Coloured varieties call for strong foliage contrasts from silvery plants such as Centaurea cineraria or a filigree-leaved Artemisia. Scented kinds are good with the huge Nicotiana sylvestris.
Bedding for containers
Torenia
Wishbone Flower Tender perennial
Bushy or slowly spreading perennials with toothed leaves and a long succession of lipped, trumpet flowers with dark petal edges and contrastingly pale throats. Good varieties for containers include ‘Amethyst’, ‘Blue Panda’ (royal blue and pale violet blue) and ‘Duchess Series’, which comes in two-tone blue, white and pink or white and blue.
Soil preference: Any, not too dry
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: 25cm × 30cm (10in × 12in)
Companion plants: Best co-ordinated with attractive foliage plants, particularly with silvery or grey leaves. Trailing plants such as Sutera, Dichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’ and the very silvery Lotus berthelotii would make fine companions.
Calibrachoa ‘Million Bells’
Tender perennial
Close relative of the petunia, producing masses of long, trailing stems, richly furnished with flattened, flared, trumpet flowers up to about 3cm (1in) across. One of the best trailing plants for hanging baskets or large containers. ‘Million Bells’ series has flowers in pink, mauve, dusky yellow, white and terracotta.
Soil preference: Any well-drained
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: 15cm (6in) high, trailing 1m (3ft 3in) stems
Companion plants: Teams will with such trailing foliage plants as Lotus berthelotii or Helichrysum petiolare ‘Variegatum’ but also excellent when grown alone.
Felicia amelloides
Blue Daisy, African Blue Daisy Tender perennial
Bushy or slowly trailing perennial with rounded, deep green, slightly pubescent leaves and masses of yellow-centred, bright blue daily flowers held on thin, erect stems. The form ‘Santa Anita’ is the toughest, sometimes surviving a touch of frost, and flowers throughout summer.
Soil preference: Any free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer, early autumn
Height and spread: 40cm × 60cm (1ft 4in × 2ft)
Companion plants: Magnificent if contrasted with bright yellow or orange flowers. Tagetes, especially clear yellow varieties, blend sweetly as does Bidens ferulifolia.
Nemesia denticulata and allies
Tender perennial
Mound-forming perennial with thin, easily snapped stems, which are quick to regenerate, and generous, long-lasting sprays of sometimes fragrant flowers shaped like small, open snapdragons. Colours range from white to pastel lilac, purple and pink tones.
Soil preference: Any, not too dry
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: 30cm × 40cm (1ft × 1ft 4in)
Companion plants: Best grown on its own, especially in a large pot or hanging basket.
Bidens ferulifolia
Bidens, Beggarticks Tender perennial
Lax perennial, whose much branched stems trail elegantly among other vegetation. The deeply divided foliage makes a pretty foil for the big, golden, honey-scented blooms which are produced constantly through summer. A classic and drought-tolerant basket plant, but also fine in a border, where it can sprawl among other perennials.
Soil preference: Any
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: Up to 45cm (1ft 6in) trailing
Companion plants: Lovely with silver foliage of trailing Helichrysum or trailing Plectranthus. Superb when making a startling contrast with the vigorous Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’.
Sutera (syn. Bacopa)
Tender annuals or perennials
South African plants with bushy but trailing or sprawling habit and slightly toothed triangular or rounded leaves. The flowers are tiny – forget-me-not sized – but are produced in profusion through much of summer. Pastel shaded cultivars include ‘Blue Showers’, ‘Lilac Showers’ and ‘Pink Domino’. White forms include ‘Snowstorm’, ‘Snowflake’ and Sutera cordata ‘Blizzard’.
Soil preference: Any
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: 10cm × 45cm (4in × 1ft 6in)
Companion plants: Suteras have become standard basket and window box plants and will mix with practically anything. They are ideal for softening edges and disguising pot sides, making excellent companions for erect varieties of pelargonium and fuchsias.
Other good bedding plants
Lathyrus odoratus Dwarf varieties
Sweet Pea Hardy annual
Most have
