Step-by-Step Guide

Getting Your Collection Off to the Best Start

Thank you for choosing a Newlands Nursery collection.

Every collection has been carefully designed to work together, making it easy to create a beautiful display without the guesswork. Whether you've chosen a patio container, hanging basket or border collection, a little preparation before planting will help your plants establish quickly and perform at their very best.

The good news is that planting a collection is straightforward. By following a few simple steps, you'll give your plants the strongest possible start and enjoy a display that develops beautifully over the weeks ahead.

This guide will take you through the entire process, from opening the box to caring for your collection after planting.

Need to know

• Unpack your plants as soon as possible after delivery.

• Water the plants if they feel dry before planting.

• Prepare your container or border before you begin.

• Arrange the plants before planting.

• Plant at the same depth as they were growing in their pots.

• Water thoroughly after planting.

• Keep newly planted collections well watered while they establish.

• Feed regularly during the growing season for the best results.

Watch the guide

Step 1

Unpack Your Plants

Open your parcel as soon as possible after it arrives.

Carefully remove each plant from the box and check that everything has travelled well. It's perfectly normal for plants to move slightly during transport and a few leaves may have become bent or marked during the journey.

If you can't plant immediately, place the plants somewhere bright and sheltered outdoors, out of strong midday sunshine and protected from frost if necessary.

Check the compost in each pot. If it feels dry, give the plants a gentle watering before planting.

Step 2

Prepare Your Planting Area

Before planting, decide where your collection is going to grow.

Some Newlands Nursery collections are designed for patio containers or hanging baskets, while others are intended for planting directly into borders.

Clean containers if necessary, make sure drainage holes are clear and use fresh, high-quality compost. If you're planting into the garden, remove weeds, improve the soil where needed and make sure the planting area is ready before you begin.

A little preparation now will reward you with healthier plants and stronger growth throughout the season.

Step 3

Plan Your Layout

Before planting anything, position your plants where you think they will look best.

If you're creating a container, think about height, colour and shape. Taller plants usually look best towards the centre or back, while lower-growing or trailing plants soften the edges.

If you're planting into a border, think about spacing, mature height and how each plant will grow over the coming months.

Taking a few extra minutes now almost always creates a more balanced and attractive display.

Step 4

Plant Your Collection

The way you plant your collection depends on the type of plants you've purchased.

If you've purchased plugs, plant each plug carefully into prepared compost or soil at the same depth it was growing previously. Firm gently around the roots and water thoroughly after planting.

If you've purchased established potted plants, remove each plant carefully from its pot, supporting the root ball rather than pulling on the stems. Plant at the same depth it was growing in the pot and gently firm the compost or soil around the roots before watering thoroughly.

Whichever type of collection you've chosen, avoid planting too deeply and give each plant enough room to develop naturally.

Step 5

Help Your Collection Settle In

The first few weeks are all about helping your plants establish.

Keep the compost or soil evenly moist, especially during warm weather, but avoid leaving plants sitting in water. Newly planted collections need a little extra attention while their roots establish.

As the weeks pass, you'll notice the plants begin to grow together, filling the available space and creating the display they were designed to become.

Step 6

Looking After Your Collection

Continue watering whenever the compost or soil begins to dry and feed your collection while the plants are actively growing.

Remove faded flowers, tidy damaged foliage and keep an eye out for any weeds that may appear.

Small jobs carried out regularly are much easier than leaving everything until later and will keep your collection looking its best throughout the season.

Step 7

Watch Your Collection Develop

Don't expect your collection to look its absolute best on planting day.

Like every garden, it takes a little time for plants to settle, establish and grow together. Some varieties put their energy into developing strong roots before producing lots of new growth, while others quickly begin filling the available space.

One of the real pleasures of growing a collection is watching it change week by week. With a little patience and regular care, your display will become fuller, more colourful and even more impressive as the season progresses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions

It is perfectly normal for plants to take a little time to establish after planting.

Some varieties begin growing almost immediately, while others spend several weeks developing their root system before producing noticeable new growth.

Don't worry if your collection doesn't look completely full on day one. The planting plans are designed with future growth in mind, and the plants will naturally knit together over the coming weeks.

The healthiest and most attractive displays are rarely the ones that look finished on the day they're planted.

From the grower

Alan's Top Tip

One of the biggest lessons we've learnt after growing hundreds of thousands of plants is that great gardens aren't created in a day. Give your collection the right conditions, a little patience and regular care, and it will reward you far more than trying to rush the process. The very best displays always develop over time.

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