what to plant ?

[lisa281]

hiya
I have just moved into a house with a garden and was wondering what i can plant this time of year .. i want some pretty long lasting flowers and some veggies and some shrubs too .
any advice as im a gardening virgin

[Sweepster]

A good starting point is to see how much sun or shade different parts of the garden get, what type of soil you have (heavy clay, sandy etc), whether the garden is north or south facing, etc and so forth, as these things will affect which kinds of plants will thrive there. Also have a look at your neighbours' gardens, as they will be an indicator of what is likely to do well. Make notes of anything that appeals to you (then make friends with the neighbour and ask for cuttings or seeds ).

Also think about how much time you want to spend gardening, as this will influence your plant choice - most shrubs are relatively low maintenance, whereas a 'cottage garden' style of planting, with lots of self-seeding perennials and annuals, can require a lot of work to keep it from going crackers. There are some good books on garden planning and choosing plants; one of my favourites is the Gardener's Question Time Plant Chooser which I found in a charity shop. Have fun

Forgot to add: most pot-grown plants, perennials and shrubs, can be planted at this time of year (see what's available at your local nurseries). Just make sure they are well watered in dry weather, should any dry weather ever occur. Seeds for annual flowers can be sown direct in Spring or Autumn - check the packets - and the Autumn sown ones should flower earlier next year.

[BumbleB]

Great advice above. A trip to a 'good and large' garden centre or nursery will show you the available plants for planting now. Consider if you want rose bushes, climbing plants etc. For long lasting flowers, seeds of cornflower, rudbeckia etc can be sown in trays in September.

[Beckybex]

I've only recently discovered the plant selctor on the RHS website and I think its fab. You can make all sorts of selections from the drop down boxes and it'll suggest suitable plants for your situation and preference for colour and design etc.

[Two_Sheds]

Good advice from above ^

I am just about to sow forget-me-nots and wallflowers, for spring colour, and get some more bulbs in the ground too.

In flower at the moment: dahlias, fuchsia, aster, echinacea, sunflower, gladioli. (the summer stuff is just about over ... sweet peas etc)

[Sweepster]

The weather is warming up and it's time to think about the summer garden...[...]...the long, hot months to come.
[...]the results will surprise.

Eh? I'm FAIRLY certain that, here in Leicestershire at least, it's August.

[Two_Sheds]

Stephengor - you'd be in Perth Australia, not Perth Scotland?

[Sweepster]

Stephengor - you'd be in Perth Australia, not Perth Scotland?

Ah, that would explain the lime trees too