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violets

Perfect Your Patio Plants

We all want some summer colour in our garden and patios this Summer. Something to brighten up the garden and make it more eye catching. Summer bedding plants are the perfect patio plants! They will add instant colour and can turn any dull patio into one that is popping with a vibrant bloom.

Bedding plants are super easy to plant and take care of, making them perfect for any gardener from beginner to expert. Why not get the whole family involved and make it a fun summer project. Bedding plants are so versatile as they can be planted in pots, baskets and plug gaps in perennial or shrub borders.

A great idea for planting up a pot for a patio is adding some edible plants such as Pansy, Violas, Nasturtiums, Lavender, Begonias and Geraniums. These can be added to salads, soups, desserts and even cocktails! Why not take it a step further and add some fruit plants such as strawberries to your patio pot.

Here are some top tips from our horticulturists:

  • Plant in a good quality compost – this can add more nutrition and encourages healthy growth on your plants.
  • Save on watering in pots and baskets by using a slow release moisture control gel, this gel retains moisture so you don’t have to worry about your plants drying out as often!
  • Feed your bedding plants – it’s important to feed your plants, this encourages bigger blooms and more colour during the summer months, if you use a slow release fertilizer you won’t have to worry about feeding your plants for up to 3 months! So sit back and watch your plants flourish with colour.
  • A strong colour theme and simple design will give the best results, for example, warm orange, yellow and reds, or cool blues, whites and purples.  A meadow style can be equally pleasing. While May is the month to plant your summer bedding be aware there is still a risk of frost and plants could become damaged on colder nights. So make sure to bring your pots inside during the cold and frosty nights.
  • Dead-head your plants.

What is dead-heading? 

Deadhead and prune – this might seem a little drastic – but it really works. Pruning back your flowers as soon as you get them is a great way of encouraging more growth on your plants for the summer. When you bring them home, give them a cut back. Pruning and deadheading regularly can lead to bigger blooms and healthier plants. Try it yourself, you won’t regret it. As one of our team members always says “deadhead and prune for double the bloom”.  

Just follow these guidelines and your patio will be pure perfection in no time! If you’d like to spruce up your patio even further, you can learn how to remove moss from your patio here.