and drama the luminous yellows and vivid limes contrasted with stylish black, white and silver provide a sophisticated contemporary feel to the alfresco dining space. Large white containers with a green and yellow variegated Phormium planted in the middle for height surrounded by Bacopa Gulliver White, Calibrachoa Can Can Black Cherrry, Dahlia Julia, Gaura Sparkle White, Osteospermum Voltage Yellow and Petunia Sophistica Blackberry are very dramatic. Hanging baskets with Bacopa Mecardonia Early Yellow, Scaevola White Print, Ipomoea Black Tone, Fuschia White Gold, Petunia Lime Green and Verbena Aztec White give sophisticated cascading displays. Stunning border combinations are Cineraria Cirrus, Dahlia Happy Single Party, Ipomoea Bright Ideas Black, Nicotiana Cuba Deep Lime, Physostegia Crystal Peak White and Rudbeckia Prairie Sun.
Or you can just plant whatever takes your fancy when you visit the garden centre. We are here to help you create your own stunning colour combinations. But take some photos and enter our Photographic Competition latter this summer and let us see the stunning colour combinations you have achieved.
Is the Patio Furniture looking tired. In need of a facelift. Come and check Chris’s new ranges of Al Fresco Dining and comfortable Relaxing Chairs and Sofas or simply new Cushions and Parasols. We look forward to seeing you at Milton Ernest.
Last month we talked about planting our tubs for summer colour with bedding plants. This month let’s look at a few special plants that can decorate the patio all Summer and into Autumn. Some will flower until late November providing colour for seven months of the year.
April is the month when we start to think about the garden in summer. It becomes an extension of our living space as the temperature rises and we are drawn to live more outdoors socializing with friends playing with the kids or just relaxing. Like the house the garden needs decorating to enhance this experience and reflect our personality.
No matter how large or small your garden if you love food, cooking and growing things what can be better than growing your own fresh Veg, Herbs and Fruit. You can grow a lot in POTS. Carefully select the varieties to grow to maximize the quality, flavours and yield and of course only grow the things you really like. Here are some tried and tested varieties to try.
