Summer Bedding Plants

What are Summer Bedding Plants?

Summer bedding plants are a group of annual plants cultivated for their colourful blooms, making them ideal for borders, hanging baskets and containers during the summer months. Popular varieties include Petunias, Begonias, Geraniums, and Sweet Peas. 

Summer bedding plants are known for their versatility, providing options for gardeners with various space constraints, from small containers to expansive flower beds. With a range of sizes, colours, and scents available, summer bedding plants offer a fantastic way to enhance outdoor spaces and create a visually stunning garden during the warmer months.

Why Grow Summer Bedding Plants?

Growing Summer Bedding Plants offers several compelling reasons for gardeners. Whether you prefer bold and bright colours or more subtle tones, these plants provide colours to suit every taste. One of the key advantages of summer bedding plants is their ability to deliver instant impact. With their prolific blooms and rapid growth, these plants quickly transform gardens, borders, and containers. Lastly, Summer Bedding Plants are relatively easy to care for, making them suitable for novice and experienced gardeners.

What to consider when choosing Summer Bedding Plants?

When choosing Summer Bedding Plants for your garden or outdoor space, consider the following factors to ensure success: 

• Choose plants that are well-suited to your climate and growing conditions. Consider factors such as sunlight, temperature, and soil type to ensure plants will thrive.
• Take into account the mature growth and growth habits of plants. Ensure they fit the available space in your garden, whether you’re planting in beds, borders, containers, or hanging baskets.
• Consider the overall colour palette and aesthetic you would like to achieve in your garden.
• Pay attention to the blooming period of plants. Select a combination of plants that flower at different times to ensure a continuous display of blooms throughout the growing season.
• Assess the maintenance needs of plants. Consider factors such as watering frequency, fertilisation requirements, and susceptibility to pests and diseases.

Top Summer Bedding Plants

Begonias belong to an extensive plant family that delivers vibrant colours from summer to the first frost, thriving even in partial shade—an excellent choice for gardens with limited sunny spots.

Geraniums, well-suited for dry landscapes and low-rainfall regions, prove resilient to both heat and drought. With long-stemmed flower clusters, they are perfect for patio settings and remain visually appealing throughout the summer, making them an excellent choice for those who enjoy summer vacations.

Petunias, flourishing in full sun, offer abundant flowers each summer. Compact varieties complement beds and borders while trailing types elegantly enhance summer hanging baskets. Thriving in fertile, well-draining soil, these plants bring a burst of colour to gardens.

Fuchsias, recognized for their ballerina skirt-like flowers, bloom for extended periods in full sun or partial shade. Sheltered from strong winds, they are ideal for hanging baskets, containers, and informal bedding, adding charm to outdoor spaces.

Nemesia, a delightful addition to bedding and containers, boasts compact upright stems adorned with two-lipped, often bi-coloured flowers. Best suited for sunny locations with well-drained soil, Nemesia instantly injects vibrant colour into any space.

Explore our diverse selection of bedding plants for sale to ensure a year-round burst of colour in your garden, catering to various preferences and requirements.

When to plant Summer Bedding Plants

The success of bedding plants is ultimately tied to the threat of frost. Determining the timing of the last frost is crucial when planning and deciding on the optimal planting locations for the upcoming year.

Cold temperatures can adversely affect plant well-being, and frost poses a serious risk, particularly for annual bedding plants. As winter approaches, these plants, which complete their life cycle within a year, will gradually wither away. However, there are exceptions among perennial varieties that persistently return each year.

Given the vulnerability of bedding plants to cold conditions, it's advisable to refrain from planting them until after the last frost of the year. Typically, March and onwards serve as a favourable timeframe for planting. Still, caution should be exercised in colder climates, where starting seeds indoors or waiting until the weather warms up may be necessary. In the UK, with frost diminishing by May, this month proves to be the opportune period for planting summer bedding plants.

Where to Plant Summer Bedding Plants

The choice of where to plant summer bedding plants depends on the specific needs and characteristics of the plants you have selected.

Most summer bedding plants thrive in full sunlight. Choose planting locations that receive at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. Be mindful of the specific sunlight preferences of the plants you have, as some may tolerate partial shade.

Ensure the soil is well-draining and rich in nutrients. Amend the soil with organic matter if needed. Some summer bedding plants prefer slightly acidic or alkaline soil, so consider the pH requirements of your chosen plants.

Summer bedding plants are commonly used to add colour to flower beds and borders. Plant them in well-prepared soil, allowing for proper spacing between plants to avoid overcrowding as they grow.

Many summer bedding plants are well-suited for containers and hanging baskets. Use a high-quality potting mix and ensure containers have drainage holes. Hanging baskets can be placed in locations with adequate sunlight, such as on porches or suspended from hooks.

Consider planting summer bedding plants in window boxes attached to the exterior of your home. This is a great way to add colour and visual interest to windowsills and balconies.

Some summer bedding plants, especially those with low-growing or trailing habits, can be incorporated into rock gardens. Ensure the soil is well-draining, and the plants receive the necessary sunlight.

Enhance your outdoor living spaces by placing summer bedding plants in planters on patios and decks. Ensure the planters have proper drainage and consider the overall aesthetic when selecting plant varieties.

Use summer bedding plants to create colourful borders along paths or walkways. This not only adds visual appeal but also defines and enhances the structure of your garden.

If you want to attract pollinators, consider planting summer bedding plants in areas dedicated to wildlife gardening. Bees and butterflies are often drawn to the nectar-rich blooms of these plants.

Take into account the mature height and growth habit of the plants. Taller varieties may be suitable for the back of flower beds while lower-growing plants can be used as edging or in the foreground.

Why buy Summer Bedding Plants from Marshalls Garden?

• We have more than 70 years experience of in producing top-quality Summer Bedding Plants and helping gardeners like you get the best results. Check out our growing guides for more information on how to maximise your garden.
• You can contact us six days a week with any queries about our products and services, or if you need advice on what to do in your garden.  
• We offer express delivery as standard and despatch all summer bedding orders within 24 hours. 
• We won silver in the Best Online Retailer category at the 2022 Great British Growing Awards.
• We're proud of our thousands of five-star reviews on Feefo and offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all our products.