A Gardener’s Miscellany

This week it’s:

Petunias galore

We look at a staple of summer bedding

BETWEEN all the seed companies and nurseries specialising in bedding plants, there are hundreds of different types of petunia on offer. Therefore, with all the minuscule variations of shades and colour combinations, a gardener so inclined is able to create the most precise selection for carefully colour-themed plantings. As a bedding plant devotee (I grew up in the Royal Parks of London, where my father worked), I rank the petunia as not just the quintessential summer bedding flower, but also an absolute requirement in any garden during the season. Let’s take a closer look.

◼ Petunias also offer a multitude of other features: small or large flowers, single or double flowers, dwarf or large plants, bushy or trailing habit,