Flower advice wanted. Enquire within

[roofgardener]

Hello everybody

I would love some advice on decorative flowers for this spring/summer.
Umm... by which I mean... the flowers should flower in spring/summer, not that spring/summer is the deadline for the advice.

But first... a quick story, to set the scene.
My Sister has a big, terraced garden. After being let down by a series of "professional" gardeners, she gave up on it. (she was busy doing other house maintenance). Eventually, the garden was so bad that it overwhelmed her; she simply didn't know where to begin, and just "tuned it out".

Over the last two years I've been helping her bring it under control, bit at a time. At first progress was painfully slow. (and - in the case of a huge Pyrocantha hedge, just downright painful). But.. gradually.. the front garden is now manageable, and progress has been made on the huge back garden. We've JUST managed to bring the hedges and lawn sections under control, along with a gravel heather garden, AND the important lower "dual-moon" flower bed. (two crescent-shaped beds, one slightly higher than the other, with a 6" stone wall between them. We call these the 'upper' and 'lower' moons... or Phobos and Demios).

For the first time in living memory, this is down to bare earth, and ready for us to 'do something' with it. My sister has cheered up immeasurably, and has got faith back in the project and is enjoying it. She can see light at the end of the tunnel. The plan is to fill both moons with spring/summer flowers... either from the garden center or - and this is my preferred choice - growing them from seed in my new greenhouse. (if I ever get it).

Psychologically, this spring will be a very significant symbolic 'turning point' in the whole project. I want it to go as smoothly as possible, and for the Moons to be a blaze of colour. So... easy to grow, colourful, and simple. Maybe NEXT year we can think of more exotic plants, or interspersing Sprint/Summer/Autumn plants, or think more carefully about shape subtlety.

But for now... they just have to be simple, colorful.. oh.. and quite small.....ideally only 6-9" tall or so... (though I'll entertain taller flowers if you think they would be a good idea).

My current thinking is Primroses, French Marigolds, Fibrous-root Begonias, Pansies, and perhaps some Senecio cineraria 'Silver Dust' .. or even some Honesty. (because of its wonderful Autumn "silver dollar" leaves.)

My reason for choosing these is simple; they're all that I know, or have seen in neighbours gardens. I am TOTALLY ignorant of decorative flowers.

The beds aren't big... perhaps 4' x 10' each.

Sooo.... any thoughts or suggestions ?

[Cherry]

Your choices regarding plants you already know are very good. A few drifts of bulbs would be pretty. I like the short stemmed daffodils which don't suffer in the wind. Hellebores and Astrantia are good 'doers'. A pretty small fern placed near some mossy wood would be gorgeous.

[daitheplant]

As you would prefer to grow them from seed, may I suggest you and your sister visit a garden centre and select what she likes and what you feel confident in growing? Things such as Schizanthus (poor man`s orchid) and Pelargoniums.

[Geranium]

Scatter Nigella seeds - look for 'Miss Jekyll' or 'Persian Jewels'. Once you have these pretty flowers, you have them for ever, as they self seed. The foliage and seed heads are lovely too. You can control them easily - they're not thuggish. A cheap and cheerful way of filling beds while you plan for more permanent herbaceous planting.

[Cherry]

Good choice Geranium and I might add antirrhinum to the list. I still have the original ones which Rosie sent years ago. I love them.

[SueA]

I agree with Cherry , roofgardener in that bulbs would be a good idea, you could put some in now & have something in flower in early spring which would encourage you & your sister to build on that, crocuses, mini daffs & maybe some small 'species' type tulips such as 'tarda' & you could get some primula & viola bedding plants now fairly cheaply. Larger seeds such as marigold & calendula are easy to grow- even I can manage them & you get pretty quick results from them. Geranium 's suggestion of nigella would be lovely too, they are very pretty plants & you could sow them direct in spring even if you don't get your greenhouse.

[roofgardener]

Folks, I REALLY appreciate your comments. It will take me a while to look into them all in depth.

In the interim, I must report some sad - and even disturbing - news.

I was in conversation with my Sister today (after 3 hours weeding), and relaying on some of your suggestions, along with my own ideas. I am a great believer in concensus-building... if only to avoid responsibility when it all goes wrong.
She listened, and then paid me a dangerous compliment.

"Oh... I dunno... just do whatever you think best"... I'll leave it to you. "

She has casually given me Carte Blanche to get it all wrong. So... no pressure there

Oh... what are your opinions on miniature Cyclomen ? (I've probably mis-pronounced that)

[peony]

roofgardener, following on from Geranium's 'scattering' suggestion I would including annual poppy - Papaver somniferum - these come in lots of different colours, single or double flowers and like Nigella they will seed themselves or you can easily collect seed for the following year

[SueA]

roofgardener cyclamen are great & very versatile, you can get ones which come up virtually all year round depending on the variety & they will also naturalise & come up again & again. I'm sure your sister will love whatever you do - well she'll have to say she loves it anyway now that she's given you the go ahead to do what you want!

[Raymond]

I like Gazanias for a more exotic looking summer flower and will flower all summer. A few drifts of lobelia are nice and will fill out quickly. Creeping phlox also nice for ground cover.

You could even direct sow some nasturtiums.

For spring early summer I also like stocks. Nice scent.

[Bess]

One of my fave 'grow from seed' flowers I can't see mentioned yet is Nicotiana. They come from seed very easily, are reliable, bushy and smell lovely, and don't seem to get eaten. I would go for lobelia too, fiddly to prick out but always worth it, and again, doesn't get chomped. Someone said Antirrhinums, along with Cornflowers they are nice to direct-sow but I find they *do* get eaten.

This time of the year Wallflower bedding plants are worth thinking about too for early spring colour.

I suppose it all depends on your soil/aspect etc, finding out what works. I read that noticing what does well in local gardens is a great place to start as it's likely to work in yours too.