Planning your garden successfully starts with choosing the right plants and knowing when and how to plant them. In this guide, you’ll find practical tips for planting and caring for a wide range of plants, including perennials, annuals, herbs, and more. Whether you’re building new borders or refreshing your containers, this seasonal UK-based guide will help your garden thrive.

1. Planting Basics

Before planting, prepare your soil by removing weeds, adding compost, and checking drainage. Be sure to plant at the correct depth and provide support for young plants where needed. For more guidance, read our spring planting tips.

2. Popular Perennials

Perennials return year after year, offering structure and colour with minimal maintenance. Great choices include Geraniums, Echinacea, and Lavender. These plants attract pollinators and work well in mixed borders. Explore popular perennials here.

3. Colourful Annuals & Bedding Plants

Annuals provide bright, seasonal colour and are ideal for pots and borders. Try easy-to-grow varieties like Calendula, Nigella, and Cosmos. These are great for wildlife and work well as companion plants. See May planting ideas.

4. Herbs & Kitchen Garden Plants

Herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and chives are perfect for containers and borders. They’re useful in the kitchen and attractive to pollinators. You can also try planting lettuce, carrots, and beetroot. View herb and veg tips.

5. Plants for Winter Interest

Winter gardens can still shine. Use evergreens like Holly, ornamental grasses, or Winter Heather to maintain colour and texture during the colder months. (More content on this topic coming soon.)

6. Shade vs Sun Plants

Select plants that suit your garden’s conditions. Astilbe and Ferns are great for shade, while Salvia and Echinacea thrive in full sun. For more guidance, see our perennial guide.

7. Seasonal Planting Calendar

• Spring: Perennials, bedding plants, herbs, shrubs
• Summer: Annuals, veg crops, watering and deadheading
• Autumn: Bulbs, bare-root plants, mulch and divide
• Winter: Evergreens, bare-root trees, winter prep

Helpful Resources

• RHS Plant Finder
• BBC Gardeners’ World Plant Guides

Need Help Choosing Plants?

If you’d like help selecting low-maintenance plants, designing a planting scheme, or refreshing your garden, we’re here to help. Contact Steve’s Garden Services for local, expert advice across Norwich and the surrounding villages.