Garden Tips & Resources

Archive for the ‘Flower Garden’ Category

No garden ever seems quite complete if it doesn’t have some shade of red or pink flowers blooming in it. It’s quite possible that red and pink are the most popular shades of flowers actually, and with good reason. There are hundreds of plants which create flower blooms in these shades, and when you have large groups of red or pink in your garden, you can’t help but have it noticed around the neighborhood.

Roses of course are possibly one of the most favorite flowers to grow in shades of red or pink, and they can of course be grown as bushes and shrubs, or you can choose to grow climbing rose vines or wild roses and miniature roses too.

Tulips are probably the second most favorite garden flowers to grow, and like roses, these too come in a variety of shades of both red and pink. There are many other types of red and pink flowers to choose from though, so we’ll take a look at several of those here…

Amaryllis – Like tulips and roses, these flowers are often grown in cutting gardens, so the beautiful flowers can be put on display inside the house as often as possible. They can be grown indoors or out, and they’re resistant to deers outside too. Various species of the Amaryllis bloom in deep, bright red colors too. Try out the Red Peacock, Red Lion, and Ferrari varieties for the deepest splashes of red blooms.

Astilbe – These are another type of plant which can be found in various shades of deep red. Other related colors include peaches and pinks too. These feathery flowers stand up tall on stalks above the plants which produce them. The flower stalks tend to attract hummingbirds, and the foilage is quite interesting in the winter time too.

The Jacobean Lily, or Aztec Lily, produces amazing blood red flowers which bloom very well in the spring time. This flower can be grown outdoors in the garden bed, in containers on the patio, or as an indoor house plant.

Spiraea ‘Magic Carpet’ – This plant will grow to about one and one half feet tall, and spread about two feet wide. It produces a deep pink to red colored flower cluster in early summer. By fall, the leaves start turning a reddish color of their own, and often this plant will stay colorful through November.

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March has been called the 3:00 A.M. of the year – it isn’t quite winter and it certainly isn’t spring. The weather cannot be depended upon – a warm sunny day momentarily may freeze into a blizzard, and a blizzard may melt away under a seventy-degree sun.

The only thing predictable about March – as a few million people have already noted – is its complete unpredictability. Here in Connecticut we can be pretty sure of snow during the month.

But through all the weather’s vagaries we had the surprise and joy of a lovely little winter flower garden beside the front door. The gap between winter and spring was gaily bridged by this garden’s rainbow of color. While on our place we have a minimum of cultivated areas and flower beds, I wouldn’t be without this one little garden spot even if it demanded a lot of care – which it doesn’t.

The L-shaped area, five by seven and about two feet wide, is protected on the west and north by the house wall, and exposed to south and east. Daily from 3:00 P.M. on the house shades the area—and some shade is desirable. The crocuses here bloom sometimes two months ahead of those out in the meadow.

Surely you have a similar, sheltered area somewhere near your front or back door. At least eight kinds of early-blooming bulbs and perennials are ready, willing and able to create for you a sensational March display. Planting is done in late August and early September.

There is an advantage in having such a garden near the front door. Each time you go in or out your heart skips a beat at the courage of these diminutive shoots. And, with an icy wind howling down your neck you are rarely tempted to wander far afield in search of early bloom. Dinner guests are equally enchanted as the front door light shines out on the flowers emerging in all weather and offering them a cordial welcome.

Every day during March – almost every hour, it seems – something happens in our tiny area, something new invites a brief pause and glance at the unfolding blossoms. Such a garden is simple to care for – small and well within the supply of time and energy of everyone. When the early flowers are gone you can fill in with zinnias and marigolds for a summer-long blaze of color lasting until heavy autumn frosts.

Right now why not select a possible site? Either prepare with hay, if planting time is some months ahead, or start right in and dig down a foot or so. Remove all old roots and rocks; add plenty of compost and manure, perhaps a bushel or two of each. You will do well to raise this garden a little above the surrounding earth level. We edged our with bricks to separate it from the gravel walk.

Eight Of Success

The first of the eight “little giants” to put in an appearance is winter aconite (eranthis). One March day you’ll observe small yellow buttercups resting on the snow, each with an Elizabethan ruff of greenery around its neck. (Eranthis is a member of the buttercup family). This tuberous rooted hardy perennial produces little blooms on 4-inch stems that last many days in chilly weather, and seem to be a tangible and visible sign that spring is somewhere near. Even in northern New England, eranthis may open in February if it is an early season. Once in our snow garden a blossom was encased in a diminutive bubble of ice. That day, time slipped by while I just stood there in wonder and admiration.

The important rule for eranthis is not to wait until autumn to order and plant. Send for the tuberous roots in August and get them underground in a hurry so they have time to grow a fine root system before winter. The flowers will be extra large and handsome if bulbs are planted this early. When the package arrives don’t be discouraged if it appears you have invested in a mere bundle of small dead roots. In spite of appearances, there is a golden promise in each wizened little corm. Plant immediately upon arrival, for they are ready to grow. Set 2 inches deep, 3 inches apart, and eighteen bulbs to a square foot. In full sun or semi shade they will reseed and naturalize in a rewarding manner.

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