Alan's Bio:
Alan, a 3rd generation Nurseryman has been working on the family nursery for 24 years. His experience in gardening includes, designing award winning RHS displays, maintaining gardens, big and small and growing plants commercially for garden centres and the gardeners alike.
Alan's top plants to buy in April 2025
April's pretty much spot on for getting your garden going. Frost's usually gone, the ground's warming up nicely, and it's the perfect time to think about summer flowers and veg. Here's my list of top plants to buy in April 2025. You'll find all the usual suspects, plus a few new bits and bobs, all ideal for growing in the UK, and they'll really brighten up your garden this year, whether you're after colour, something interesting, or something tasty.
Dahlia Tubers
Here at Newland Nursery we are crazy about Dahlias! They are such a versatile flower with a huge range of colours, shapes and sizes. Whether you are dreaming about pom-pom flowers in your borders or large dinner-plate blooms in your vases, there is a dahlia for you.
Why plant in April?
April's your best bet for dahlia tubers, yeah? Ground's warming up, less risk of frost to worry about, and you're getting them going before the summer rush. And come July and August you will be getting your first signs of flowers.
Salvia
If you're after plants that are both beautiful and magnets for bees and butterflies, Salvias are the perfect choice. Our collection of salvia plants is bursting with colour and interest and will add a touch of magic to your garden or containers. These perennial plants will flower all summer and continue into the autumn, and they're surprisingly easy to grow. So, whether you're looking for bright, bold colours or delicate shades, there's a salvia for you.
For such a strong-growing plant, they are surprisingly drought tolerant and, along with all of that, they are available in an array of stunning colours.
Penstemon
If you're looking for a plant that is both elegant and reliable, you can't go wrong with penstemons. Our Penstemon collection at Newlands Nursery is brimming with varieties that will add a touch of elegance to your garden or containers. What makes penstemons so special is that they are easy to care for, available in an array of different colours, and will flower for a very longperiod of time. These hardy perennial plants always brighten up a garden.
Chilli Plants
If you're a chilli fan, then look no further. Our range of chillies ranges from scorchingly hot to mild and flavourful. So, if you love picking homegrown chillies, this is the range for you. All of our varieties have been tried and tested for the UK gardener to make sure you get the crop you want. So, whether you want to add some extreme heat to your dishes or prefer a mild chilli to add to a salad, make sure you take a look at the range.
Petunia
Petunias have been a mainstay in UK gardens for decades. These easy-to-grow plants have found a place in both our hearts and gardens. With their easy-to-care-for nature and masses of flowers, it's hard not to love these plants. Petunia breeding and new varieties have come a long way over the last few years, meaning there are even more fantastic varieties to choose from, safe in the knowledge that these plants are easy to get to perform in your garden.
Begonia
Begonias have long been a favourite in gardens in the UK, and with good reason. They are surprisingly low-maintenance, only needing a bit of water and the occasional feed to thrive. Our collection of Begonias really does have something for everyone, from upright varieties for borders and containers to trailing types for hanging baskets. We even have the lovely scented varieties of fragrant falls. So, if you like flowers all summer from a bedding plant that doesn't require too much work, these could be for you.
Scented Geranium
Not just your average geraniums, as the name suggests, these wonderful plants are scented too. The leaves have wonderful fragrances, ranging from refreshing lemon to pine-scented. We even have a chocolate-scented variety. Scented geraniums are a very popular plant, mainly due to their versatility; they grow well in pots on the patio, in the garden in the summer months, or even on a bright windowsill. So, if you are looking for flowers in your garden but fancy a bit of fragrance too, these are the plants for you.