Dream Gardens: How the other half lives

THE PLANTS that cause a lot of confusion at this time of year are the ones that reference books call "half-hardy".

PlantsGETTY

Half-hardies bring colour

It's a misleading term because they are not hardy at all.

They are the ones that we know better as summer bedding plants and patio plants.

Since they are killed when temperatures drop below freezing they can't be planted out until the last frost is safely passed.

Since half-hardies can only live outdoors temporarily, between now and autumn, they need treating differently from long-term garden residents.

For a start it's no good expecting them to rough it.

They only have five or six months in which to make their mark so if you are going to grow them at all then it's worth doing properly.

If you are growing half-hardies the traditional way, in formal flower beds or used to fill gaps in mixed borders, prepare the ground well by working in organic matter and a dressing of fertiliser. Then rake it level just before you are ready to plant.

Half-hardies' main use is in containers so clean your tubs and troughs out and fill them with a decent multipurpose compost.

There's no point in economising as it shows in the end result - garden soil just isn't up to the job.

When it comes to spacing, half-hardies clearly don't have much time to grow and plump out so you need to plant them sufficiently generously that they look the part from day one.

As a rough guide, in the garden, plant them four to eight inches apart, depending on the height and bushiness of the fully grown plant.

The seed catalogue or label should tell you the ultimate size.

You can forget "the rules" if you are planting in a container, just concentrate on packing in as many plants as you can because this is where you want a truly staggering effect.

Simply tip them out of their pots and push the rootballs in so they are touching each other.

Don't worry when you are putting in plants that are already in full flower.

They are meant to give instant colour.

Since they don't have time to establish themselves first, half-hardies need a lot of looking after.

Think of them like a sausage machine.

You put water and feed in at one end, the roots, and out of the top streams a constant succession of flowers.

Admittedly there's a bit of cleaning up to do if you want the process to continue working without a hitch.

Mother nature is poised to bung a spanner in the works if she catches you slacking.

Half-hardies have to be deadheaded regularly, otherwise the plants set seed instead of producing any more flowers.

Once you get into a regular rhythm of whipping round with the snips every few days or so then all will be well. And it's no real bother.

It's not just half-hardy flowers that are ready for planting over the next few weeks.

Frost-tender veg need putting in too so get busy with the French beans, outdoor tomatoes, courgettes, squashes, pumpkins and sweetcorn.

It's a busy old time.

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