Taking Care of your Flower Garden During the Summer

If you want to have a gorgeous, healthy, garden that is full of life in the hot summer months, then there are important tasks that need to be done in every season. Winter requires final dead heading of spent blooms and the application of a generous layer of compost. Spring brings the need to turn some soil to mix in the remaining compost, remove or move some plants, prune plants ahead of initial growth, and transplant plants into the garden beds that you started inside. Autumn is the time to dead head blossoms and collect seeds, divide plants, and do some pruning. Many think that summer is the time to sit back and simply watch everything grow. While that is part of summer’s allure, there is work to be done in the garden to maintain its health and productivity.

First and foremost in summer is the need to keep the garden irrigated. If it’s a rainy summer nature will do this for you. But many regions have occasional dry summers or dry spells, and that is the time to get out the hose and sprinkler to offer your flowers a refreshing drink that will keep them producing happily. In addition to keeping a close eye on moisture levels, here is a to-do list for the hot, sunny days of summer.

1. Take notes! This is a great time to look over your garden and take notes on which plants you like and which ones you’ll want to replace for next year. Update your notes on plants that don’t work well together, mixing colors that clash or don’t provide a nice blend. In the fall, you’ll refer to these notes and move things around for a more pleasing view next year.

2. Add compost around shrubs and plants to better hold moisture in the soil. Remember to keep the compost off of the actual stems or stalks, since excess moisture above the ground can produce mildew or rot in extreme cases.

3. Dead head spent blooms from the spring. They will be dry enough at this point to remove. If you like to gather seeds from spent blossoms, this is your chance to do that. Place them in paper bags marked with the type and variety of plant. Do not place them in plastic bags – this can cause rot if there is moisture present, and doesn’t allow the seeds to breathe.

4. Prune spring bloomers. This is a good time to aggressively prune the spring flowers. In some case, you might open the door for a second round of blossoms. If not, you will at least rid the plant of excess branches, freeing the plant to spend its energy on flowers next season.

5. Remove annuals that have stopped blooming. That speaks for itself. Some annuals will stay green for a month or two after they peak, without producing flowers. If the foliage is attractive, leave them, but if not, give them the heave-ho.

6. Fill in bare spots with annuals. Most nurseries have a good supply of annuals until mid-summer. Then they put them on clearance to get rid of them, before they have to spend a lot of time and energy keeping them well watered in the heat of July or August. Anticipate where your beds needs a splash of color and get the plants while they are still healthy and producing blooms. Snap Dragons, Salvia, Petunias, Begonias, Impatiens, and Chrysanthemums are wonderful mid-summer additions that will keep blooming well into autumn.

7. Plan for autumn bulb planting/moving. If you’d rather add perennial bulbs to the bare patches, now is the time to make your notes and begin selecting your bulbs. You’ll have them in hand and ready to plant when autumn hits.

These tasks will keep you busy and interested while still allowing plenty of hammock or lounge chair time. And they will insure the healthiest garden possible, and one that will continue to give you colorful pleasure well into autumn.

Attracting Butterflies

Many bird enthusiasts are also naturally taken with the beauty and characteristics of butterflies. These delicate, winged creatures are exquisite and rare, a short-lived wonder of the natural world. When you want to attract butterflies to your yard, it is all about having the right plants, plain and simple. Planning an entire garden, section of the garden, or separate bed for attracting butterflies is easier when you know what their preferred diet entails. This guide will help you choose plants to include that will bring nature’s most delicate winged creatures flitting into your garden this coming season.

Perennials are nice because they will come back year after year with a bit of pruning, deadheading, and care. And the right ones serve as butterfly magnets. Choose from the following for the most success.

1. Aubretia: This spring bloomer delights the senses of humans and butterflies alike with bright blooms of violet, red and blue.
2. Dianthus: Especially effective for our wing-bearing insect friends are pink and white varieties. This traditional plant loves full sun, and where it thrives, butterflies will find it.

