Things are supposed to happen in April.

The range and depth of flower colour, leaf texture and seed and fruit production abound in the local nurseries and a visit to assess them is a must. Colour is found in all plant types — from annuals to bulbs and shrubs, to trees with vines, ground covers, cacti and succulents.

Annuals are, of course, seasonal, and give colour into the early summer when “garden plants” come into their own.

I am a great believer in the use of ground cover and herbaceous plants, which create the carpet effect as under-plantings, giving flowering colour and leaf texture as relief to the bare soil syndrome. For additional quick infill colour, one can include annuals in this category.

One of the most floriferous ground covers is the lantana, being versatile in its growth habit with varieties being almost groundhuggers in white, mauve and a sprinkling of mixed hues. There is a far wider range of colours in the types which attain heights of between 15 and 36 inches. The secret is to feed them several times in the growing season, either granular or in combination with liquid feed during dry periods, especially after flowering when they should be pruned back to encourage a new flush of growth and flower. From April to November one can expect at least four flowerings if maintained correctly.

Pentas is of a similar nature but more prone to wind damage and caterpillars. There is a dwarf variety and the regular taller types; colours range from pink, white, red, salmon and orange to mauve.

Maintenance is similar to that of the lantana — prune back after flowering. Both lantanas and pentas will give three to four years of good growth.

Salvia greggii can reach 30 inches. Colours which I have used have done well in dry conditions; prune back after each flowering. Salvia leucantha grows about the same height and has purple flowers.

Blue daze creates a blue carpet cover of between six and 12 inches. It grows well in full sun but can look a little “shabby” when not in flower; it’s quite striking when grown alongside plants with dark green foliage.

Shrimp plant is an old favourite requiring a protected area. It’s a low shrub with “flowers” of yellow or salmon; prune back hard after flowering. Chinese violet is a rampant grower but covers the ground with masses of violet-like flowers. It has a tendency to ramble through neighbouring plants, but with care is a good subject for suppressing weed growth whilst creating interest. After flowering cut hard back.

Coral creeper is rampant with coral-coloured flowers, rambles through neighbouring plants and is very adept at suppressing weed growth. It tends to be more of a carpet hugger than shrubby nature.

Lavender scallops has a bluish hue to the foliage, tinged on edges with a reddish purple.

Its flowers are a pale coral-apricot on spikes. Very hardy, it will grow to 12 inches with the foliage being the dominant feature. Cut hard back after flowering.

For a change of pace, consider using foliage as an interest — numerous plants with sword-like foliage interplanted with above ground covers.

Some have both flower and foliage to hold the attention, such as variegated Tasman flax lily which has green and white striped foliage and small dainty light bluish flowers. Peacock flower has yellow flowers with brown spots growing from sword-like foliage. As they mature the clumps can be split up and replanted. It prefers a slightly shady or dappled light. Other colours include white and brown; they can reach 24 inches. I often use vines as a ground cover, my favourites being Mexican flame vine, which is a quick grower and blooms almost throughout the warmer months into the “autumn”, and trachelospermum asiaticum.

The latter has whitish flowers that will “hug” the ground or ramble through neighbouring foliage.