Flowers: A question for the panel

I struggle to organise the flower spaces in the garden. The spring is beautiful with bulbs but as the season progresses it loses a lot of its colour. I could, if I was inclined, research, buy and plant things from the garden centre but I'm tight and  time is always short when these things should be done,  as the veg patch takes all my concentration. 

As an experiment,  In an ideal world, if you had say a 2m² bed,  what flowering/colourful plants would you plant to give some colour for the main seasons, I'll let you off winter, if that makes it easier.  I think SC will be a dab hand at this one.

I'd fill it with repeat flowering perennials, not bedding plants. Not sure what as I'm not really a flower grower.

I'd fill it with repeat flowering perennials, not bedding plants. Not sure what as I'm not really a flower grower.

I was thinking perennials, the plant and forget type. Neither am I a flower person, that's my problem.  Is it a case you're either one or the other?

Lupins, pansy/ violas, sweet William. Lots of lovely colours to choose from. And long flowering especially if dead headed. But that could be said about most things. Aquilegia again lot of colours and seed head give texture to the flower bed once flowering has finished. Scabious, if you get several different varieties that’ll make for a long flowering season. All the above except aquilegia can be grown from seed very easily, aquilegia can be a bit tricky. Then you can add a couple of show stoppers lilies and peonies. Not the longest flowering season but spectacular when they are out. Then repeat flowering roses. Depending on variety can flower from spring to late autumn. Then there’s a multitude of flowering shrubs. Camelia, hebe, escallonia, winter flowering jasmine (mine is confused, it’s flowering now), hydrangeas. Lots more choices of shrubs out there , but I know all I’ve listed as am growing them.
Then you’ve got your summer flowering bulbs, alliums. Again lots of varieties to make a reasonable long lasting show, gladioli. If you’ve any space left. You can throw some annual flower seeds in gaps.

I almost forgot all the different varieties of rudbeckia and echinacea. Also easy from seed and lots of stunning colours.
That should do you for a start.

Thanks SC. The bed is actually hypothetical. I'm just looking for inspiration. I rather like penstemon but I'm having difficulty keeping them alive. I need something to be flowering now as my flower border is looking very dull.

Lupins, pansy/ viola sweet William all flowering now. Aquilegia has finished, peonies & lilies flowering now.
Off to the garden centre you go.   . I highly recommend you plant now for a colourful display this time next year. Or you’re going to spend a fortune. We all know how much you don’t like doing that   . Hitting the garden centre not the daftest idea. Especially if you go straight to the reduced section. You might pick up some aquilegia (and other things) cheap that have finished flowering.

Also being the very sensible girl you are  , make a list of what flowers you want and hit the Black Friday seed sales. Then you can have seed trays all over your window cills for even longer   .

But you will have the most splendid flower bed next year.
Flower gardening is the same as vegetable gardening, no quick fixes available.

Aquilegia are in the wings thinking about germinating, I hope. Lupins have died on me regularly. Tbh the bed needs to be weeded, dug, enriched and replanned but what you suggest is feasible and very sensible..... definitely unlikely in this house