Yes you can plant them straight into the ground, but let the soil warm up a bit more. If you want to give them a head start, yes you can start them off in pots then transfer them to the garden in May.

In the UK, its usual to pot them up indoors or in a greenhouse to get them growing well, until May when they can then be hardened off and planted out. If you plant straight out now, growth will be slow and they may not come into flower till very late in the growing season.

Bamboo is correct you need to pot them up until all danger of frosts has gone. Then you can plant them out side. In the UK that usually means mid to end of May depending where you are in the UK.

SBG, that's exactly what I said in the first place.

yes you did say when the soil warms up and May but we get frosts despite the soil being warm so I was adding that extra bit and agreeing with Bamboo.

still singing from the same hymn sheet.

I don't understand you at all.

hakuna matata - no worries :o)

ok no worries :)