We live in a little rented cottage and have a small garden with patio a small square of lawn. A willow tree and an apple tree and space for some plants (maybe bedding plants like pansies). The problem is there is not much colour. Can anyone reccomend some colourful easy to care for plants that won't cost much to go in pots and the garden? Also I'd like to attract butterflies and wildlife. The plants will have to be non poisonous to pets. I live in the UK if that makes any difference. x x x

myself, for low care, low cost and colour, I've used blackeyed susans and shasta daisies. Their perennials (return each year) and can be potted or ground planted. The yellow/black of the blackeyed susans and the white/yellow of the daisies are a beautiful match. (And I have a dog, so pets do come into the equation for myself as well.)

As for butterflies/wildlife, be careful. Usually whatever strongly attracts butterflies are also quite attractive to honeybees.
There are so many kinds of plants for this. I'd suggest taking the time to google "plants that attract butterflies" and go through those choices. GL

Grow some tomatoes, they give you beautiful fruits and vegetable for dinner. Beans(Scrlat Runner - Red flower) are also good as they flower beautifully.

Attract some pollinators - Aster, Fireweed, Lemon blam, Linden and sea holly

Herbs with colour -
Basil - 'Dark Opal' : Deep purple leaves and stem
Bay - 'Golden Bay' : Golden leaves
Lemon balm, variegated : Gold-splashed
Sage - Icterina : Yellow variegated leaves
- Pupurascens : Purple leaf
- Tricolor : Purple, deep, pink and white variegated leaves
Sorrel - red : Red-veined leaves
Thyme, lemom - argenteus : Silver-edged leaves
- Aureus : Gold-edged leaves

Edible Flowers - borage, calendula, pansies, chives,nasturtiums, daylilies and scented geraniums

Hello,, geraniums do very well in pots,, and they come in a variety of color, and humming birds love them. Plant some Canna's,, or gladiolas, their gorgeous flowers, humming birds love them,, and their an anual ,, so they come back year after year. One thing about Canna's,, the leaves and flowers are not poisonus,, but the bulbs are. So if you have to dig them up over the winter,, be sure you get some dry sand,, put it in a bucket, cover your bulbs,, don't water them,, and put them in a safe place. Preferrable where they can't freeze. Impatience or marigold would do really good in shady areas,, and if you keep them in a flowere bed,, the marigolds will come back the next year,, or once the flowers dry up,, just pic the petals and replant them next year. Hope this helped. Oh and dianthias are gorgeous,, they come in some of the most beautiful colors,, their super easy to care for and theycome back year after year

Ma'am, you are right to suggest pots and containers. I use a mixture of purchased ones and such things as old car tyres, painted. I have some wooden troughs from garden centres, although they are a little more expensive - but even old bits of log nailed together for 'rustic' containers.

As for flowers, try crocuses around the tree bases for next spring.

For this summer, you are just in time for the following.

'Busy Lizzies' (Impatiens). Cheap and colourful. There are now many more varieties than the 'standard' pink ones. They grow quickly. You can cut off some healthy stalks at the end of the growing season and put them in old coffee or jam jars in water. Roots grow in abundance and you can plant them out next year for free! Flowers soon grow again.

Petunias. Many colours available. Cheap and hardy. Prolific flowering. Great value.

Pansies in pots (or in beds, as you mention) always do well. Very hardy for delicate looking flowers. I have had some still flowering in the frost!

Snapdragons. Again hardy, and some will come back next year, even if you do nothing to protect them in winter!

Osteospermums. I cannot speak too highly of these. Daisy-like, with many colours available. About a foot in height. Cheap and incredibly hardy. They keep trying to grow even through snow - and come back in full next year. Try stopping them!

Dwarf Geraniums. A change from the usual kind. Look like small roses and they keep flowering! I use some in 'cheap man's hanging baskets' i.e. ordinary plastic pots hung from fences, drainpipes, etc.

Asiatic Lilies. A little more expensive but again hardy, exotic and beautiful, with large flowers. Many colours now available. Hardy and they keep coming back for free! Disadvantage: the fantastic flowers last only for a few weeks.

Sweet Williams. Beautiful little flowers with intense colours. You can't stop them coming back - for free, although they do not 'take over'. Long-lasting.

Begonias are cheap but beware of putting more than one or two close together, as they grow quickly. Nice, delicate flowers but quite a lot of foliage.

Lobelia. Very delicate and usually blue. I marvel at their ability to sow themselves and grow up even through tarmac and concrete! No damage, as they are small. Great in hanging baskets and as a 'surround' in pots containing other plants.

Hanging baskets can be bought cheaply, with growing medium. Most of the plants mentioned can be put into them. 'Morning Glory' is a good trailing plant for baskets.

There are many other flowers to suit your needs but the ones I have suggested will bring you the colour you require, and quite quickly. All of the plants mentioned fit your requirements for cost-effectiveness, easy-care, non-toxic to pets and attract butterflies - and bumble bees.

My U.K. garden was 'worse' originally than yours. It was a tarmac and concrete back garden! It has been transformed by the pots mentioned and by a few raised beds. I am not a gardener but an 'experimenter'. Some failures, yes - but mostly great success with the plants mentioned. I break all the rules and I even allow poppies to grow as they wish! Once established they can overwhelm a garden - but I simply 'rip them out' where not needed! The same for weeds.

For all of the plants I have chosen, they have in common hardiness, low maintenance, maximum flowering and easy to plant. I use supermarket compost - which is cheap - and I put shards of old pots - or gravel - in the bottoms of the pots for drainage.

You mentioned attracting wildlife. Some you do not want like snails and slugs. I put my pots on those plastic saucers you can buy cheaply - but upside down to keep them off the ground to avoid waterlogging. I then sprinkle anti-slug pellets around the bases of these saucers. Works well. No problem for cats, dogs, etc. - but not near to fish ponds.

As a 'biological control' I like to use 'mini-ponds' for frogs. I have a small glass tank, sunk into the soil, plus one of those plastic 'shapes' you can buy at garden centres, again sunk into the soil. I have pumps and lights but these are not essential, unless you wish. Change the water from time to time and remove weed and algae growth. 'Marginal plants' from garden centres, can be put into the shallow water. Mine have done well, including lovely irises which come back each year. The frogs soon come and they control slugs and snails. Don't watch if you are squeamish!

Squirrels will soon find your plants but the ones I have mentioned are of little value to them, although they may dig holes to bury their nuts! Hedgehogs may take up residence if there is good cover.

For birds, why not buy a cheap bird table or set up a bird-hut on one of your trees? I have blue t*ts regularly nesting. Robins are in abundance - but they are predatory. Very cheeky, as they will come up to you and demand food!

Buy a plastic bin and squash leaf droppings into it at the end of the season. Punch holes in the bin to allow aeration and for worms, etc. Pile your old vegetable peelings on top as well. In time, you will get a free, ready-made compost for next year's plants.

Sorry for the book - but you asked for it! Best wishes.

you have a lot of good answers.

one suggestion on cheap, take a walk in evening when neighbors are out working on gardens. If you admire one, let them know and ask if you can have some of their perennials. Offer to pay, but very likely they will be happy to give you some if they are proud of their garden and you will have found a friend.