Creating a planting plan from scratch part 4: Annuals, biennials and bulbs

Creating a Planting Plan from Scratch Part 4: Annuals, Biennials and Bulbs

Once you've plotted your perennials, it's time to add in final details and extend the season by means of annuals, biennials and bulbs. We'll look at how to make revisions to your planting plan going forwards.

Look for slivers of space between perennials and shrubs for annuals to be planted or self-seed into. Make it feel like they've arrived naturally by planting them in different-sized groups and at different densities. You can use annuals to fill holes early in the season, then pull them out to reveal emerging perennials.

This is how I use some of our annuals:

• foxgloves are woodland plants, so they look good around and under the damson
• galactites is a delicate annual that works well with irises, as they don't block the rhizomes from getting the sun they need
• agrostemma works best when encouraged to self-sow in the right place rather than being planted out, as it flops. I plant it around Phlox for interest before the Phlox flowers.

Some biennials, such as Hesperis take up a full space rather than being woven into slivers that later close up and need to be replaced when they've finished – such as with a dahlia.

• Think about what it will look like with both the Hesperis and the dahlia.
• Repeat these down the length of the border for rhythm.

On your plan, label the shapes representing your plants with the name and number required.

Bulbs

• Crocuses, hyacinths, tulips and late-flowering gladioli would all work in the Purple Border for a spring and summer succession.
• Put bulbs in a few groups through the border.
• On your plan, use a different colour for the bulb layer.

Growing Tulips in Combination

• I prefer to use two or three successional tulips in the same space – this way you can get five weeks of flowers and can plant lots of tulips in a small space.
• Look for an early and a late season tulip and perhaps also a mid-season. E.g. 'Mistress Mystic' (early) and 'Bleu Aimable' (late) go well together.
• Then I'd have another pair of varieties, e.g. 'Caviar' (early) with 'Black Parrot' (late) to plant in other places in the border, around the clumps of lupins.
• You can also create succession by making one clump the early and another clump the late, but it's an efficient use of space to plant multiple varieties in combination.

Making Revisions to Your Planting Plan

There'll be lots of opportunities to change your scheme later – things you can't source, things that don't work, or don't happen in the sequence you thought they would. The plan gives you a starting point to work from, but don't be afraid to move and change things around.

• Put the date on so you can make revisions and still go back to the initial plan.
• To make revisions, photocopy the plan and annotate the copies, or overlay it with tracing paper and date that and add you amendments, substitutions and new ideas.
• Using tracing paper layers also helps you edit an existing border.
• You can also use tracing paper for the annual or bulb layers and keep the base layer for shrubs and perennials. Whatever works for you.
• Remember to mark the corners of the bed on the tracing paper so you can line it up later and just overlay it.

Plant Directory

Agrostemma githago 'Milas'

Corncockle 'Milas'

Hardy annual

Caryophyllaceae

Crocus species and cultivars

Crocuses

Hardy bulbous perennials

Iridaceae

Dahlia species, hybrids and cultivars

Dahlias

Tender or half-hardy tuberous or herbaceous perennials

Asteraceae

Digitalis purpurea and its cultivars and forms

Foxgloves

Hardy herbaceous biennials or short-lived perennials

Plantaginaceae

Galactites tomentosus

Purple milk thistle

Hardy annual

Asteraceae

Gladiolus species and cultivars

Gladioli, sward lilies

Half-hardy bulbous perennials

Iridaceae

Hesperis matronalis

Sweet rocket, dame's violet

Herbaceous hardy biennial or short-lived perennial

Brassicaceae

Hyacinth species and cultivars

Hyacinths

Hardy bulbous perennials

Asparagaceae

Paeonia lactiflora 'Lady Alexandra Duff'

Peony 'Lady Alexandra Duff'

Hardy herbaceous perennial

Paeoniaceae

Phlox paniculata 'Blue Paradise'

Perennial phlox 'Blue Paradise'

Hardy herbaceous perennial

Polemoniaceae

Prunus institia

Damson

Hardy deciduous tree

Rosaceae

Thalictrum species and cultivars

Meadow rue

Hardy herbaceous perennials from tubers or rhizomes

Ranunculaceae

Tulipa species and cultivars

Tulips

Hardy bulbous perennials

Liliaceae

Tulipa 'Black Parrot'

Tulip 'Black Parrot'

Hardy bulbous perennial

Liliaceae

Tulipa 'Bleu Aimable'

Tulip 'Bleu Aimable'

Hardy bulbous perennial

Liliaceae

Tulipa 'Caviar'

Tulip 'Caviar'

Hardy bulbous perennial

Liliaceae

Tulipa 'Mistress Mystic'

Tulip 'Mistress Mystic'

Hardy bulbous perennial

Liliaceae