Growth is now in full flow and flowering should be in abundance displaying the many shapes sizes and colours the garden has to offer. As in many cases some plantings may not be up to par or have just simply passed their expiry date, in which case replacement plants should be considered.

Beauty and interest are found in many ways, from colour and architectural appearance of the bark, to flower shape, colour and longevity as well as foliage shape and colour. Other enhancements include seed and fruit production both adding interest as well as extending the interest level in the garden.

Taking into consideration the fact that flowers are an ever-present source of interest to birds and insects and of use to those who dabble in flower arranging, making the bounty of the garden well worth maintaining for as long as possible through the year.

Selection should be viewed with location as plants vary in their tolerance to wind, salt spray and shade or too much sun. Soil depth is also important in ensuring plant roots have a good depth for securing an anchoring of root growth.

Large planting holes will always benefit good growth and an anchor for holding the plant in place during stormy weather.

A garden mix usually comprises a selection of bulbous, herbaceous, ground cover, shrubs, palms, trees and vines often with a mix of cacti and succulents and ferns.

On larger properties fruit trees can be incorporated into the flower beds or simply as standalone specimens.

From an interest level select plants that will flower several times in the season, whilst plantings ‘neighbourly’ specimens with overlapping flowering times, this will also follow through with the seeding and fruiting where this occurs.

Cacti and succulents are architectural in nature with interesting shapes, colour and form and stand out amidst neighbouring plantings.

Starting with the ‘foundation’ plantings, consider plants which make bold statements either as single specimens or as group planting, as for example Loquat — Eriobotrya japonica, a small tree that has evergreen deep green foliage, “interesting” flowers followed by the ever-popular fruit.

Plumeria rubra — Frangipani, a deciduous small tree with bright reddish yellow fused flowers. Sabinea carinalis — Caribwood, deciduous prefers a sheltered location, carmine coloured flowers in spring. Cordia sebestena — Scarlet Cordia, a rerlatively small tree with scarlet-coloured blooms.

For exposed areas, consider the Coccoloba uvifera — Baygrape very hardy with interesting foliage and grape shaped seed. Callistemon viminalis — Bottle Brush with its showy red bottle-brush shaped flowers adds a touch of interest in any garden.

Large shrubs to consider include, Thevetia peruviana — Lucky Nut, which is related to the Oleander, has yellow or orange blossoms a fast grower making a bold statement.

Grewia occidentalis — Lavender Starbush produces star like mauve flowers several times a year, forms a ice symmetrical shape as it matures.

Feijoa sellowiana — Pineapple Guava has attractive flowers followed by fruits enhancing the interest level within the flower bed.

Medium and small shrubs are usually the mainstay of a garden with numerous interesting species worth growing, including, Jatropha hastata — Peregrine with its floriferous nature of reddish flowers blooming throughout the year.

Plumbago auriculata, having white or blue flowers throughout the year when pruned after each flush. Leucophyllum frutescens — Barometer Bush has silver foliage and lavender blossoms making an interesting contrast to neighbouring plantings. Plants with variegated foliage create a visual contrast to flowering species and include, Codiaeum variegatum — Croton, Breynia disticha — Snow plant with its pink, green and white fused foliage, especially attractive when the foliage is young.

Most palms prefer a protected location and type of palm is important to keep the visual impact within the garden setting; I would not recommend palms having long trunks as when mature the main focus is like viewing a telephone pole; consider smaller species such as the Mascarena lagenicaulis — Bottle palms and the M. verschaffeltii — Spindle palm, or as a cluster palm, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens — Bamboo palms or Chamaerops humilis — European Fan palm.

For in-filling between foundation plantings the low growing shrubs such as Lantana “vars” and Pentas “vars” having numerous colours are great for colour and weed control, the creeping rosemary Rosmarinus o. prostrates has evergreen foliage and blue flowers, acting as a carpet cover to suppress weed growth.

The Australian rosemary Westringia rosmariniformis is of a similar habit but more of a clumpier growth. For shady areas, Ophiopogon sp make good tight growth and control weed growth while creating a carpet of green.

The Nephrolepis species of fern are also ideal in shady areas and form a diverse leaf shape to their surrounding neighbours. Introducing areas of sword like growth in the form of grasses such as Pennisetum setaceum purpureum — Purple fountain grass and Setaria palmifolia — Accordion grass enhances any planting area.

Succulents to consider include Aloe vera, a clumping species with yellow flowers, and Ehphorbia splendens millii — Crown of thorns a low compact prickly species with red flowers.

The choice of material to include in the garden is vast; however, overplanting is just as much a sin as underplanting; the flower bed is an open palette on which to create a masterpiece, the result is your interpretation.

• Malcolm D. Griffiths is a trained horticulturalist and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture in Britain. He is also past president of the Bermuda Horticultural Society, the Bermuda Orchid Society and the Bermuda Botanical Society