Larry Smith and the Riverside Gardens team talk all things pots, plants and pruning in their weekly gardening column.
We have had many customers comment lately on the spectacular floral display in the Queen’s Gardens, opposite Riverlinks Eastbank in the centre of Shepparton.
You only have to drive past to see what they are talking about, but honestly, it is well worth the stop and walk through to take it all in.
The gardens have all been planted with snapdragon seedlings that have now matured, creating a riot of colour in full bloom.
Standing at about 30cm high, they are the perfect height under the standard roses that adorn most of the garden beds.
With the roses in full flower and the blaze of colour from the snapdragons below, it is truly a picture — a credit to the gardener who must have worked tirelessly to present it this way.
It’s not just the floral display; the gardens overall are maintained beautifully, with lush lawns, healthy plants and the area kept neat and clean.
It is a great example of how a public space can work — how it can add value to the surrounding area, enhance the ambience and, as reflected in the many comments we’ve received, leave a lasting impression on the community.
It is a pleasure to hear from people in the community just how much they notice and enjoy the beautification of public spaces.
Bedding planting, or annual seedling plantings, is a successful way of bringing high-impact colour to your garden.
It does require a bit of planning, forethought and labour, but the results are well worth the effort.
Bedding plants are a seasonal planting of annual seedlings, usually done in spring and autumn for summer and winter displays.
Right now, we are in the middle of the spring planting season, which is ideal for planting the following seedlings.
Petunias are probably the first that come to mind for most people when thinking of summer seedling colour in full sun.
Older varieties of these grow to about 20cm high and wide, but more recent varieties can grow to about 50cm across, with flowers from the centre all the way to the outside edge.
There is also quite a range of new hybrid varieties, such as Lavender Sky, King of Spades, Night Sky and Midnight Gold, that are available in more advanced sizes.
These varieties are worth considering for their long flowering periods, especially in pots and hanging baskets.
Impatiens make a real show in shady to filtered sunlight positions, growing in a range of colours to about 30cm high.
They will continue to flower from now through to the first heavy frost, and add a great splash of colour to the darker corners of the garden.
Vinca look similar to impatiens but prefer a good sunny position and, once again, will flower through to the first frosts.
Marigolds, with their bright yellow, orange, cream or bi-colour flowers, are also a popular choice for sunny spots.
They are often planted as companion plants in vegetable gardens, as their bright yellow flowers attract pests away from other plants.
They are resilient enough to withstand any damage caused.
Snapdragons, like the ones in the Queen’s Gardens, can be planted all year round, but once they have finished flowering, they will need to be replaced with the next crop of colour for the next season.
Bedding dahlias are another great choice for hot, sunny places, with their bright, perfectly shaped flowers starting in December.
Dahlias will form a tuber under the ground that can be lifted once the display has finished and replanted the next year.
However, most gardeners prefer to start from seedlings again for the best results.
Bedding Begonias are great for semi-shaded to almost fully shaded positions.
Their bright-green or bronze leaves create a colourful display on their own, in addition to the masses of flowers they will produce as they grow.
Coleus are grown for their colourful foliage, with deep burgundy, cream, yellow, green, and red appearing on the leaves.
You will find the plants will grow even better if you keep removing the flowers as they appear.
When used with impatiens, they can add a touch of the tropics to a shaded garden.
There is a huge range of summer seedlings that can be planted now — portulaca, lobelia, gazania and salvia are just a few of the popular options available.
So, if you’re looking for a big hit of summer colour in your garden, come in and chat with one of the garden centre staff members.
They can help you decide what will work best for you and guide you on how to prepare and plant your garden beds, pots, planters or hanging baskets.