Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Pick Three!

Nope not the lottery..darn. Today I will share with you my favorite plants. Pick three!

Vines..
Morning Glory President Tyler..Purple very early bloomer.
Asarina scandens Joan Loraine ...not as vigorous as a morning glory.. but covered with snap dragon type blooms..and great looking foliage to boot. Will grow and twine three to five feet tall on a support.
Morning Glory Heavenly Blue..beautiful sky blue color!
Morning Glory President Tyler 2005
Bedding Plants, called such as they are usually used in flower beds.
Zinnia, Dreamland, Coral or Red...wonderful colors, and if you deadhead the old blooms it will bloom all summer.
Salvia farinacea, Victoria Blue..a splendid plant, in a pack it will not impress you, but it will bloom all summer and doesn't require dead heading to look great. Especially useful in perennial beds for a filler...you know until something smaller gets fuller!
Gazania...all of them are great..except they bloom only during the daytime, in the early evening they close up. If you have a hot spot, where nothing else will grow..try a Gazania!

Potted Plants
Geranium Tango Red..will out bloom any geranium out there. Huge blooms..especially if you give them some 1/4 strength Miracle grow every time you water.
Angelonia..wonderful bloomers!
Begonia..the Non Stop series says it all..Non Stop Blooms till frost. Careful watering is a must with begonias, keep water off of the foliage..they will either sunburn from the water on their foliage or get what I call soft rot..and the leaves will fall off one at a time..

Waves..or Spreading Petunias
Purple Wave..the first wave developed..and still the best.
Rose Wave.. excellent color.
Ramblin Nu Blue .. a wonderful deep dark purple..like royalty..and fragrant too!
Purple Wave on my Parents Oxcart 2008

Yellow Flowers.. My very favorite category..it is my blog and I can make up a yellow flower category!!
Rudbeckia, Indian Summer..huge blooms, might even re seed a little for you!
Dahlberg Daisy ( Thymophylla) , the tiniest little yellow daisies..with ferny foliage, hack off the spent blooms with a scissors.. adds a light and airy touch to a flowering basket!
Viola, Velour Yellow... simply put.. heaven must smell like this little flower. I could sell this little plant on fragrance alone..especially to the sensory women. I used to say "Are you a sensory person?" as I waved the plant under their nose..instant sale!

Rudbeckia Indian Summer 2008
Now make your list, check it twice, and when you are out there looking at plants..remember it is not always the best thing to buy plants in bloom..buy ones with tags in them of course, but non blooming is best. IF you buy a bloomer, after you have hardened them off..the blooms should all be cut off at transplant..it is a lot of work for a plant to put on new roots..and support a bloom at the same time. One last reminder..compost..if you use weed and feed on your lawn and then compost the clippings..your plants won't do so well...the same is true for areas that give away compost at the landfills..one never knows what chemicals have been used. Compost is great..just not with weed and feed in it:)

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks Connie for the great flower suggestions and tips. Years ago I had the Dahlberg Daisy and had forgetten what a pretty little plant that is. I love begonias but sure don't have any luck with them here in Georgia.

Far Guy said...

You forgot to mention tomatoes.

Debbie said...

Beautiful pictures and beautiful flowers! In about a week I will have 4.5 yards of composted cow manure from a local farm delivered by a farmer. I let it set for a couple weeks and then get it tilled into my garden. It's the best manure! Now the farmers down the road use chicken manure which works really well but Oh my God does that stuff stink! We have to keep our windows closed for a week! Thanks for your tips and your favorite flowers!

RURAL said...

Contrary to popular thought I don't dislike yellow or red tulips, I just don't care to see them blooming together, and I adore yellow. Not quite as fond of red, lately.

I wish that I could grow morning glory on my deck, it seems that even though the summers are getting hotter, it is still to cool with the ocean breeze that comes up the street. Sigh, well when we move upcountry, it will be hot, hot, hot! And then we can have them growing everywhere.

Jen

Pamela said...

I bought a bunch the other day (with my husband) but it's been to wet & windy to plant them.

Mary said...

It seems as though you can't hide your true passion. You really know your stuff. Thank you for all the good information.

*debbi* said...

A gorgeous feast for the eyes. The pots I do each spring are nectar for my soul, but that's about all I can manage time-wise. Right now I have a huge Mexican pot bursting with hot colors: geraniums, some yellow (yes!) pansies hanging in there (not for much longer--we will hit 100 degrees this week) and of course God's gift to "gardeners" like me--petunias. But under the tree, at the base of St. Francis, I just planted my personal take-my-breath away favorites: deep purple alyssum. Yum. That purple wave on the ox cart is a photo to die for. Thanks so much. *debbi*

Emma Rose said...

I just love your flowers. The Duke and Duchess had a beautiful yard full of flowers until I decided to re-landscape for them. :( Maybe this year they will try again!

Kisses for Chance,
Emma Rose

*debbi* said...

P.S. I meant lobelia, not alyssum (have that in white as border). Had a feeling it was wrong name, then lobelia came to me out of the blue (purple?) when dropping off to sleep. I'm 'far side of fifty', too! *debbi*

The Retired One said...

I loved this post as I am a beginning perrenial garden gardener and taking a class on it, too.
I love when you give us the names along with pictures and things about the plants so I know what they look like. Thanks so much.

DayPhoto said...

I love Heavenly Blue Morning Glories (Grandpa Otts, second), Zinnias, 4-O'clocks, lavender and Russian Sage. The list could go on and on.

I am looking forward to photos of your yard...it must be amazing.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/

Michelle said...

Thanks for the great flower tips. I am pretty good at vegetable gardening, but have had NO luck when it comes to flowers!