With winter approaching, autumn is the time to clear out the summer bedding and put in those bedding plants that will give you colour from the autumn, through the winter months and into the spring.

The range of winter bedding plants has been extended greatly over the last ten years, with many ranges of winter flowering pansies, including the Delta series, Spring Magic range and the Matrix series which is compact and has an excellent range of colours. All these ranges will flower well from September and October through to next March-April time. The only time they look sad is after a sharp night frost, but once they thaw out, the flowers pop back up as if nothing has happened.

Don't forget the violas which now also flower throughout the winter months and are ideal in tubs and baskets.

Plus of course, there are the old favourites such as polyanthus with their brightly coloured flower stems in spring. Primroses - many colours available. Bellis daisy which give a lovely show of pink, red or white daisies in spring. Sweet Williams - one of the last to come into flower, but well worth the wait and makes a good cut flower. Forget-me-nots with their abundance of small blue, pink or white flowers.

And remember to plant the old fashioned wallflower or 'gillies' that give such a lovely show and scent in spring.

Why not add bulbs to your display to give that extra bit of colour next spring. Bulbs can be planted in pots or bowls for early flowering, put into the base of tubs and then plant bedding on top to give an extra special display in spring, or why not have a good show in the garden.

Remember we can plant up your hanging basket with pansies and bulbs or with a mixture of all winter bedding to give colour throughout the dull winter months.