3. Michaelmas Daisy or Aster: When late summer hits, this old-world beauty will bud, then bloom into violent shades of purple and pink. The blossoms are hardy and long-lasting, and are a favorite treat for many species of butterfly. Sunny to partly shady patches of your garden or yard are the most suitable for this gorgeous plant.

4. Sedum: This hardiest, most resistant of the traditional plants is also a favorite of passing butterfly. They find it hard to resist the delicate, fragrant aromas which prove the appetizer for a nutritious meal. Place them at the perimeter of your garden and they will lure in butterflies in late summer and into autumn.

5. Sweet William: A form of Dianthus, this mid-summer bloomer presents its pink, purple and white blooms at the peak of butterfly season. You will love its aesthetic beauty and also the skill it seems to have in attracting gorgeous winged creatures of the insect variety.

A good many annuals will also serve to coax butterflies into your viewing range. Add these to your garden for variety from year to year, to complement your honored perennial friends.

1. Candytuft: This is a very old, traditional bloom that butterflies cannot get enough of. Take a close whiff of these sweet blossoms and you might just agree. They are aromatic and very pretty.

2. Cornflower or Bluebottle: These beauties are easy to grow and will supply butterfly-attracting blooms all summer long. Plant them in spring, add a bit of compost, water in dry spells, and sit back to watch them lure beautiful butterflies into your yard.

3. Marigolds: The many varieties of marigold are all on the menu for butterflies. This bushy, hardy, orange and yellow mainstay of English gardens provides a tasty, stable place for butterflies to feed and rest. Edge your garden with Marigold and keep some pests out while bringing in the species you want to enjoy.

There really is a science to attracting butterflies, and planting the right varieties in your garden is the foundation for success. Many of these plants offer aesthetically appealing blooms, and will further delight you when you see the first butterfly of the year alight on one of them – with many more to follow.

Best Flowers & Flowering Plants for the Middle Atlantic Region

The Middle Atlantic Region includes New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia, sometimes Virginia and West Virginia, and, of course, New Jersey, the state that calls itself “The Garden State.” So what are the best flowers and flowering plants for the Garden State and its neighbors? Let’s consider the climate first.

The Middle Atlantic, or simply Mid-Atlantic, region features a wide variety of growing zones, according to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The northern reaches of the region include Northern New York state, where some of the terrain is designated zone 3! That’s one of the coldest zones represented in the U.S. The southern parts of the region, and those moderated by the ocean, are designated 6 or 7. All the areas of the Middle Atlantic region get very adequate rainfall – more rain than many of you would like! But it does make for some beautiful flower gardens! Let’s take a look at this unique region and we’ll help you decide which are the best flowers and flowering plants for your area.

If you live in the northern parts of this region, including upper New York and colder parts of Pennsylvania, then focus on plants that grow best in zones 3 and 4. We like to build a garden’s foundation with perennials, since they come back year after year, becoming old friends you rely can upon and always look forward to seeing. These do very well: Aster, Astilbe, Baby’s breath, Balloon flower, Basket of Gold, Bee Balm, Bleeding Heart, Blue Star, Cardinal Flower, Chamomile, Columbine, Coneflower, Black-Eyed Susan, Day Lilies, Hellebore, Hosta, some Iris, Lupine, Meadowsweet, Phlox, Poppy, Primrose, Sage, Violet, Windflower, and Sunflower.
Much of the region, including lower New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia feature zones 5 and 6. Warm, humid days, and plenty of rain, are the norm. If this is your neck of the woods, start your garden choices with these flowers. They’ll love the weather: Alumroot, Aster, Astilbe, Barrenwort, Basket of Gold, Beardtongue, Bee Balm, Bell Flower, Bergenia, Black-Eyed Susan, Blanket Flower, Bleeding Heart, Boltonia, Bugbane, Bugleweed, Campion, Carnation, Chamomile, Chrysanthemum, Columbine, Coreopsis, Daylily, Flowering Onion, Gas Plant, Goatsbeard, Golden-ray Hosta, Hyssop, Iris, Lamb’s Ear, Lavender, Lily, Lupine, Meadow Rue, Phlox, Pincushion, Primrose, Sage, and Salvia, Sunflower, Violet and Yarrow.

