By Maggieh
United Kingdom 
we are planning a family wedding in june 2012 in our garden. can you suggest seeds to plant now and throughout the coming year so that we have a cheap, cheerful yet colourful show? Would it be possible to plant an archway with roses/clematis etc this summer so that we have a show next year or haven't we enough time? MARGARET
15 Jun, 2011
Is the garden in sun or shade? Is the soil dry or moist?
Some ideas:
For moist positions in a fairly sunny position, candelabra primulas would give lots of colour; if it's shadier you could have astrantias (not bright but cool and elegant).
For drier spots in sun, try pinks or helianthemums
You could certainly get a good show next year from clematis on an archway if they were planted asap. You want early large-flowered varieties such as Warsaw Nike (rich purple), Comtesse de Bouchard (pink), Niobe (red), General Sikorski (blue) or Marie Boisselot (white).
Roses are reliable but probably won't have made enough growth to cover the arch by next year.
15 Jun, 2011