One of the most common goals for gardeners at this time of year is to create a space that is filled with colourful blooms. If this is your goal, there are plenty of factors to consider. From the types of flower you choose, to the location you plant them, planting for summer blooms can be incredibly rewarding when you get it right. So what should you consider? And how can you achieve the right results for your space?
What are the considerations for planting for summer blooms?
There are a number of considerations to take into account, and a range of different steps to take. These include:
- Choosing bedding plants
- Choosing perennials for lasting colour
- Adding height
Choosing bedding plants for summer blooms
Bedding plants are the quickest and easiest way to add instant colour to your garden. These are usually sold ready to be planted once the risk of frost has passed, which is usually around mid to late May.
Some of the popular bedding plant choices include petunias, geraniums, marigolds, and lobelias. They are available in a variety of colours and will flower all summer if you keep deadheading them. You can mix and match for a bold look or stick to a specific colour theme for a more coordinated style.
Trailing varieties like trailing lobelia or trailing begonias are perfect for hanging baskets or window boxes, where they can spill over the sides and create a lovely cascading effect.
Choosing perennials for lasting colour
For plants that come back year after year, consider adding some perennials to your borders or flowerbeds. These tend to flower for a few weeks rather than all summer, but by choosing a mix with different flowering times, you can have colour throughout the whole season.
For early summer, try salvia โCaradonnaโ, geums, or iris. In mid to late summer, echinacea (coneflower), rudbeckia, and coreopsis really come into their own. Many of these are also great for pollinators like bees and butterflies, which is an added bonus.
Add height for your summer blooms
To make the most of your flowerbeds or borders, you could consider adding height to your summer blooms with taller flowering plants. Delphiniums, foxgloves, or verbena bonariensis are all popular options for this effect. These are tall and attractive plants that create an interesting effect when planted behind shorter bedding plants. Grasses like stipa tenuissima or pennisetum can also be effective for breaking up blocks of colour and adding movement.
Additional tips for summer blooms
To keep your garden looking great throughout the summer, and to encourage lots of new blooms, there are a number of things you consider. These include:
- Deadheading the plants regularly to keep your plants looking fresh and to encourage more blooms.
- Feed plants every couple of weeks during the growing season for more frequent blooming.
- Water early in the morning or late eveningย in hot weather, and try to water the soil, not the leaves.
Check your garden edging
To make sure that your garden stays looking great all season, you should be sure to check your garden edging. Not only does this need to be in place for the aesthetic of your garden, but garden edging can also encourage healthier flower growth by preventing the spread of weeds, helping to maintain water levels, and prevent soil slip.
FlexiBorder is the best choice for healthy summer blossoms. This is made from recycled tyres, which means itโs durable, UV and weather resistant, and can even bend up to 70 degrees, making this a fantastic choice for any garden. Why not take a look at the range of options on offer today?