Zone 7 growing characteristics can be found in parts of the Mid-Atlantic Region, where hot, sticky summer days, late afternoon thunder showers, and sultry nights are the norm. This is a perfect environment for growing fantastic flowers. All those mentioned above will work well here. In addition, you’ll get excellent results from these flowers and flowering plants: Angel’s Trumpet, Barrenwort, Bugloss, Calamint, Canna, Dianthus, Globeflower, Lady’s Mantle, Leopard’s Bane, Liriope, Pearly Everlasting, Sandwort, Valerian, Sea Lavender, and Solomon’s Seal.
A nice variety of flowering plants and shrubs also thrive in the Middle Atlantic Region. These make for lovely rows, or look great interspersed with evergreen shrubs like Arborvitae. The flowering plants and shrubs that do well here include Forsythia, Cinquefoil Bush, Chokeberry, Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Lilac, Rose, Summersweet, Viburnum, Winterberry, and Witch Hazel.
Take time to get to know the suggestions here, selecting the ones that please your eye. Add them to your garden, flower beds, and general landscape. In the Mid-Atlantic region you’ll be able to enjoy blooms 10 or 11 months out of the year in many places. These selections will keep your yard colorful the entire growing season when you choose early, middle and late flowering plants from this list.

Regional Flowers

vIf you have been gardening for any length of time you realize that the country in which you live will feature at least a few growing zones. These zones are designated by the lowest typical winter temperature, since it is cold that most threatens perennial flowers, shrubs, vines, and bulbs. For example, the United States contains 8 zones in all, out of the 11 found in North America. These extend from zone 3 in the extreme northern regions to zone 10 in deep southern regions. This is called the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Europe has a zone hardiness map as well. It goes without saying that each zone or region will offer a climate conducive to the growing health of some perennials and not to others. It is easy to find out which zone your specific state is located in. This link shows the U.S. map with further links to each state: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html.

In this guide we’ll give you an overview of the regions of the country and what zones they include. When you shop for flowers online you may be able to shop by zone, which is a great help. If you buy flowers locally, only plants that grow in your hardiness zone will be available.

Remember that most flowers that will grow in zones with lower numbers will also grow in zones with higher numbers. In other words, flowers rated for zone 3 will also grow well in zones 4-8 roughly, while those rated for zones 4 or 5 will also thrive in zones up to 9 or 10. It is only where extreme heat or arid conditions are present that lower numbered zone flowers may not prosper.

In colder regions also realize that an especially cold spring may jeopardize plants that are spring bloomers, so an emphasis on late spring or summer bloomers might produce better results. Autumn frosts come earlier, too, so don’t expect your autumn blooms to last as deep into the year as in other regions.

New England: This northern region contains zones 3 and 4, so hardy flowers and shrubs will be in the mix for your landscape. Southern New England captures a bit of zone 5 weather, so gardeners there have a few more choices. Good regional flower choices include Day Lilies of many varieties, Clematis, Salvia, Tulips, some Roses, Chrysanthemum, Sedum, Daffodils, Geraniums, Monarda, Asters, Crocuses, and Heuchera.

The East: This is one of the most diverse regions in terms of hardiness zones, with zones 3 to 7 all being represented. Good regional flower choices include Geraniums, Tulips, Day Lilies, Echinacea, Cyclamen, Hellebores, Crocuses, Daffodils, Columbine, and Yarrow.

The Mid-Atlantic States: Another diverse region, the Mid-Atlantic states feature growing zones from 4 to 7. Good regional flower choices include Tulips, Columbine, Wild Ginger, Coneflower, Rhododendron, Bleeding Heart, Salvia, Baby’s Breath, Astilbe, Bee Balm, Angel Trumpet, and Roses.

