Easy growers and maintainers
If you’re looking for a bushy flower that covers a lot of ground, try roses. Shrub roses are not only beautiful but can double up as a hedge or landscape screen. It’s also not essential to prune roses. Some gardeners leave theirs and still have healthy rose plants that flower every year.
For plant lovers, lavender is the one for you. It’s easy to grow, easy to care for and looks lovely all year round – not to mention the delicate aroma it gives off. A tip to go by for plants is to pick ones that are native to the area you live in. Your local garden centre will be able to help you with this one.
Leon also suggests sunflowers. He advises, “one of the easiest flowers to grow as a newbie gardener is a sunflower. Most varieties are drought and heat tolerant and will attract summer wildlife into your garden – including birds, bees and butterflies.”
Other flower suggestions include: dianthus, marigolds, cosmos, pansies, lupines, fuchsias, geraniums and daffodils.
Watering your plants
Hydration is key! Plants and flowers need different levels of watering. Some can go without water for a long time, whilst others are incredibly thirsty. The labels on your plants will tell you exactly how much water they need (and so will Google). The best times for watering are early mornings and evenings – and extra during summer heatwaves of course.
The basics of borders
Planning a border isn’t as complex as you might think. If you want neat and tidy garden borders, plant taller plants at the back and low-growing ones at the front (the plant label should tell you how quickly your plant will grow). Also, don’t place lots of different plants in one area as that can end up looking quite messy.
If you’re creating a border next to a garden path you should also pick plants for their scent. Lavender works wonders, as does ‘butterfly bush’. It’s relatively undemanding, blooms spectacularly and has a glorious honey scent. As its name suggests, it’s a favourite for butterflies too!