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in the Gardeners' World Awards 2010 has highlighted their popularity.The category for 'Best Plant for Bedding' was won by pansy and viola with a very respectable 20 per cent of the vote. They beat summer favourites like pelargonium with 17 per cent of votes

, or a recent favourite, the fan flower (scaevola).But these large-flowered busy Lizzies kick many other summer bedding plants into second (or third) place. They're stunning! Find a spot they like, which is thankfully a shaded position that most other sun

, and is offered in a range of colours. New for 2010 is the pure white 'Double Click Snow Puff', which has been approved as a new novelty variety by Fleuroselect (a European variety trial organisation looking for the best new bedding plants). Many cosmos come

Who could ever produce enough compost for all their needs? I remember watching the late Geoff Hamilton at Barnsdale week after week on Gardeners' World, using countless buckets of beautiful home-made compost. Every planting hole was filled

to encourage good cross-pollination between plants, each plant needs space to grow. This year each plant is at least 30-45cm (12-18in) from its neighbours, which should be enough.I'm trying a few varieties this year, including 'Swift', which is described as "an

of paying pounds for tubers. Of course they take time to grow and mature, just like any bedding plant, but seed-raised dahlias form tubers too. That means they can get through winter and grow up again the following year.The main gripe I've got with the seed

to everyone.For me it's the single colours that appeal. Bedding plant producers tell me that at retail it's always packs of colour mixtures that sell best, but I always avoid these. OK, so I must be an exception, but thankfully the seed companies cater to my

certainly flourished. It also provides support for a Clematis viticella planted alongside, and I loosely train new shoots up the camellia as they grow.Next come two camellias growing in raised beds in a shaded position. I built low brick walls to create

.Chrysanthemums are cheap, cheerful, and wonderful plants. Just when you've given up on the garden, with summer bedding displays coming to an abrupt end, along come chrysanths to provide the colourful punctuation every garden needs.I mostly use them in pots, pulling out

was first discovered in the UK in about 2003. I've never come across it, and can't recall seeing any letters from Gardeners' World readers about it. But growers I spoke to at the show told me vast bedding displays had been killed off completely