Stars of the show

Transform your outdoor space with a pretty colour-themed display. Start with a favourite shrub or long-flowering perennial, and add a bouquet of annuals from these irresistible colour palettes

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S I ZZ L I N G S H A D E S

If you love uplifting colours, with plenty of warmth and personality, you’ll be drawn to this selection of hot pinks, terracotta reds and mellow mangoes. Start with the beautiful sugar-pink Salvia ‘Angel Wings’ (top) and build up your display from there.

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1 Salvia ‘Angel Wings’ H: 80cm Jul-Sept 2 Dianthus Kahori Pink H: 20cm June-Sept 3 Verbena Lanai ‘Candy Cane’ H: 30cm June-Sept 4 Calibrachoa Cabrio ‘Eclipse Strawberry’ H: 15cm June-Oct 5 Petunia Fun House ‘Mango Punch’ H: 30cm May-Oct

easy to grow

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6 Dianthus Kahori Scarlet H: 20cm June-Sept 7 Digitalis ‘Firebird’ H: 1m May-Jul 8 Petunia Fun House ‘Peach Melba’ H: 30cm May-Oct

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9 Petunia Fun House ‘Papaya’ H: 30cm May-Oct 10 Petunia Fun House ‘Ruby Glow’ H: 30cm May-Oct 11 Petunia Fun House ‘Glowing Garnet’ H: 30cm May-Oct

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Toptips

TO MAXIMISE YOUR SUMMER FLOWER DISPLAY

Remove dead flowers to encourage more blooms – snip off with secateurs or pinch off with your fingers. Water well in hot weather – aim the watering can or hose at your plants’ roots, not the petals. Feed every few weeks – use an organic liquid feed, diluted in water, to boost flowering performance.

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climbs or trails

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12 Phlox ‘Clouds of Perfume’ H: 35cm June-Jul 13 Verbena Lanai ‘Cyclops Purple’ H: 30cm June-Sept 14 Digitalis ‘Dalmation Purple’ H: 70cm Jun-Sept (AGM)

C OO L B LU E S

Shades of indigo, lavender and sapphire blue make a soothing combination, and flowers in these colours also appeal to bees and butterflies. Make fragrant Lavender ‘Blue Spear’ (above) the star attraction, then add a supporting cast of blue beauties.

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15 Delphinium ‘Delgenius Breezin’ H: 60cm May-Jul 16 Sollya ‘Ultra Blue’ H: 2m June-Sept 17 Lavender ‘Blue Spear’ H: 35cm June-Sept

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loved by bees

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18 Daphne ‘Summer Ice’ H: 1.5m April-Sept 19 Digitalis ‘Dalmation White’ H: 70cm Jun-Sept (AGM) 20 Calibrachoa Bloomtastic ‘Rose Quartz’ H: 15cm May-Sept

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S O FT T ON E S

Flower displays in softer colours work well in the cool light we often have in this country, and lighter shades can help to make small spaces feel larger. Begin with Daphne ‘Summer Ice’ (top, left) then create a feather-light cloud of pretty pinks, whites and lilac-purples.

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21 Digitalis ‘Dalmation Rose’ H: 70cm Jun-Sept (AGM) 22 Begonia Dreams Garden ‘MacaRose’ H: 35cm June-Oct 23 Calibrachoa Callie ‘White’ H: 25cm May-Sept