The South: This warm region is the place where flowers rated for zones 8-10 will thrive. Remember, some flowers with lower zone ratings will do well here, but others may not be able to stand the worst of the heat. Good regional flower choices include Rhododendron, Columbine, Fox Glove, Roses, Peony, Balloon Flower, Bee Balm, Baby’s Breath, Campion, Bleeding Heart, Cranesbill, and Coral Bells.

The Great Lakes and Great Plains: This region generally contains zones 3-5, but parts of Michigan’s coasts, where a Great Lake moderates temperatures, are designated zone 6. Good regional flower choices include Geranium, Poppy, Columbine, Phlox, Tulips, Cardinal flower, Bleeding Heart, Gladiolus, Day Lily, Morning Glory, Daffodils, Sedum, Chrysanthemum, Roses, and Crocuses.

The Rocky Mountain Region: Being in the north, with high elevation in many places, it’s no wonder zones 3-5 predominate here, though zones 6 and 7 creep into the southern reaches of the region. This is also an arid region, so take that into account when selecting plants. Good regional flower choices include Astilbe, Rhododendron, Hydrangea, Tulips, Roses, Lavender, Begonia, Pansies, Peony, Salvia, Dusty Miller, Hosta, Gladiolus, and Iris.

The Pacific Northwest: Plenty of rain with cool or moderate temperatures from autumn through spring, with warm summers, make a region where zones 5-8 are all represented. Flowers that like, or can at least tolerate, plenty of rain will thrive west of the mountains. Good regional flower choices include Roses, Bleeding Heart, Salvia, Sunflower, Hellebores, Baby’s Breath, Astilbe, Bee Balm, Angel Trumpet, Violet, Verbena, and Iris.

The Southwest: Hot, arid conditions are the norm here, even at higher altitudes, so the zone rating is only part of the issue for gardeners. Zones as cool as 6 are found at higher elevations, but 7-10 are most common. When selecting plants here it is important to take their need for moisture into account. Good regional flower choices include Cactus, Bee Balm, Daisies, Iris, Orchids, Elephant’s Ear, Coral Bells, Sunflower, Violet, Sea Holly, Thrift, Poppy, Pincushion, and Lilies.

California: This state features a long ocean coastline which keeps things warm, but not terribly hot most of the year. Zones 8-10 are all represented here, with arid conditions influencing your planting decisions in some of the desert areas. Good regional flower choices include Cactus, Coral Bells, Bee Balm, Daisies, Iris, Orchids, Elephant’s Ear, Sea Holly, Sunflower, Violet, Desert Rose, Hydrangea, Orchids, Pansies, Begonia, Bleeding Heart, and Geraniums.

Seasonal Flowers

When you are designing your garden you will want to select flowers that bloom in each season in your climate zone, whether that includes 3 seasons or 4. Wise planters will stagger seasonal flowers throughout their beds and garden so that no section is without blooms during the year, unless by design. Here is a list of seasonal flowers, based on when they flower, to get you started on developing a garden that will never lack in vibrant color.

Let’s start with winter, since if you do get winter blooms in your region they will probably come just before spring, rather than early. So, you’re winter blossoms will be the first to look for after the New Year, and there is nothing that says warm weather is on the way like the first hardy flowers of the year. Here’s a good starter list for each season of the year.

For Winter: Daffodils, Cyclamen, Snow Drops, Crocuses, Heath, Hellebores, Christmas Rose, Iberis,

Spring blooms can come fast and furious once they begin, or they may make their appearance gradually throughout the season, depending on the temperatures. Either way, if you live in a region that doesn’t allow for winter blooms, a joyful sight they will be. A visitor to your house one week might see a garden with one or two things in flower, and come again the next week and be dazzled by a dozen gorgeous bloomers. There are dozens of wonderful choices for Spring flowers. Always make sure you select plants suitable to your zone.

For Spring: Basket of Gold, Clematis – many varieties, Crocus, Daffodils, Bleeding Heart, Primrose, and Sweet Violet.

