Choosing annuals and perennials for your garden

Annuals, perennials and bulbs add colour to any garden, and they are also among the best plants for budget-conscious gardeners. Follow these tips for selecting, planting and using annuals and perennials in your garden.

Annuals are plants that grow, flower, set seed and die in one year, or part of a year. Grown from seed or seedlings, annuals are among the cheapest of plants to grow. Here's how to use them.

• As spectacular floral displays; in the form of mass- and drift-plantings, borders, edgings and groundcovers; and in meadow gardens.
• As colourful container plants in window boxes, pots, tubs and hanging baskets.
• For their scent. Many annuals have beautiful perfumes – sweet pea and stock, for example – and can be included in fragrant and sensory gardens.
• As rapid-growing "fill-in" plants to keep down weeds and provide colour while slower-growing, permanent plantings are establishing.
• To vary your colour scheme from year to year and season to season.
• As cut flowers for indoors. You can also buy annuals already in flower. Known as "potted colour," they are a great alternative to cut flowers.
• To attract beneficial insects. Simple, open flowers, such as Linaria maroccana, will do the trick.

A perennial is a plant that lives for three or more growing seasons. Very easy to propagate, perennials are a cheap and effective method of stocking a new garden. Once established, they tend to be low maintenance.

• Choose plants to suit your soil, climate and situation. Consider colour, reliability, length of flowering, longevity and form, as well as light and shade requirements.
• Before planting, dig up the ground and remove any weeds. Dig in manure and compost, and mulch well to reduce water stress.
• Allow room for plants to expand through their growing season. This will reduce the need for pruning.
• To obtain more plants at no cost, divide an existing clump. Do this in autumn, when most plants are dormant – just one clump can yield dozens of new plants. Simply dig up the clump and pull it apart, or cut it into sections with a sharp knife.
• Save money by buying perennials in winter, while they are dormant, from mail-order specialists.

Undemanding warm-season annuals:

• Amaranthus
• Begonia
• Impatiens
• Marigold (African and French)
• Nasturtium
• Nicotiana
• Petunia
• Phlox
• Salvia
• Zinnia

Easy cool-season annuals:

• Calendula
• Gomphrena
• Lobelia
• Mignonette
• Pansy
• Poppy
• Salvia
• Sweet pea
• Sweet William
• Viola

Choose from these options for fool-proof perennials suited to the growing environment in your garden.

• Agapanthus. These grow in full sun and are drought-tolerant; they flower in summer. Dead-head the plants after flowering and divide in late winter.
• Bearded iris. These grow in full sun and are drought-tolerant. They flower in spring to summer, and some varieties re-flower in autumn. These are a great choice for hot, sun-baked spots. The plants are very long-lived and can be divided in late spring or autumn.
• Canna. These grow in full sun and moist soil (good for boggy spots). They flower in spring to autumn. Cut the plants back in late autumn or early spring to make way for new growth. Divide in winter or early spring.
• Clivia. These grow in shade and tolerate poor soil. They flower in winter to spring (indoors). Good for mass-planting under trees.
• Daylily. These grow in full sun and flower in spring to autumn. In frost-prone areas, choose forms that are dormant over winter. Mass-plant them for a long-flowering, trouble-free display.
• Geraniums and pelargoniums. These grow in full sun and well-drained soil, and they tolerate dry conditions. They flower in spring to autumn. Prune the plants in autumn. Pelargoniums grow very easily from cuttings and are great plants for beginners.
• Oyster plant. These grow in shade or partial shade and tolerate dry soil. They flower in spring to summer. The plants benefit from extra water in dry periods.
• Shasta daisy. These grow in full sun and well-drained soil; they are drought-hardy. They flower in spring to late summer. Pick the flowers to encourage more blooms. The plants are easy to divide.

With some well-selected annuals and perennials, you can enjoy a verdant, colourful garden with minimal fuss.