Tropical Flowers

The tropics produce some of the prettiest flowers in the world, and most often we only enjoy them in cut arrangements from the florist at special times. However, some gardeners, taken with the beauty of tropical flowers and looking for a new challenge will try to create tropical growing conditions in their homes in order to raise a few of their own. Here are the basic steps to take.

First, create the right environment, which may be warmer and more humid than your home typically is. Tropical flowers vary in their requirements, but most need temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees F during the day, and no cooler than 60F at night. The humidity level they thrive in between 70% and 80% relative humidity. This may be achieved by placing a humidifier in an enclosed place with the flowers, at least during part of the day. Keeping the flowers well-watered may substitute, as long as the roots do not show signs of being too wet – for example producing rot or mold.

Secondly, select a pot that will retain moisture. Terra cotta tends to breath, and moisture evaporates out of them. Plastic or glazed clay is preferable.

Thirdly, select the tropical plant you want to grow. Cultivating them from seeds can certainly be done, and may prove more rewarding to you. Choosing a plant that is already started is a good idea for those who are new to gardening, or who do not want to wait for their plant to grow and blossom. If you decide to start from seeds, look online for companies that sell rare and exotic plant seeds and you’ll find a selection that is actually quite large. Popular plants which can be grown from seed include Heliconias, Orchids, Nepenthes or Pitcher plants, Palms, Ginger Lilies, Brugmansia, Butterfly Pea, Cup and Saucer Vine, Hawaiian Wood Rose, Chinese Love Vine, Chocolate Vine, Ipomoea, and Trumpet Vine. Since you are going to the trouble to create a proper environment, you may want to try several tropical or exotic plants to increase your odds of getting something beautiful to happen.

When you’ve got your seed or potted plants in hand, prepare well-drained, organically fertilized soil for your own pot. Plant the seed or gently transplant the potted plant into its new home. Add water and get it into your warm, humid environment.

The next step is to provide adequate amounts of the right kind of light. Since the tropics tend to feature plenty of sun, but overhead canopies of high leaves in many places, your tropical or exotic plants should have bright, filtered light. Your best bet is to purchase the right type of light from the online retailer where you bought the seeds or plants. Do not put up a grow light and filter it using a blanket or cloth. That will produce a fire hazard of the first degree.

Finally, work to maintain the proper environment and soil conditions, and be patient. The chances are your potted plant will thrive with proper TLC, or your seeds will sprout and begin pushing their way up into your home and perhaps from there, into your heart!

Backyard Book Reviews

If you want to expand your understanding of your backyard world, and how you can make it a wonderful habitat for the winged creatures you love, we’ve got some books that will help you. From designing gardens that are welcoming to a variety of birds, to installing the right feeders and bird baths, these volumes offer a wealth of knowledge and practical information you can use to attract and enjoy all the birds found in your area.

1. Attracting Birds to Your Backyard: 536 Ways to Create a Haven for Your Favorite Birds (Rodale/Roth): If birds area going to make a regular visit to your backyard, they will have to find ample supplies of food, water, shelter and possible nesting sites. This comprehensive book covers all of these topics, and more, in great detail. In-depth information and step-by-step instructions make it easy to transform any backyard into a birding sanctuary.

2. Backyard Birds — Peterson Field Guides® for Young Naturalists: This is an outstanding book for bird lovers of any age, with special emphasis given to helping younger bird enthusiasts learn about birds, their likes and dislikes, and how they are best served in our backyard habitats. Very little prior knowledge is required to make good use of this very instructive book. It will help all budding bird watchers deepen their comprehension and enjoyment in discovering the birds in their areas.

3. The Backyard Bird Lover’s Field Guide: Secrets to Attracting, Identifying, and Enjoying Birds of Your Region: This is another book by Sally Roth, bird expert extraordinaire. She’ll walk you through the topics outlined in the title, with conversational descriptions that are easy to follow for the new bird lover and the veteran birding enthusiast alike. The wonderful, full-color pictures alone are worth the price of this stunning book! Give this book a read, keep it handy as a reference guide, and your pleasure in the hobby will be magnified abundantly.

4. The Backyard Bird Feeder’s Bible: The A-to-Z Guide To Feeders, Seed Mixes, Projects, And Treats (Rodale/Roth): Publisher and author team up again to offer the most comprehensive book on the market for novice and intermediate bird watchers. You’ll love the color photos, handy outlines of each species, and practical tips for watching them in nature. This is a great reference resource to keep by your window or to add to your backpack alongside your birding binoculars.