Summer flowering perennials will enrich the warm months with cool blues, hot pinks, rich reds, spicy oranges, lemony yellows, and all shades of the spectrum. Properly designed, your garden will continue to grow in color intensity until it reaches a crescendo in late summer. Remember to plant summer bloomers in every sector of the garden, and combine then with colors they will blend well with or vividly contrast with. Be careful not to mix colors in a small area that will clash. Some gardeners like to create a section featuring pastel blossoms, another with primary color blooms and their derivatives. Try different things since you can always move flowers around when they are done blooming. Take notes on which ones worked well together in terms of color, but also height and width, and which ones might best be used in another part of the garden neighborhood.

For summer: Daylilies, Clematis, Rose, Purple Coneflower, Monarda, Garden Phlox, Geraniums, Verbena, Tradescantia, Veronica, Salvia. Try cutting back some of the earliest summer bloomers when they are finished, like Yarrow, and you might get a second round of blooms from them. Flowering summer vines include Cardinal Vine, Morning Glory, Black-eyed Susan, Hyacinth Bean, and Moonflower, which blooms at night for a special treat. Don’t forget bulbs like Gladiolus, Dahlias, Cannas, and Tuberose.

Autumn bloomers extend our enjoyment of the garden to the first hard frost, and sometimes beyond. When summer blooms are in full glory, these autumn friends are out of mind. But when the hot weather blooms begin to fade, the Sedum and others start showing color, and our gardens are not finished yet!

For Autumn: Michaelmas Daisy, Sedum, Coneflower, Perennial Sunflower, Chrysanthemum, Blue Mist Shrub, Aster, Baby’s Breath, Anemone, Freesia, Panama Rose, Foxtail Orchid, Juniper, Lavender, Narcissus, and Goldenrod.

Annuals have their place in most gardens. They can be purchased until mid to late summer, and are good for filling in bare spots where flowers didn’t last as long as we expected. Other gardeners like to select a few annuals to grow from seed each year, to lend variety to their beds amidst their perennial favorites. These are usually started in pots and transplanted to the garden when ready.

Tips on Placing a Birdhouse for Cardinals in your Garden

The male cardinal in his bright red plumage, and his more subtly attired, though just as pretty mate, offer an elegant, cheery addition to any back yard. They will delight you with their songs and their characteristics, such as the male offering seeds to his mate, and her eagerly accepting, or their swooping flight from bush to bush. Cardinals are among the most popular song birds in their territory, the Eastern U.S., and for good reason. Here are some tips for attracting a pair of Cardinals to your back yard, hopefully to nest and stay long-term.

The first tip is to provide the kinds of food they prefer. Select a medium-sized birdhouse and place it near the garden. Fill the birdhouse with the types of seeds that Cardinals enjoy most, namely Sunflower and Safflower seeds. One note on Safflower – they are one of the few birds who eat it, so filling a feeder with just Safflower may keep them around by reducing a crowd of other species at their special feeder. They will also consume nuts, dried fruit and berries, and seed mixed with peanut butter. Any house or feeder used for Cardinals should have a perch that makes it easier for them to access the contents. They are a larger bird and often prefer to feed on the ground, so scattering food for them there will be appreciated, too.

Having plenty of their favorites on hand will bring them around. They will also enjoy getting a drink at a birdbath, so locating one in your garden is a way to attract Cardinals in for a visit. To get them to stay is a bit tougher. While they will enjoy feeding from the birdhouse you set out for them, they prefer to nest in bushes and thickets, crafting cup-shaped nests which they often locate in the crooks of small or medium branches where cover is thick and concealing. Small evergreens, bushy shrubs, or thickets of honeysuckle are places Cardinals will often build their nests. Planting a variety of these near the food supply you leave for them will certainly make your yard an inviting choice for a permanent address. Also consider planting mulberry, grape, hackberry, blackberry, sumac, or serviceberry in the landscape, since Cardinals enjoy the tasty fruits these plants bear. An alternative to a standard birdhouse that may attract them is a platform-type that replicates a stable area among braces. Locate it near the base of a shrub or evergreen, and 2-5 feet off the ground.

