Marshalls Garden 'Best Selling Mix'

Garden Ready Plants:
Garden Ready Plants can be planted straight into their final position. If you can't plant them immediately, keep them in a bright, sheltered spot and make sure they don't dry out.

Plant in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Water the plants before planting if the rootballs feel dry, position them at the same depth they were growing in their tray, gently firm the soil or compost around the roots and water thoroughly.

Pots and containers:
Choose a container with good drainage holes and fill with good-quality multipurpose compost. Gently firm the compost rather than packing it down tightly, and leave around 2–3cm below the rim to make watering easier.

For the best effect, mix the different varieties through your container rather than planting each variety in a separate group. Position the taller pansies and primroses towards the centre or back, with violas and Bellis around them to fill the gaps and soften the edges.

Water thoroughly after planting and check containers regularly, particularly during mild, dry or windy weather. Keep the compost moist but not waterlogged.

Top tip:
If you're planting a larger container, repeat the four varieties through the display rather than using each one only once. This helps bring the different colours and flower shapes together for a fuller, more coordinated look.

This collection already gives you a varied mix of flower shapes, colours and growing habits, so it can create a complete seasonal display on its own.

For even more interest, add spring-flowering bulbs when you plant your bedding. Crocuses, muscari and dwarf daffodils can emerge amongst the lower-growing plants, while tulips add extra height and bold spring colour.

You can also use evergreen foliage plants to add structure and greenery between the flowers, particularly in larger pots and border displays.

Top tip:
Plant spring bulbs beneath your bedding in autumn to make more of the same space. The bedding provides the early display, then the bulbs grow up through it as spring arrives.

Keep plants well watered during dry spells, particularly those growing in pots and window boxes, but avoid leaving the compost waterlogged.

Regularly remove faded flowers to keep the display looking fresh. Follow spent flower stems down towards the foliage and pinch or snip them off rather than simply removing the petals.

Flowering may slow or pause during particularly cold winter weather. This is normal – continue caring for the plants and they'll start producing fresh growth and flowers again as conditions improve.

Remove yellowing or damaged leaves as you find them and keep fallen leaves and other debris from collecting amongst the plants.

Plants growing in containers will benefit from a liquid feed while actively growing. There's no need to feed during very cold weather when growth has slowed; start feeding again as growth picks up towards spring.

Top tip:
The four varieties won't necessarily flower at their best at exactly the same time. That's part of the appeal of the collection, with different flowers becoming more prominent as the season progresses.

Garden Ready Plants:
Garden Ready Plants are our largest plug plants and a great choice if you want quicker results. Carefully grown on before dispatch, they're ready to plant straight into beds, borders, pots and window boxes.