5. Backyard Bird Secrets for Every Season: Attract a Variety of Nesting, Feeding, and Singing Birds Year-Round (Sally Roth): The first lady of bird watching takes her readers through the basics here, teaching them the nuances of turning their backyards into a habitat their winged friends will gravitate to and decide to become a long-term part of. You’ll learn what to do in each season to have the best opportunity of attracting your favorites to the feeder, the nesting houses, or the bird bath. Learn about migration and ways to attract species that are just passing through, too.

Pick up one or two of these books today, and your love for all-things-birds will grow with the turn of each page. You’ll be educated, fascinated, and motivated to get out and discover for yourself why more than 1 in 5 people describe themselves as bird watching enthusiasts!

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.

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.

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.

Choosing the Right Mix of Annuals and Perennials

Perennial flowers in our gardens are like old friends. We eagerly wait for them to wake up in the spring from their long winter nap and begin to produce growth, foliage, buds, and finally the gorgeous blooms we’ve grown to love and rely upon. But just like in social circles where meeting new friends is a pleasure, too, many gardeners will enjoy adding annuals to their garden each spring or summer, to enhance the beauty of the garden. Some flower enthusiasts leave space among the perennials so that they can select annuals each year to fill in the gaps and create variety in their gardens.

Choosing the right mix of annuals and perennials is largely a matter of choice, though a few guidelines will produce results you’ll enjoy throughout the season.

First, start with perennials, since they will provide the permanent residents of your garden. See other guides on this site that address choosing the right perennials for your garden. In short, choose perennials that will bloom sequentially throughout the growing season so no section of the garden is ever bereft of blooms. Select perennial blooms in colors that complement and blend without clashing. If miscalculations do occur and you are faced with a bloom-free section of the garden, add instant color by picking up some complementary annuals at your local garden center.

Once you have a well-established perennial garden, you’ll know where annuals are needed. The great thing about annuals is that you can choose different varieties each year. Annuals come in so many different colors that you’ll always have a good selection to choose from, even if certain annuals are in short supply in a given year, which seems to happen due to climate issues where annuals are grown.

Add annuals that go well with your established perennials, both in color and shape. Time honored annuals like begonias and impatiens bloom for months, to provide a colorful transition from early blooming annuals to later bloomers. Marigolds and zinnias are found in enough color options to mix with any perennial garden, and provide hardy, enduring blooms well into autumn. Petunias, geraniums, nasturtium, and lobelia also offer rich tones to complement their perennial neighbors. These new friends will enhance the overall look of your flower beds and enrich the enjoyment you take from them.

Let’s conclude with a few words of advice. When selecting annuals from the nursery or garden center, make sure you are choosing healthy plants. Examine them carefully for signs of disease, pest infestation, or rot. The last thing you want to do is to bring home problems to introduce into your garden. Choose plants with leaves that are lush and firm, not showing discoloration or wilting. One option for annuals is to start them from seed indoors during the winter, then setting them out once your perennials begin to show new growth. However you choose to proceed, nurturing perennials and annuals together can produce a more vibrant, more colorful, more enjoyable garden from the first blooms of spring until you say good-bye to your garden in autumn.

How to Prune Flowers for Bigger, Bolder Blooms!

All plants respond to expert cultivation, including pruning. When done, pruning allows the plant to direct more of its energy toward making bright, beautiful blossoms, with less energy spent simply extending its stem structure. Here are time-proven tips for cultivating a more abundant production of blooms throughout the growing season through the use of suitable pruning.

First, know the goal. Pruning should be done to restrict unneeded plant growth, to allow the plant to use nutrients for flower or fruit production, and to shape the plant the way you’d like it to look. The same techniques will accomplish all of these goals.

Secondly, start the pruning process with all weak or dead material. Dead stems are easy to identify. Prune them first, and then consider stems or branches that do not appear to be robust and healthy. If disease is present, prune them immediately. When pruning, cut back to the point of a strong lateral branch, or in extreme cases, all the way back to the main stalk.

Thirdly, if you desire a certain shape from the plant, prune the lateral branches all over it to produce the shape you want. This is a great technique for shrubs, but all perennials respond well to being shaped.

The fourth tip is to prune plants just prior to growth beginning. For most plants, late winter is the best time to do the pruning. Then, the plant will be ready to exert its best energies towards maximum fruitfulness in the spring once the sap begins to flow and the growth starts in earnest. In the first few weeks of growth, all of the stored nutrients and energy in the roots is pushed up into the plant and used to produce the most significant growth of the season. Pruning tools should be kept well out of reach during these times, so the temptation to continue shaping or pruning will not be indulged! Also, do not prune in late summer because the cut stems and branches need time to seal and heal before freezing weather comes. When pruning is done too close to the first hard frosts damage to fresh pruning points may occur.

