Summer Bedding Plants For Baskets, Borders And Containers

When it comes to our  bedding plants  it’s all about having a huge choice and it always has been in over 30 years of producing summer bedding here at Preston Bissett. Plants are prolifically emerging out of the tunnels every day and deliveries flooding in.

Our pot grown basket and container plants are in the polytunnel we have beds of both trailing and bush container and basket plants and there  are new names and new similar but improved varieties to add to the list of plants you recognise as there are ever year. There are a few familiar names, varieties that have been here for years but most bedding plants are fast growing and that is reflected in the speed at which we see new varieties and different named varieties come onto the market each year.

Below is just a quick reminder at the vast amount of bedding plants there are to choose from to make baskets, containers or bed out your borders.

Most Popular Choice

Pot grown upright (zonal) geraniums will probably always be the number one choice. They can take it hot. The ivy geraniums or trailers mix well and also can be planted on their own or in a mixed container. I know there are some big fuchsia lovers and many collecting the hardy varieties to grow as shrubs. Both upright and trailing fuchsias are very good in shade but not hot sunshine. They must stay moist.

Pot Grown Trailing Flowers

Hanging baskets plants that trail include both those grown mainly for foliage and those grown for flower. I would recommend a mix of both for a more attractive container. Trailing flowers come in the form of various colours of bacopa, bidens, diasiaca, angalis, convolvulus , scalveoli, brachycome, petunia both surfina and the amazing double tumbelinas. We also have verbena, cutting grown lobelia, cuphea, calibrachoa all of these trail and flower prolifically. Although these plants trail, many are also suitable as ground cover when bedding out and planting in a border.

Pot Grown Trailing Foliage

 Lysimachia Midnight Sun and Outback Sunset, satureja,  nepeta, diosima and helichrysum all make great foliage and some a little flower too. I am inclined to also plant heuchera in summer container because the foliage is excellent.

Pot Grown Upright Basket and Container Plants

Upright plants including geraniums make good center pieces in your containers. Nemesia come in every possible colour from Rhubarb and custard to Berry White.It is usually a little more hardy than most bedding. If it gets a little tall give it a quick chop ad it will revive. Isotoma is a glorious blue a wonderful tall summer plant in pots. Cosmos beds out well as does heliotrope and as larger plants could be coincided stand alone summer shiners or used in mixed bedding scheme.

Summer Shiners

Some of the best upright summer shiners that can make into prima-donnas stand alone pots include agaranthemum, pelargonium, osteospernum, dahlias, salvias and there are numerous including good old red Hot Lips and those in the Wishes series such as Love Wishes and Wendy’s Wish and Ember Wish. Standard fuchsias make a lovely containers always useful for a shady spot and if its drama is what you need try a tall canna!

Pack Grown Bedding

Last but not least, multiple packs of smaller plants, in all the usual suspects, make handy fillers for your containers and planting out. Small bedding geraniums, busy lizzies, marigolds, verbena, nemesia, petunias,dianthus,antirhynums alysumn, lobelia both bush and trailing.

New Plants
Catching my eye this year are many of the fabulous pot grown upright or compact trailing petunias. The colours are striking and often stripy or flecked.
Two colours make up the flower of many of the newer nemesia. Rhubarb and Custard is absolutely stunning. Take a look at the opening photo where I have highlighted new varieties.