Floral Horsell

This year the Horsell Second Thursday Club are encouraging everyone in the village to brighten up their front gardens with colourful plants, whether they be big or small spaces, so let’s give passers-by something to slow them in their tracks as they walk past. There are no hard and fast rules, but the aim is to try to encourage as many people as possible to grow some ‘colour’ in their front garden. The last year has been a real rollercoaster ride for us all and ‘Floral Horsell’ will give us the opportunity to all get gardening together as a community to make Horsell front gardens a rainbow of colour.

For those wanting to take part, but who are short on ideas, I’ve picked out some planting schemes to try in containers or a small border below:
 

• If you are on a shoestring budget try sowing some quick return annuals, which will still flower this year, such as nasturtiums, coreopsis and night scented stock.
• For something a bit more permanent that won’t break the bank, opt for a few perennials. For a shady spot, astrantias team nicely with ferns such as Athyrium niponicum var. pictum. Either pink flowered Astrantia ‘Roma’ or burgundy A. ‘Star of Beauty’ would work.
• For a combination for a sunnier setting try Eryngium bourgatti next to Achillea ‘Pink Grapefruit’ or opt for Salvia ‘Cherry Lips’, Artemisia ludoviciana ‘Valerie Finnis’ and Verbena hastata f. ‘Rosea’ for an arresting trio.
• If you can keep them in a sheltered setting over the winter then you could team up Salvia ‘Amistad’ and Digiplexis ‘Firecracker’ for a contrasting fusion. All of these perennials are sure to keep flowering for many weeks.
• Shrubs for partial shade with a long season of interest could include Hydrangea paniculata ‘Sundae Fraise’, Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki' or Leycesteria ‘Golden Lanterns’.

With the Horsell Garden Safari taking place again this month it’s the perfect opportunity for those not opening to get gardening and inject some colour into their front gardens. So, whether you opt for wildlife-friendly planting, growing herbs or even if you only have room for a window box. You might want to create a theme for your road with your neighbours to tie the front gardens together and create a connected display, such as sunflowers, bee-friendly plants or a colour scheme. You could even do a plant or seed swop. Together let’s make ‘Floral Horsell’ a colourful kaleidoscope.