Planting your summer flower garden

Planting a garden that uses foliage and flowers helps to extend your garden’s peak period. Spring flowers are supported by the contrasting foliage of herbaceous perennials and evergreen trees and shrubs. As spring flowers die back, your summer flowering perennials take over.

This combination can create a show-worthy garden from November right through until April in many areas.

The basics of good garden design is balancing harmony and contrast. Similar colour, foliage, texture and form produces calm and rest. And conversely, contrast creates excitement. The goal is to create a sense of harmony while still retaining some interest.

Download our guide to planting your summer flower garden.