If you are fortunate enough to attract a pair of Cardinals with the accommodations you have provided, it is likely that they will stay nearby for years, since they do not migrate and rarely roam very far. When their young come, you’ll see them leading the little ones to the feeders to teach them how to feed after they’ve left the nest. And their complex, lovely songs will become welcomed and cherished.

Other than the Safflower, what attracts Cardinals will also attract Blue Jays, Rose Breasted Grosbeak, Evening Grosbeak, and other very fine birds. So, while you may hope for a pair of Cardinals, you will certainly get something to enrich your bird watching and increase the feathered activity in and around your garden.

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How to Grow Fresh Flowers to Cut and Enjoy in your Home

If you are a passionate gardener you probably find ways to spend regular time in your garden on most days. You fit it into your routine from early spring to late fall because it is an essential part of maintaining equilibrium in a busy lifestyle, and you look forward to those moments with eager anticipation. Like most of us, you want to extend those moments in any way possible, and one of the best ways is to grow flowers that are easy to cut and maintain their beauty long afterwards. Bringing an ultra-fresh bouquet of your favorite blossoms into the house with you gives you the opportunity to maintain the aura of your recreational time, as well as share the bounty of the garden with everyone in the house.

While most annuals and perennials will do fairly well for a few days after being cut, there are varieties of both that seem to be made for the purpose of displaying beauty long after they are gathered into a bouquet. Here are common garden flowers that will deliver warmth, aroma, and a sense of well-being for 5 to 7 days, or longer after you’ve snipped them and placed them in a vase full of water. The best flowers for cutting and bringing indoors, or offering to a friend, tend to be those with sturdy, long stems that will keep their shape, allowing the free flow of water to reach the blooms. And here’s the wonderful truth – the more stems you cut, the more energy the flower puts into producing more glorious blooms. Quality perennials and annuals truly are gifts that keep on giving.

Perennials: These yearly friends offer the best bets for cutting. Anemone, Yarrow, Cone Flower, Daisy, Roses, Zinnias, Cosmos, Sunflowers, Cerinthe, Violet, Phlox, Bishop’s Lace, Carnation, Lily, Bell Flower, Coreopsis, and Iris.

Annuals: Marigold, Snap Dragon, Bachelor’s Button, Lark’s Spur, Pink Dianthus, Salvia, Gladiolus, Sweet Pea, Zinnias, and whatever grabs your attention that season.

When you go out to the garden with plans to bring in some cut blooms, take a bucket or vase filled with tepid water. The warmth will keep the vascular lines open within the plant that is placed in warm water. When you bring the bucket full of flowers into the house, consider cutting off a ¼ to ½ inch each day, to remove dry ends and give the flowers the best chance of taking in water. You might also want to add a small teaspoon of plant food to the water to keep your blooms beautiful for as long as possible. When blooms are inside, be concerned only about enjoying their loveliness, not about how long they will last. Flowers are transitory joys – but there are more waiting for you outside, with fresh promises of deep satisfaction.

Perennials Flowers

The backbone of any great garden is the mix of perennial flowers it contains. Annuals are nice, for color and variety from year to year. Flowering shrubs add interest, and bulbs are very nice while they last. But perennial flowers make or break a flower garden. Their name is packed with meaning: perennial. The term refers to a plant that endures year after year, going dormant through the winter, and then awakening to start the life cycle again in the spring, producing new life, fresh stems, and another bounty of lovely blooms.

Perennials were once the only option, and to passionate gardeners they become more than just flowers. They were honored friends that appeared in the garden each spring and provided pleasant companionship throughout the season. They were split and shared with friends. Girls leaving home were provided with shoots, clumps, roots, or vines from the family garden when they established one of their own. They were passed down from one generation to the next like a treasured heirloom or piece of family history.

While we live in a world that is much more mobile, perennials can still reflect these values. Let’s look at some of the choices you have as you begin your garden. Start with perennials. Select them based on their color, when they bloom during the season, and how tall they grow. Plan spaces in your beds for them that will give adequate exposure, and will keep each section of your garden full of color throughout the year. If you can accumulate perennial flowers from relatives or cherished friends, you will not only enjoy their beauty and fragrance throughout the year but the warm memories that come with them.

