Koi

Peter May says...

Bedding plants are always the nation’s favourite when it comes to adding colour to bland gaps, while an otherwise sparsely planted shrub or herbaceous border gets established. However, unless you grow them yourself from seed they can prove an expensive stopgap. These plants are often the half-hardy annuals listed in the seed catalogues and therefore not tolerant of frost. Petunias, begonias, nicotianas, marigolds and geraniums are all the types of plants you could start from seed or buy to plant out in your own garden once the threat of frosts have subsided. If your garden is relatively slug and snail free, a more economic option at the right time of year would be to sow packets of annual seed straight into the ground. These are the plants listed as hardy annuals, ranging from Larkspur, Californian poppies, poached-egg plant, nasturtiums, nigella, sunflowers and many more.