Create a bed of hardy annuals for a splash of colour that costs pennies. It’s a great way to fill a patch of spare ground quickly and cheaply, as annuals grow quickly from seed, flower enthusiastically all summer then die out – leaving the space free for a redesign next year.
Hardy annuals
The bed can be any shape or size, but find a sunny spot to maximise flower power. Weed thoroughly, then fork over the soil and rake to create a level surface. Sow at any time from now onwards.
Mark out areas for each different variety, using silver sand trickled from a drinks bottle or horticultural spray paint – you’ll find both here at the garden centre. Good choices for sowing include California poppies, cornflowers, pot marigolds, clarkia and nigella.
Create a bed of annual plants
Sow the seed in shallow drills and cover each row lightly with soil. Water in using a watering can with a rose to avoid washing the seeds out of place, and keep damp. You’ll have a fabulous display of flowers in about eight weeks’ time.
