Sunny Spots

Where do I start?
Just like people, some plants love sun more than others. So to get the best from the sunny spots in your garden, choose your plants carefully. Many plants that love the sun often have thick, silvery coloured leaves with little hairs that act as insulation.

Numerous flowers are well-suited to a dry, sunny site, giving you the opportunity to create all kinds of dazzling displays. And don't forget to select a few varieties that release scent for those warm, summer evenings! Whichever plants you choose, making the most of your sunny spots is easy and needn't take long.

Preparation time 30 minutes

• It's not hard to create the right conditions, although obviously it will take a little longer to prepare the ground for a large bed than a small spot. Ideally, soil should be around two inches deep and loosely packed for plant roots to penetrate.
• Weed thoroughly. Using a hoe saves time and effort.
• Dig over with a fork, if your soil feels heavy, it's especially important to loosen it up before planting.
• To help retain moisture and improve heavy soils, add plenty of organic material, such as well-rotted manure, garden compost or planting compost, all available from your Garden Centre or Nursery.
• The addition of water-retaining gel granules will help retain moisture.

To help you locate the plants easily at your Garden Centre or Nursery, the Latin names have been given first, followed by the common name.

Any of the following should flourish in moist soils in full sun:

1. Rosa Golden Showers. Climbing Rose. Fragrant golden yellow flowers all summer. Lovely glossy green foliage. 3m x 2.5m (10' x 8')
2. Lavatera 'Barnsley' (Mallow). SHrub. Silver-pink flower spikes all summer. Pale evergreen foliage. 1.75m (5').
3. Cistus x purpureus (RockRose). Shrub. Bright rose-pink flowers during summer with evergreen foliage. 1.5m (4').
4. Allium giganteum (Ornamental Onion). Bulb. Purple globes during summer followed by seed heads that can be cut and dried. 1.5m (4').
5. Penstemon varieties. Herbaceous perennial. Wonderful plants flowering all summer in a wide range of colours. Evergreen if sheltered. 20-60cm (8-24").
6. Dianthus (Pink). Border plant. Pink, red or white flowers during summer with silver-green leaves. 25-45cm (10-18").
7. Helianthemum varieties (Rock Rose). Wide variety of colours available. Evergreen. 10-20cm (4-8").
8. Lavandula angustifolia. 'Hidcote' (Lavender). Shrub. Deep blue spikes of flowers ideal for drying, silver-green aromatic foliage. 45cm (18").
9. Euphorbia characias (Spurge). Herbaceous perennial. Elegant spikes of lime green flowers and evergreen foliage. Poisonous. 1.5m (4').

• Consider how tall the plants will grow - you don't want tall plants swamping small ones.
• Think about flowering times and the colour and shape of leaves. Aim to create colour and texture throughout the year and throughout your site.
• Do not plant when soil is very dry, waterlogged or frozen.
• Water plants thoroughly before and after planting. Make sure they don't dry out.
• After planting, sprinkle a general fertilizer such as Growmore or bonemeal lightly around the plants and water again thoroughly.

• Dig a hole bigger than the roots of the plant and water the hole. Tap the plant out of its pot or tray, disturbing as little as possible. Gently push into the hole, firming the soil around it.
• Plant just below the depth the plant was grown in its original container.
• Plant so they will just touch each other when fully grown. A rule of thumb is plant shorter types 10-15cm (4-6") apart, and taller varieties 20-30cm (8-12") apart.

• Prepare a planting hole before you take a plant out of its pot. Dig the hole about twice the size of the pot and fork over the bottom.
• tap the plant out of its pot and tease out a few of the roots.
• Place it in the hole, ensuring that the top of the roots are just below soil level.
• Fill in the surrounding hole, firm in the soil and water.
• Cover the surface of the soil with about 5cm (2") of bark, cocoa shells, gravel or compost to help retain moisture.

• Planting bedding plants close together will minimise weeding.
• Spreading compost, cocoa shell, bark or even gravel or the soil around the plants will help to keep roots and soil cool and moist and prevent weed growth.
• Soil is easiest to dig in the autumn, so put a date in your diary to prepare your bed for next year now! Instead of digging in compost, or manure, you can spread it evenly over the soil. Winter temperatures will break it down naturally and allow worms to incorporate it into your soil.

• If you want flowers in spring, plant bulbs in autumn. For summer flowers, plant bulbs in spring.
• Plant several bulbs at a depth three to five times their height in one large hole to save time, ensuring they do not touch.
• In wet soil, a handful of grit in the bottom of the hole will improve drainage; in dry soil, a layer of compost or bulb fibre will help retain moisture.

• Water your plants regularly during the first year, ensuring they don't dry out. It's better to water thoroughly from time to time, rather than little and often. Avoid the heat of the day.
• Sprinkle soil with fertilizer each spring.

• Create winter color with evergreens such as Lavender, Bay and Rosemary and bedding plants such as Polyanthus, Primroses and Winter Pansies.

Water retaining gel granules (optional)

Binomial when planting in autumn or winter and Grower during spring and summer.

Plants that love sun
You'll find Latin names help you locate the plants at your Garden Center or Nursery. Here are just a few to choose from:

Anthems varieties. Herbaceous perennial.

Aster novae-angliae varieties (Michael's Daisy). Herbaceous perennial.

Aubrieta varieties. Border plant.

Caryopteris x clandonensis. Shrub.

Fritillary imperials (Crown Imperial). Bulb.

Genets lied (Broom). Shrub.

Herbs - many varieties

Potential fruticosa varieties. Shrub.

Santolina chamaecyparissus (Cotton Lavender). Shrub.

Visit The Horticultural Trades Association Web site at www.martex.co.uk/hta