When it comes to planting in our garden beds in spring and summer, many gardeners will be looking for vibrant, bold colours that add a bright touch. Fortunately, expert Michael, known to his more than 290,000 TikTok followers as @themediterraneangardener, shared his secrets for a radiant garden — including his top five bedding plants for “top colour and low effort”.
Michael said that petunias are “big, bold, and full of drama” and would be “great in hanging baskets, brilliant in borders” and prefer full sun. Petunias can be annuals or perennials and have simple leaves and large, trumpet-like flowers, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) said.
They need to be deadheaded regularly and may be susceptible to aphids and slugs, but their bright colours and flowers from late spring to autumn make them very popular.
Begonias are Michael’s “go-to for non-stop flowers”. He said: “Full sun or partial shade, they don’t care, and they’re also somewhat drought tolerant.”
The RHS explained that begonias provide colour throughout the summer until the first frosts. They are easy to care for and grow well in partial shade, though tuberous begonias may suffer from powdery mildew, fungal leaf spots, and sometimes root rot.
Impatiens, also known as busy Lizzies, do well in full sun or a shady corner, Michael said, adding that they will “bloom like mad all summer long”. These plants can be annuals or evergreen perennials, and they have fleshy stems with five-petalled flowers.
No pruning is required, and impatiens are generally disease-free, though they can be susceptible to pests such as aphids, vine weevils, and glasshouse red spider mites.
Next on Michael’s list of bright bedding plants are geraniums, which he described as a “full sun worshipper with a scent that will divide the nation”. He added that the vibrant colours are timeless.
Hardy geraniums are long-lived, easy to grow, and have attractive foliage. They do well in borders, and their flowers often come in shades of white, pink, blue, or purple. They also make mounds of soft, green foliage. The RHS said that geraniums dislike permanently wet soils, as this can lead to root rotting.
Lastly, Michael recommended fuchsia as they are “dangly, delicate and absolutely stunning”. He added that they are “great for part-shade and the pollinators love them too”.
Fuchsia plants flower from mid-summer to the early frosts and grow happily in gardens with moist but well-drained soil, light shade or sun, and shelter from winds.