Recommended flowers for beginners please

If you have a recommendation for a flower/shrub/tree/climber/fruits etc that looks nice, is easy to grow and doesn't die easily let us know - please say what it is (what type of plant) and maybe what's good about it.

 

I have never seen geums fail to flourish - and they are very cheery! Very nice mixed with ajuga and london pride at this time of year. Both of those are well-nigh unkillable as well.

 

Shrubs like Forsythia, Skimmia, Buddleias and lots of others you can find in many of the super-stores. Some of the plants (flowers and shrubs) you need to check how they perform in the shade assuming you may be gardening in sun and shade. Favourite climbers are the Clematis and Passionflower varieties as well as Honeysuckle and Campsia. Trees I'm not good with but dependent on the size of garden you can look at typical woodland trees like Beech and Oak, etc also lots of varieties of decorative trees include Catalpa, Acacia and Laburnum all easy to
grow and attractive in summer.
There are lots of plants which meet your needs but it's always good fun to try something different in the garden.

 

No garden is complete without a kerria japonica 'floreplena'

 

Annuals: nasturtiums and love-in-the-mist are a guaranteed success and lovely. Also californian poppies if you have a sunny spot. Pot marigolds (Calendula officinalis) are a safe bet too.

Perennials: a really easy favourite of mine is geranium machroryzzum (I am never sureabout the spelling though), it is a very effective ground cover, it comes in various colours, the type being magenta (eeeek!!!). The flowers are not it's best feature. I grow it for the beautiful and velvety leaves, which smell lovely. Bergenias are easy too, and they come also in white, not only pink. Columbines come in all shapes sizes and colours and they are easy going and beautiful.

Shrubs: most hydrangeas are really easy and great satisfaction, also in shady places (perhaps especially in shady places). Only rule is: water well. Unlike roses they mostly do without spraying and they look good even without pruning.If you live in a very cold place better chose "Annabelle", she fears nothing.
Laurels (Laurocerasus) are unkillable but mostly misused (at least in Italy where they are chopped to bits in narrow hedges, yuck) if you have space for a dignified, faithful, majestic evergreen shrub plant a Laurocerasus "Otto Luykien" and leave it unpruned. It's a beauty.

 

defo hydrangeas - but only in shady spots I'd say... I dont do well with them in sunshine (but then i dont have a great track record!!)

Mysembreanthemums (sp?) - pretty daisy type flowers which follow the sun round during the day, lovely.

Geraniums - super easy, just need a bit of water

lupins, same, a stake and some water and they are away

strawberries (espc if you get a strawberry pot!!)

lavender - just prune it a bit to stop it getting woody

sweetpeas - especially if you dont use seeds and you buy plugs from the garden centre! They do need feeding and lots of water though!

Basically I'd say all of these are ok - I tend to kill lots but these have survived my rubbish gardening skills! I'd just say regular watering would keep em happy!

 

Herbs are brilliant for any garden you can grow them in pots, hanging baskets or in the ground and of course the best part is that you can use them in your cooking! Hel.xxx.

 

Having looked at that site myself Marley Farley,what a brilliant site.Is there anything they dont cover?.