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Create a garden that's lovely and low-cost with these beautiful choices
If you're looking for budget-friendly plants that will add an abundance of colour, there are plenty of easy-to-grow varieties that cost less than £10 and flower right through the warmest season of the year. From cottage garden favourites to drought-tolerant bloomers, these hardworking plants offer weeks of vibrancy without demanding constant attention.
Many of these reliable flowering plants thrive in a range of conditions and require very little maintenance once established. With a little deadheading, occasional feeding and the right growing conditions, they'll continue producing flowers right until autumn.
Below, we share the flowers that are easy to grow and guaranteed to brighten your garden all summer long.
Cosmos are loved for their delicate, airy flowers and exceptionally long flowering season, often blooming from May through to September.
'Cosmos thrive in warm, sunny positions and reward gardeners with flowers for months on end,' explains Richard Barker, horticultural expert and commercial director of LBS Horticulture. ‘For the best results, sow seeds indoors during spring before planting them outside once all risk of frost has passed.'
Once young plants have produced a few pairs of leaves, pinch out the growing tips to encourage bushier growth and more flowers. Taller varieties may need staking, and regular deadheading will keep plants flowering for as long as possible.
Also known as pinks, dianthus are charming cottage garden plants that produce masses of colourful blooms and a delicate clove-like fragrance throughout the summer months.
'Dianthus are incredibly easy plants to grow and will flower repeatedly when deadheaded,' says Richard. 'They're also hardy and cope particularly well with hot summers, making them an excellent choice for gardeners looking for reliable colour.'
These plants prefer well-draining soil and settle into borders and containers quickly. Once established, they require very little watering.
'To encourage a second or even third flush of flowers, regularly remove spent blooms and feed with a liquid tomato fertiliser,' Richard suggests.
Known for their colourful foliage as much as their delicate summer flowers, heucheras are ideal for adding interest and texture to borders and containers.
'Heucheras offer year-round appeal thanks to their striking leaves, while their flowers provide extra colour during summer,' says Richard. 'Most varieties perform best in dappled shade and can be planted up until September.'
Avoid positioning them in strong, direct sunlight and keep container-grown plants well watered during warmer weather.
To support healthy growth, feed every fortnight with tomato fertiliser throughout summer. In autumn, simply tidy the plant by removing any old or damaged leaves.
Hardy geraniums are among the most dependable flowering perennials, producing a long-lasting display that can continue right up until the first frosts.
'Most hardy geraniums will thrive in light shade and can cope with a wide range of soil types,' says Richard. 'Many varieties are also surprisingly tolerant of dry conditions once established.'
Another advantage is how little care they require. Most pests tend to leave them alone, and after the first flush of flowers, simply cut the plant back to ground level. 'Doing this often encourages fresh foliage and a second round of blooms later in the summer,' Richard adds.
Stunning and strong, fuchsias grow lovely white, pink, purple and red flowers in their signature dangling formation, making them a wonderful choice for adding extra impact.
'Fuchsias are a classic choice for window boxes, loved for their elegant, droplet-shaped flowers that bloom in pinks, purples, reds and whites,' explains Mark Sage, horticultural expert at B&Q. 'They add instant colour and movement to a display, especially trailing varieties that spill beautifully over the edges of containers.'
Fuchsias prefer cooler, sheltered spots out of harsh afternoon sun, and they'll flower for months with regular watering and occasional feeding.
For gardeners looking for maximum impact with minimal effort, Mexican fleabane is hard to beat. This cheerful perennial produces clouds of daisy-like flowers from late spring until the first frosts.
'Mexican fleabane is one of the easiest flowering plants to grow,' says Richard. 'Once established, it's fairly drought-tolerant and often looks after itself.'
It grows happily in sun or partial shade and prefers well-draining soil. Unlike many flowering plants, it doesn't need regular deadheading to keep blooming. 'You only really need to cut it back at the end of the season if it's starting to look a little untidy,' Richard explains.
Few flowers make a statement quite like delphiniums. Their towering spires of blooms bring colour and classic cottage garden charm, making them a bold addition to sunny borders.
'Delphiniums should be planted in moist but well-draining soil, ideally in a location where they will receive full sun,' says Richard. 'As they can potentially grow to 2m tall, they should not be grown somewhere windy, as this can blow the plants over.'
Available in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white, these elegant perennials also attract pollinators throughout summer.
Taller varieties may benefit from staking to keep flower spikes upright, while removing spent blooms can sometimes encourage a second flush of flowers.
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