Let’s look first at traditional perennials and then list the top five perennial favorites for today’s gardeners. That way you’ll be able to plant a garden that incorporates the mix of old and new that feels right to you.

Our list of traditional perennials begins with Daisies. Clear testimony of their use dates back 5,000 years. If there is a more cheerful, hardy, eager to please flower we don’t know what it is. They are reliable, beautiful, simple to care for, and can be transplanted with ease. Next on our list is Lavender, a pretty little flower that has been a favorite since the 16th century. Lavender was delighting flower lovers with its soothing aroma long before the term “aromatherapy” entered the lexicon. Bring a start of this hardy plant indoors and enjoy its blessings throughout the winter! Beyond these two, also consider the following perennials as you plan a traditional garden that might have been flourishing anytime in the several centuries:

Aster, Daylily, Bellflower, Carnation, Marigolds, Mulleins, Lily of the Valley, Sweet Violet, Verbena, Peony, Primrose, Christmas Rose, and Chrysanthemum. These will put you well on your way to growing a garden any Victorian flower-lover would have cherished!

If you are looking for the top perennials among today’s gardeners, these will give you great options to begin your own traditions. Here are five perennials that you simply cannot go wrong with. They are beautiful, easy to care for, grow in most regions, and can easily be split for sharing with others.

1. Aster Blue Autumn are new to the scene. While Asters have a long history, this is a newly developed variety that will please the modern gardener with a wealth of blossoms that are deep, deep blue and very hardy.

2. Geraniums are today’s retro favorites. They are hardy, easy to grow, and stunningly gorgeous when thriving. A good variety of colors lets you customize your garden’s look.

3. Violet Rebecca is a big, bold violet, swathed in crisp white. It will provide a dazzling splash to any section of your garden that needs some energy. Plant it next to bright reds, deep purples, shocking pinks, and vibrant blues for greatest effect.

4. The Astilbe ‘Country and Western’ is another new variety that is making a splash. It features puffy, full-orbed blooms in eye-popping pink. It likes a partially sunny setting and will bloom for months.

5. Clematis Roguchi is a newer Japanese stunner that delivers an ongoing bouquet of deep blue/purple petals when you give it the sun it thrives in.

These traditional and contemporary favorites are just a start. You’ll want to make your own acquaintances with perennials and choose the ones that catch your fancy or capture your imagination. Some day you may be dividing them for your granddaughters, with years and years of warm memories encapsulated in each bunch.

Buying Flowers Seeds Online

If you plan to grow some or all of your flowers from seed next season you’ll want some tips on how to do it right. In this guide we’ll offer step by step guidance for selecting the right seed company, choosing the best seeds for your garden, and getting them ordered and on the way.

The first step when buying flower seeds online is to plan out your garden well ahead of time. Keep in mind you’ll need to order your seeds in early to mid winter, so you’ll want to know by then what seeds you want. Take into consideration these factors:

• Choose flowers that will grow well in your region or zone.

• Map out sectors of your garden based on the blossom’s color and when it flowers.

• Decide the mix of annual, perennial, and bulb flowers you want.

• Know whether the sections of the garden offer full-shade, partial sun, partial shade, or full sun.

• Buy seeds for each section that grow best given the available sun.

• Determine how many of each seed type you’ll need.

The second step is to find one or more reputable seed companies. Get familiar with their websites so you have a sense of the company’s reputation. Does it seem like they’re well-organized? Are the seeds in stock? Problems can arise if they cannot deliver seeds to you in a timely manner, since those seeds need to be planted in time to make the most of the growing season in your zone or region. When considering the selection, determine if they carry a variety of perennial and annual flower seeds. You’ll want to make a nice selection of perennials the foundation for your garden, and use different annuals yearly for the sake of variety. If bulbs are part of your plans take a look at their inventory, too.

