It's been a very wet and cold past few weeks but if your ground is frost free or if you have some containers that need replanting here's a guide on the best flowers to plant now for Summer colour.
Firstly you will need to prepare wherever you have chosen. If it is in a bed or an area outside be sure to remove any old growth, weeds and roots from the area and loosen up the soil. Nearly all bulbs, corms and tubers prefer a well drained area so if it is claggy add in a bit of gravel or vermiculite to help with the drainage. You can also work in a little manure such as Westland Organic Chicken Manure Pellets, a couple of handfuls should do, you don't want to add too much as it can 'burn' the roots if in excess.
If you are planning on reusing a planter or container I would recommend changing out the soil completely and washing the container if possible to ensure there are no fungus or diseases lurking. If this isn't possible (your planter might be huge), dig out any roots, weeds and unhealthy looking areas and loosen up all of the soil in it. As with the outside ground areas add in a draining medium such as vermiculite if the soil is compact. Make sure that the planter you're using has drainage holes.
What To Plant.
Right now there is an array of flowers that can be planted now, here is just a few;
Gladioli.
These grow from corms which look similar to bulbs but are more disc shaped than spherical. They are not cold tolerant and will need to be in a greenhouse or under cover if there's still a frost risk. Once they have grown a few centimetres you can place them outside in a sunny spot. These are a really good one to stagger plants, so every week plant a fresh batch and you can have continual blooms for longer. They bloom around 12 weeks after planting so if started now they should be in full flower by May.
Winter Aconites
These are lovely little yellow flowers that are excellent when placed in rough grassy areas or under trees. They're not as fussy as some of the other bulbs and will put up with very cold conditions so they're a great choice for more haphazard planting. One thing to be mindful of is that they spread, which can be an advantage if that's what you're after.
Irises
I love Irises and if you do have the space in a greenhouse or tunnel they're a good one to get going on now. They are very fussy when it comes to overwatering and will rot nearly overnight if left in water so drainage is a must. The soil for most varieties needs to be very well draining with a 1:1 ratio of compost to gravel/vermiculite. When you do place them outside (in a month or so) they will need a sheltered semi shaded spot with excellent drainage.
A lot of bulbs/tubers/corms are planted 'in the green' around now which means they are already sprouting and ready to go, these can be planted immediately outside now. Examples include Snowdrops, Bluebells and Aconites. So if you want colour sooner or don't have the greenhouse space this is always an option.
Happy Planting!
