# What is the difference between bedding plants and summer bedding plants?



## Dave7 (8 Jul 2020)

Besides the obvious.
A few weeks ago we tried to get more bedding plants......sold out every where.
Aldi are now advertising that, this Thursday, they will be selling Summer Bedding plants.
So, as per title, what is the difference?


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## Slick (8 Jul 2020)

Summer bedding plants are not hardy so need to be planted later to avoid the frost.

That's my understanding anyway.


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## tom73 (8 Jul 2020)

The simple way to look at it is all bedding really means is they are on the whole temporary. The word in front is more to do with the time of year you plant/use them.


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## Dave 123 (9 Jul 2020)

Here is a generalisation 

Summer-
Geraniums, Lobelia, Begonia etc

Winter/Spring/Autumn
Primrose, polyanthus, forget me not, Narcissus, hyacinth.
All of the above plants are either slightly tender and/or able to self seed. 
Begonia and geraniums will survive a winter if protected which makes them biennial/perennials but they are annual bedding and summer bedding.

Narcissus are bulbs, but can also be used in winter/spring bedding. You plant them in the autumn.

Bet you wish you’d never asked!


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## PaulSB (9 Jul 2020)

Dave7 said:


> Besides the obvious.
> A few weeks ago we tried to get more bedding plants......sold out every where.
> Aldi are now advertising that, this Thursday, they will be selling Summer Bedding plants.
> So, as per title, what is the difference?


As posted above bedding plants are plants which are typical grown to provide quick easy, usually short lived seasonal colour. Typically they are grouped as autumn (also referred to as winter), spring and summer bedding though when people speak of "bedding plants" they most likely ar referring to summer bedding. These days a very wide range of plants are offered as bedding but traditionally the main group would be, typically retailers will offer these in packs of 6,9 or 12:

Summer Bedding
Alyssum, Antirrhinum, Begonia, Cineraria, Coleus, Cosmos, Dianthus, Dahlia, Gazania, Impatiens (Busy Lizzie), Lobelia, Marigold, Mimulus, Nemesia, Nicotiana, Petunia, Salvia, Stocks

Autumn/Spring
Bellis, Cineraria, Cyclamen, Myosotis (Forget Me Not), Pansy, Polyanthus, Primrose, Viola, Wallflower

Just to be clear Primrose, Polyanthus, Forget me Not, Narcissus and Hyacinth are all hardy, they are not tender. However most summer bedding plants are tender or at best half-hardy. Begonia semperflorens (the Begonia most commonly grown for bedding) is a half-hardy perennial as are common bedding Geraniums - they are not biennial. A good example of biennial is the foxglove, seed germinates and plants grow in year one, dormant over winter, flower in year two and then die - there are some exceptions but let's not go there.

What ALDI are offering on Thursday are 2 litre pot grown Begonia, Busy Lizzie, Petunia and Marigold. I know where they come from - get in early and they will be good


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## Slick (9 Jul 2020)

PaulSB said:


> As posted above bedding plants are plants which are typical grown to provide quick easy, usually short lived seasonal colour. Typically they are grouped as autumn (also referred to as winter), spring and summer bedding though when people speak of "bedding plants" they most likely ar referring to summer bedding. These days a very wide range of plants are offered as bedding but traditionally the main group would be. Typically retailers will offer these in packs of 6,9 or 12:
> 
> Summer Bedding
> Alyssum, Antirrhinum, Begonia, Cineraria, Coleus, Cosmos, Dianthus, Dahlia, Gazania, Impatiens (Busy Lizzie), Lobelia, Marigold, Mimulus, Nemesia, Nicotiana, Petunia, Salvia, Stocks
> ...


Today?


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## PaulSB (9 Jul 2020)

Slick said:


> Today?


Sorry I'm retired and with Covid-19 it truly is becoming very hard to know what day it is!!!!


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## Andy_R (9 Jul 2020)

Summer bedding plants, and some aren't.


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