 Hi all, would like to crank up a bit of winter colour on the old patio, what plants could I stick in the tubs, have buried a few bulbs but am wandering if there`s anything else I an do ?
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Hi Kev, Little hardy Cyclamen are lovely and last ages,when they stop flowering plant themout they come again next year.Winter Pansies are in all the supermarkets now . Joyce
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Cheers Joyce, will have a look for these, what do you mean "plant them out" by the way ? they will already be out 
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In the ground ! As long as you chose the hardy ones they will come again next year.
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Ah the ground a ? chance would be a fine thing Pam, alas there`s nowhere in my garden without tree roots or bricks, I can barely get a spades depth ! can I leave them in the pots and expect them to brighten my winter next year ? thank you both for your advice by the way.
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Hi I put polyanthus,cyclamen,winter pansies and bellis perennis (a daisy type) in pots and hanging baskets. They seem to do quite well although I do not always have success with cyclamen, but I do like them. Cyclamen, winter pansies and polyanthus often come back next year, but they do need to be watered. I usually go to the market and buy my plants cheaply so it doesn't matter too much if last years don't survive. A tray of 6 nicepansies cost me £1. Not bad. Good luck, have fun, Claire
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Claire, thanks for the advice, will write down these plant names and head for Loughborough market, stick em in me pots and look forward to looking out, watching the birds on the feeders and enjoying a splash of winter colour  keep em coming everyone !
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Kev, as Claire says cyclamen aren't that easy and if the weather is severe you might not get that much from them. I have found that I get the best results from polyanthus as they will flower very readily. I don't do so well with pansies for some reason... I think they like plenty of sunshine. But I think polyanthus will flower regardless. As Claire was telling me earlier... make sure you remember to give them some food... something like Osmocote that is dug into the soil would probably be the easiest to do before you plant.
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Agree with Pamela,polyanthus are the easiest although my flowers were decimated last spring and think the blackbird looked very guilty!!!As above , have bought a tray of 6 polyanthus from the market for £1 and in excellent condition. They go so quickly, their is a queue. Hope your local market is as good Kev
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At that price I'm not surprised that they go like hot cakes Claire. I certainly couldn't find them here for that money. Yes, the birds do go for the pretty colours I'm afraid. I've heard if you put orange peel on the lawn ( really pretty!) it detracts them from the polyanthus and crocus. Kev, you could always put a little scarecrow in your pots.
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Will try and remember that when I have a good display,,hopefully! thanks Claire
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My market has quite a good plant stall but he does`nt stand that often so may have to nip to Wyvale and pay garden centre prices, thanks to you ladies I can sound like a propper gardener and ask for stuff by name , Don`t need a scarecrow Pam, my ugly mug looking out the window is enough to scare any living thing away !
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Hope you have a lot of enjoyment choosing your plants. Let us know what you get Claire
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Theres lots of advice for you Kev,I bought trays of Violas in the market today,lots of colours available,I got frosted lilac ond purple. Save some seeds from them for Spring.If you make little pockets among tree roots small cyclamen flower again the next year,mine do, take the seed pods off to keep them flowering longer.
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Joyce, my mum gave me 60 viola plugs but they are so small and don't feel like re=potting. Have just put a few in some hanging baskets with other plants but think the rest will have to go straight in the ground.They will have to be strong and grow .
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Hi ladies, have been to the garden centre today, bought some winter pansies they were on offer at a quid a tray so got loads of em, also got the Polyanthus, gave the Cyclamen`s a miss though as it said they were no good in a frost and would need a fleece in cold weather, went all round town and even baby`s fleeces were far too big to fit a little plant  just have to plant them now, could I put them into the same tubs that I put the bulbs in ? this would give a bit of colour while I wait for the bulbs to "light up" regards Kev
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Hi Kev Yes you can plant them with the bulbs. Sounds like you got a bargain also I bought a load of cyclamens as you know but am not very good with them. Have never protected them from frost so maybe that is why!! I have a large fleece,so maybe I could cut it up but seems a lot of hassle. I have a large bale of hay, maybe that would be ok to cover them with if it gets cold. I do live in the south however so is not too bad here....hopefully!!
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