Know your plants: a simple guide to plant types
Not sure which plants will thrive in your garden? We’ve got you covered. Whether you're after year-round colour, easy-care greenery or seasonal showstoppers, understanding different plant types is the key to a flourishing outdoor space. From perennials to decorative grasses, this guide will help you find the perfect plants for your garden – with expert tips on how to keep them looking their best.
Bedding plants
The instant mood-boosters of the garden. Bedding plants bring vibrant colour to every season, turning flower beds, borders, and hanging baskets into showstoppers. Whether you’re growing from seed or picking up ready-to-plant blooms, these beauties are the perfect finishing touch – ideal for brightening up patios, pathways, and front doors.
Alpines
Small but seriously tough. Alpines come from mountainous regions, meaning they thrive in harsh conditions and exposed spots. Low-growing and bursting with delicate, jewel-like flowers, they’re great for rockeries, containers, or adding colour to even the tiniest garden spaces. Resilient, compact, and easy to care for – perfect for beginners and busy gardeners alike.
Decorative grasses
Think beyond the bowling green style-turf and explore decorative grasses for your borders. As many gardeners look to more natural ways of planting, grasses are becoming very popular. Unpretentious and delicate, grasses bring an elegant and calming feel to your garden. They add a sensory element to your outdoor space with their different textures, shades, and even sounds as the breeze catches them – the perfect backdrop for the moment with your morning tea or evening drinks.
Perennials
The plants that keep on giving. Unlike annuals, which last a single season, perennials return year after year – growing stronger and more stunning with time. They may take a little patience to establish, but they’re worth the wait, bringing long-term colour and structure to your garden. A smart investment for gardeners who love reliable beauty.
Shrubs
A garden wouldn’t be complete without shrubs, they’re the heart of your outdoor space. The low woody stems and leaves that come in every shape add a sculptural focal point to your garden design. Use them as hedging, a natural backdrop, or for a real talking point when they’re in full bloom. Shrubs are a real favourite of ours, so we have a huge variety to choose from and fresh stock throughout the year.
Find the perfect plants for your garden
With over 300 garden centres and more than 2,000 plant varieties, we’ve got everything from vibrant dahlias to hardy shrubs. Whether you’re after low-maintenance greenery, long-lasting perennials, or tough-as-nails alpines, our guides will help you find the right plants for your space.
We work closely with our growers to bring you top-quality plants – visiting nurseries, monitoring growth, and handpicking the best varieties. Once they arrive in-store, we keep them in top condition.
