Exchange your petunias for something fresh: it's high time to bid adieu to traditional bedding

In the world of gardening, a shift is underway as more and more gardeners are embracing eco-friendly and pollinator-friendly alternatives to traditional bedding plants. This change is driven by the desire to provide accessible nectar and pollen for our vital pollinators, reduce environmental impact, and promote sustainability.

One such plant that has gained popularity is cosmos, recommended for its open flower shape rich in nectar and pollen, providing abundant food for pollinators like bees, especially in late summer. Another example is Salvia 'Roman Red', Helenium, Rose Campions (Lychnis coronaria), and Geum 'Totally Tangerine'. These perennials or biennials offer long-lasting color and pollinator benefits, growing well instead of traditional annual bedding plants.

Native plants and diverse flowering trees/shrubs like oaks, maples, fruit trees, asters, and goldenrods also support native pollinators all growing season and improve biodiversity. Not to be forgotten, Phlox paniculata (garden phlox) attracts long-tongued pollinators including moths and is fragrant, supporting nocturnal pollinators, extending feeding opportunities into evening hours.

To reduce environmental impact, growing these plants from seed is encouraged. Direct sowing into the ground, or in cardboard containers such as old loo roll inners or egg boxes, and potting seedlings on into reusable terracotta pots all help to reduce waste.

Avoiding mass-produced bedding plants such as petunias, busy Lizzies, begonias, and double-flowered varieties that often lack accessible nectar or pollen for pollinators is also essential. These plants are usually grown in large glasshouses using high amounts of energy and water.

Sustainability is a topic increasingly uniting the UK's 30 million gardeners, who are choosing plants for their broader environmental benefits. For instance, Emma from Garden Organic recommends bright marigolds to attract insects such as hoverflies, parasitic wasps, and ladybirds, while helping to distract pests with their strong scent.

Experts such as Coralie Thomas, assistant head gardener at Great Dixter; Sarah Raven, gardener, cook, and writer; and Steve Edney, garden consultant and nurseryman, offer expert suggestions for alternative bedding plants in a guide. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) also predicts a continued shift away from traditional bedding plants towards more long-lived, less thirsty, and robust varieties such as salvias, heather, and dahlias.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show displays a diverse array of naturalistic schemes that reflect this trend, including Monty Don's relaxed Dog Garden and Matthew Butler and Joshua Parker's Garden of the Future. This shift suits the trend for a more relaxed garden design, moving away from sterile or double-blossomed traditional bedding plants toward open-petaled, nectar-rich flowering perennials, biennials, and native species that bloom across seasons, benefiting a wide range of pollinators.

In summary, the future of gardening lies in embracing eco-friendly and pollinator-friendly alternatives to traditional bedding plants. By choosing plants that provide accessible nectar and pollen, are often native or well-adapted, and can be grown from seed, we can reduce our environmental impact while supporting local ecosystems and our vital pollinators.

Exchange your petunias for something fresh: it's high time to bid adieu to traditional bedding