Whatever the weather: Spring Plants
Knowing your garden is an essential step in understanding what type of plants you need to fill your space. Although the English weather is never predictable, this will help steer you in the right direction.
First you need to assess the weather conditions in your garden, is it a suntrap, windy, boggy after the rain, or shady. Whatever the weather, there are plenty of amazing plants available to fill your garden with colour and foliage.
The best plants for a drought-tolerant garden:
Drought-tolerant plants are great for those dry areas of your garden, which often see a lot of sun. Their leaves likely a grey-green perfect for reflecting light. Drought tolerant plants have a lower turgor loss point, meaning they wilt slower than other plants making them perfect for dry conditions.
Check out our top 6 drought-tolerant plants here, all available in your local British Garden Centre.
- Sedum– these succulent plants have fleshy leaves and are perfect for borders as they bloom with stunning flower heads over the winter season. They are great year-round plants and thrive in full and partial sun.
- Heuchera– these shade loving plants come in a full range of coloured foliage. Keeping their leaves all year-round, they make a great ground cover in pots.
- Geums– this semi-evergreen plant flowers from late spring into summer and can grow to 50cm in height making them perfect for the front/mid border section.
- Lavender – a Mediterranean evergreen shrub with stunning fragrant stems perfect for a sensory garden experience. These plants are adored by bees and make a great addition to any garden.
- Stipa – this low maintenance compact evergreen grass, known as feather grass, is the perfect addition for any drought-tolerant space but also a gorgeous feature in gravel or coastal gardens to add that extra texture.
- Pittosporum – is a plant that comes in all shapes, sizes, and colours, allowing it to blend into any garden space. The neat compact shrub likes sheltered but sunny locations and perfect in large pots.
The best plants for a shady garden:
Gardens often have shady areas and even more dependent on the sun’s location. If your garden is known to be shady, most-likely north facing, then there are certain plants perfect for these conditions.
Check out our top 6 plants for shady gardens, all available in your local British Garden Centre.
- Hosta – these low growing plants thrive in shady gardens and sheltered spaces. They are specious perennials and can grow up to 24inches wide. Don’t forget they need protection from slugs and snails.
- Digitalis - this stunning large-scale plant is loved by bees and can grow up to 2 metres tall. Thriving in dappled shade this plant is perfect for the back of borders and against fences.
- Hydrangea – these come in all shapes and sizes, from small to large petals. They are perfect for any garden space in pots or borders and enjoy shady spots. These intelligent plants not only love water but depending on the soil their petals can change colour over-time.
- Hardy Ferns – are plants that need very little maintenance and great for creating woodland garden spaces. Many of these are evergreen and very easy to grow and let thrive within the garden space.
- Astrantia – this is a cottage garden must-have plant! This angelic plant is perfect for garden pots and patio decoration. They come in many different colours and loved by pollinators.
- Ivy – this pollinator friendly plant is a classic English garden evergreen plant and easy to grow. Thriving in trailing pots, it can look great in any space. Add it to hanging baskets for an effective design.
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Hardy plants for any garden:
English weather can be very temperamental, and the winter season can often last longer than expected with cold periods throughout the year. If you are looking for colour and greenery all year-round hardy plants are perfect for your garden.
Check out our top 6 hardy plants, all available in your local British Garden Centre.
- Sarocococca– with glossy dark leaves this plant is a winter gem with almost all varieties being entirely hardy. They are great for winter flowering and adding greenery to the garden all year-round.
- Buddleja– are commonly problem-free plants and can be planted any time of year but primarily bloom in late summer. The flourish best in loose well-drained soil and are magnets for butterflies.
- Achillia– these reliably hardy plants have long flowering periods and feathery foliage. They make great filler plants for borders adding in bursts of colour. And they are loved by all pollinators.
- Poppies - this stunning plant is versatile and hardy, thriving in a wide variety of soil types. The perennial is large and blousy with an iconic shape creating a flamboyant flowery display.
- Scabiosa– these small pincushion style flowers can often be found in wildflower meadows. They make great cut flowers and loved by bees, the delicate flower can thrive in extreme hardy conditions.
- Veronica – The perfect plant for border creating a height and definition, they are low maintenance and pest proof. Their flowers will die off in winter but maintain green leaves due to their evergreen nature. Don’t forget bees love them.
Plants for boggy gardens:
Boggy gardens can be forged dependent on garden locations or if there is a pond the garden space. Also, they can be created based on the weather experienced. However, there are many plants that can be planted for these conditions.
Check out our top 6 plants for boggy gardens, all available in your local British Garden Centre.
- Astilbe – with ferny foliage and feathery flowers, this stunning flower is perfect for woodland borders and large garden spaces. Thriving in rich soil, they like to be permanently moist.
- Calla Lily – these bold exotic plants have a luscious glossy foliage with gorgeous lily plumes. They are perfect for both containers and borders, adding a unique style any garden space with their rich colouring.
- Sambucus – this boggy loving plant is the perfect summer flower, and wildlife friendly. Once it flowers, it is followed by clusters of berries, which are edible when cooked.
- Magnolia – Producing large show-stopping flowers in the spring these stunning plants come in various varieties and can be planted in containers or directly into the garden. Their fragrant flowers also allow them to be added to sensory garden experiences.
- Hosta - these low growing plants thrive in shady gardens and sheltered spaces. They are specious perennials and can grow up to 24inches wide. Don’t forget they need protection from slugs and snails.
- Salix – an elegant weeping tree, which can be designed in many patterns included the infamous braided style. Their slender style allows them to be grown both in pots and directly in the ground.
Wind-tolerant plants for garden spaces:
Larger garden spaces can often experience windy conditions due to the lack of shelter around. If a plant isn’t wind-tolerant it can cause moisture to be lost from plants causing them to wilt faster or die off.
Check out our top 6 wind-tolerant plants, all available in your local British Garden Centre.
- Cordyline – these stunning plants have an exotic palm-like appearance and make for a dramatic look in any garden. Perfect for coastal and urban gardens and creating an eye-catching feature.
- Hebe – this evergreen shrub is a stunning garden feature that can be grown in both containers and borders. It can even be used as dynamic hedging. The bushy plant flowers in the summer with stunning purple, pink or white stems.
- Heathers – a low-growing evergreen shrub perfect for filling our borders or planters. This compact plant flowers in both winter and spring, helping to provide an early source of food for wildlife.
- Hawthorn - famed for its white scented blossom, this stunning plant is known to cope well with strong winds in coastal spaces. The hawthorn berries are great for wildlife and also are edible with medicinal benefits.
- Carex – this evergreen grass-like plant can bloom in various colours and looks great in prairie style planting. Not only can thrive in windy conditions but they also enjoy mostly full sun spots.
- Gaura – a true cottage garden flower is perfect for filling gaps in borders and also works well in containers. Their long flowering period allows for colour all throughout summer and into autumn.
Thanks for reading.
