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It’s common to decide you want to stick with permanent planting to make your gardens lower-maintenance, but to rule out all those shorter-lived plants is to miss out. Structure in a garden comes from trees, hedges and shrubs, with perennials - those flowering border plants - providing the eye-catching spectacle year after year. Annuals, on the other hand, last just one season. But their short lifespan means they waste no time in growing and producing their flowers. This makes them very useful for prettying-up temporary gaps.
Baskets and planters also give you the chance to increase your plant knowledge, as the plants you use all have different roles to play thanks to their differing habits. Baskets aren’t just about trailing plants: you need mounds and froth too to achieve that full-bodied look. The colour mix you go for is entirely down to what you like, so don’t worry about ‘rules’ such as not putting orange and pink together. This is your chance to experiment to find combinations that put a smile on your face. Texture can make a big difference, mixing up big bloomed Petunias with the sprays of Lobelias and the fireworks of Pelargoniums, for example. For stunning displays, quality compost and long-release fertiliser are a must.
Watering is also crucial. Gel crystals can be added to reduce the frequency of waterings to every few days. It might sound counterintuitive but larger baskets are easier to have, as they don’t dry out as quickly as smaller ones. If you have a basket with a coir lining then make sure you place a sheet of plastic in the bottom to stop water flushing straight through. In contrast, if your basket has a full plastic lining make sure you pierce a few drainage holes in the sides to prevent waterlogging. Order basket bundles and pre-planted baskets at www.katiesgarden.co.uk/shop-online Clockwise from top left: Senetti, Dianthus, Apple, Erysimum (shrubby wallflower), Viburnum, Hebe, Euphorbia, Ceanothus
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The Flourishing GardenFeatured articles from our magazine, The Flourishing Garden. Pick up your print copy at Katie's Garden, Newbourne. AuthorArticles by Catherine McMillan, author of Gardening for the Uncommitted: What you really need to know when you don't really want to know
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