Double petunias are quaint and charming and would make a Victorian lady swoon. 'Purple Pirouette' resembles a frilly Victorian frock. 'Valentine' is a luscious pink and looks like a carnation.

Milliflora petunias are hybrids that are about two-thirds the size of normal plants. This classification was introduced in 1996 to describe this breakthrough in plant development.

Collecting seeds from garden plants to plant next year may seem like a good way to save money, but you may be in for a surprise. Some seeds can be saved from year to year with good results, ...

Petunias: still blazing their trail after all these years Petunias are great for non-stop colour – and this is your last chance to order plug plants for summer. Graham Rice picks out the best.

Over time, improvements were made in seed petunias, culminating in the super-marketed Wave series developed by the Japanese beer company Kirin.

Petunias grown outdoors begin blooming in the early summer and continue until killed by frost. Petunia plants may grow straight up or sprawl depending, in part, on the cultivar.

Plants also became more weather-resistant. Petunias were the first ornamentals bred specifically as bedding plants in the 1950s.

Petunia Neptune is a grandiflora or double petunia, meaning that the plants will have masses of large flowers, each around 10cms in diameter.