It is also important to shop online from a website that will show you which seeds grow well in your zone. Being able to search for seeds by zone is a big advantage. When scanning the website click on their customer service tabs and review things like their FAQ’s, their return policy, and shipping policies. You will learn a lot about the company and will be able to decide whether or not you are comfortable ordering from them.

The third step is to place your order from the chosen web-based seed company. Have a clear list in front of you when ordering, and cross things off once you’ve added them to your cart. Make sure that you know how many of each type seed comes in the package, and how large the plants will grow. You don’t want to order more than you can use, but you certainly want enough. Err slightly on the side of buying more than you need. You’ll find places in your landscape for them perhaps, or will want to share extras with friends and family. It’s always fun to have the same flowers as others you know who enjoy gardening, so you can chat about how their doing and how much pleasure they provide. After you have placed all you need into your cart, double check it against your list to make sure you’ve got everything, and that you didn’t accidentally order anything twice, a common mistake when you’ve got a long list.

Finally, choose a shipping time that will get your seeds to you before you want to get them started. If you are running late on your ordering you might have to select expedited shipping. If you can order well ahead of time standard shipping should be fine.

 

Places you can buy flower seeds online :

Amazon.com – flower seeds at amazon.com – large selection

BloomingBulb.com – For quality flower bulbs and perennial plants at rock bottom prices, go to BloomingBulb.com

Brecks – premium Dutch bulbs from Brecks

Mixing Flowers – Colorful Flower Garden Design

When you plan your garden for this season you will want to include a mix of annual and perennial blooms that will provide a wonderful array of dazzling colors that will last from the first blossoms in the spring until you say goodbye to your flower beds in autumn. By knowing when your perennials bloom, and selecting appropriate annual flowers to complement them, the color parade can continue unabated. You won’t have a 2-3 week stretch where everything seems to be yellow or red. There won’t be a section of your garden that sports mostly blue. By mixing flowers you’ll craft a colorful garden design that will keep you interested and thrilled.

This will sound odd perhaps, but the first item you’ll need for planning a richly colorful garden is a color wheel. Available online or at the paint store, perhaps, these color wheels show what colors go well together and which ones clash. You’ll learn, for instance, that red and purple can provide a stunning contrast, red and orange don’t mix aesthetically when planted side by side, and blue-green combinations can be very soothing together. Most importantly, you’ll be able to easily identify the color combinations you most enjoy, and that really is the most important factor.

The second thing to do is to make a list of your favorite flowers, or those you’d like to try. Include both perennials and annuals. Using a flower encyclopedia helps here, and it can be a lot of fun to look through all the different varieties that come in the rainbow of colors found in the world of flowers. Be sure the guide you do your research in also lists the climate zones the flowers grow in, so you can be sure that they will thrive in your area. Remember to make selections from the entire color wheel, choosing 8-16 different colors, depending on how much detail the color chart gives.

Thirdly, it is also important, when selecting perennial flowers, to know when the blooms will appear and blossom. Make notes next to your selections such as early, early-middle, middle, middle-late, and late season. By doing this, you won’t expect a beautiful batch of golden mums in June or hope your sky-blue hydrangeas will last into September.

Finally, you have the basic information required to design a colorful flower garden with a breathtaking, pleasing mix of blooms.

1. You’ll have a list of the flowers you want to use.

2. You’ll know which flower colors to plant side by side and in the same region of the garden.

3. You’ll have a good idea of when they will make their appearance, if they are perennials.

Now, lay out your garden on paper. It is a good idea to plan sectors of the garden, broken up by stones, statuary, ground cover, or other décor, rather than trying to make one large area blend together. In each sector select plants that will bloom at the right time, and give the right color, to provide complimentary or contrasting colors that meet your preferences, and avoiding those that will clash or produce a section with too much of one color.

The nice thing about annual flowers is that you can always find them in the right color for your needs, to fill in color gaps in your garden. They are usually hardy and will continue to produce blooms until the frost catches up to them. Using these principles you should be able to mix flowers and produce a colorful flower garden design that will provide beauty and satisfaction all season.

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