Next, use the proper tools for pruning. Never tear off branches or unwanted stems. This will produce a scar that may inhibit fresh growth. Rather, use very sharp pruning shears and keep them in excellent condition. Dry them off after use so rust does not develop that will dull the edge. In addition, if tools are used to remove diseased material, be sure to disinfect the tools using bleach or alcohol before they are used on other plants. Before storing the tools for any length of time, oil them to prevent corrosion.

Finally, feed the pruned plants lots of fresh, nutrient-rich compost to fuel the healing of the cut areas and the development of new, vibrant growth that will produce heartier blossoms and fruits. In the middle of the growing season, you will want to dead-head all spent flowers and may also choose to prune back the supporting stems one to two inches, to facilitate a new round of growth and perhaps be rewarded with a new blossom before the season ends. This is more likely where warmer climates produce a longer growing season.

Planning a seasonal garden

In whatever climate we live, it is our desire to have a garden that stays in bloom for as long as possible. When the first signs of spring manifest themselves in warm late-winter breezes we start looking for crocuses to push their way through the soil or snow. And we want our beloved garden to keep producing color until the frost finally finishes the Chrysanthemums in autumn. In between, planning a seasonal garden that will produce bountiful blooms week in and week out is the goal many green-thumb gurus aspire to. When you do enough research to know when your favorite plants will be in bloom, you’ll have the facts you need for designing and planting a garden that keeps its color continuously.

In this guide we’ll offer some planning and planting pointers along with a list of favorite perennials and when you can expect them to bloom. For planning purposes, take paper and pencil and sketch out the garden you’d like to have. Let color be your guiding influence here. Do you have a circular garden? Place colors next to one another as well as across from one another that go well together. Place yellow next to red and across from purple, for example, for a richer color pastiche. Or try green next to pink and across from orange for a zestier confluence of color. If your garden is rectangular and viewed from front or side, but not all angles, your color scheming is easier. Find a color chart online or at the paint store, and select colors that work well side by side for optimum beauty.

The next step is to make sure that each segment of your garden will have color spring, summer, and into autumn. This is quite simple when you have a reliable flower chart at your disposal. See the list below to get you started, but you might want to purchase a flower encyclopedia for a more comprehensive list of options.

Remember, too, that every garden needs to be planted with the height of the mature flowers in mind. In a garden that will be viewed from one or two sides, plant shorter flowers to the front, with gradually taller blooms working towards the back. This will prevent any of your cherished blossoms from being obscured, and will give rich texture and depth to your garden’s visual characteristics. In a round garden that its admirers can walk completely around, plant shorter flowers in the front row and increase height as you work your way toward the middle. Does this seem overly complex? The truth is, when you have a list of perennials that records their expected height at full growth it becomes quite easy and very enjoyable to plan for. And when you see it come to life in spring, summer, and autumn, your pleasure at what you’ve brought about will almost know no bounds!

Okay, here’s a short list to get you started.
Spring bloomers include: Daffodil, Crocus, Iris Reticulata, Chionodoxa, Creeping phlox, Pasque flower, Lungwort and Virginia bluebells.
Late spring to early summer blossomers include: Siberian iris, German iris, Peonies, Baptisia, Coreopsis, Salvia and Candytuft, Bleeding Heart, Cranesbill, Columbine, Dianthus, Lamium, and Coral Bells.

The best choices for summer include: Hostas, Border Phlox, Black Eyed Susan, daylily varieties, Purple Coneflower, Yarrow, Indian Blanket, Boltania, Bee Balm, Bulb lilies, and Penstemon.

For autumn color, select: Assorted Sedums, Asters, Windflower, Toadlily, and Japanese Anemone.

When selecting flowers to provide a season full of color, don’t overlook annuals. They can be used to fill in bare spots, and many varieties offer hardy blooms that will continue to blossom for months!

Related Books on planning a seasonal garden

Perennials Short and Tall: A Seasonal Progression of Flowers for Your Garden (Quarry Books)

The Seasonal Flower Garden: A Practical Guide to Gardening Throughout the Year (Garden Library (Lorenz))

Joy in Your Garden: A Seasonal Guide to Gardening

Keeping the Garden in Bloom: Watering, Dead-Heading, and Other Summer Tasks (Seasonal Garden Workbook, Vol 5)

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