Plant and Sow Suitable Vegetables and Other Plants in May for a Prosperous Harvest Throughout the Year
Garden, baby, garden! May means it's time to shake off the winter chill, dust off those green thumbs, and get plantin'! Here's the lowdown on what to sow, what to grow, and where to go for some bloomin' inspiration.
May means it's time to kiss goodbye to those frosty mornings and welcome the garden's warmer, brighter days. Greenhouses and windowsills overflow with eager plants eager to stretch their leaves and soak up the sun. Our top recommendations for May gardening include:
- Best flowers: Do your garden - and your soul - a favor with these beauties for May: sunflowers, zinnias, marigolds, and snapdragons. planting some perennials like black-eyed Susans and agastache will give you long-lasting color and help attract pollinators. Add some height and drama with celosia and dahlias.
- Gardens to visit: Snap up a ticket (more on that below) and wander the stunning gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, or the Royal Highland Show in Scotland.
- Sowing and planting: May is the perfect time for sowing salads, carrots, radishes, and tender beans. Not ready for them yet? No worries, greenhouse-sown crops like celeriac, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes can all be planted directly into the soil.
- Summer crops: Don't miss your chance to sow and plant summer-loving crops like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and climbing beans.
To up your gardening game, why not try some companion planting? Mix and match herbs and flowers to create a vibrant, pollinator-friendly patch. For example, a container of tumbling tomatoes, Thai basil, and alyssum will look stunning while providing fresh produce for your kitchen.
Got nature lovers in the family? May is the perfect month to create a wildlife-friendly garden by planting native plants, providing water sources, and avoiding pesticides. Check out our guide to creating a wildlife-friendly garden for more inspiration.
Stuck for space? Vertical gardens and containers can help you make the most of even the smallest gardens or balconies. Add some eye-catching annuals, perennials, and edibles to bring color, texture, and life to your outdoor space.
Now, if you're serious about all things gardening, make sure to sign up to our Chelsea Flower Show newsletter, learn why you shouldn't mow the lawn in May, and grab your tickets for the unmissable Chelsea Flower Show!
[1] Enrichment: Agastache, black-eyed Susan, celosia, dahlia, marigolds, nasturtiums, perennials, sunflowers, zinnias[2] Enrichment: Globe thistle, coneflower, butterfly weed[3] Enrichment: Staking, companion planting, container planting, wildlife-friendly garden[4] Enrichment: Companion planting chart, creative gardening ideas[5] Enrichment: Salvia, Verbena, nemesias, scabious, Pelargoniums, Helichrysum microphyllum, Plectranthus argentatus, cascading Dichondra, Verbena 'Bampton'.
- Sunflowers, zinnias, marigolds, snapdragons, black-eyed Susans, and agastache are some of the best flowers to plant in May, while celosia and dahlias can add height and drama to your garden.
- For inspiration, you can visit the Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, or the Royal Highland Show in Scotland.
- May is the ideal time for sowing salads, carrots, radishes, and tender beans. You can also plant celeriac, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes that were grown in the greenhouse.
