As the first spring flowers such as primulas and daffodils start to appear in gardens around the country our thoughts turn to preparing planters, beds and pots ready to plant summer flowering plants. One of the most colourful and easy to grow are begonias with their delicate flowers and luscious green leaves they are a firm favourite with gardeners.
Buying begonias that are ready to plant out could not be easier as they are sold in many supermarkets but if you want some of the more unusual varieties it is better to source them from a garden centre. You can of course grow them from seed quite cheaply if you have room in a warm place for trays of seedlings to grow. This is a more economical option if you want los of plants. It is not easy to get begonias to come back the following year unless they are protected from frost, but they are cheap to buy so it is probably better to plant new stock each summer. The plants may look small to begin with but with care and regular watering begonias quickly bush out and fill up the pots and hanging baskets that they are planted in providing a colourful display throughout the summer months.