The Who’s Who list of spring flowers to brighten up your landscape…
In the spring, so many of us fill our flower boxes, terracotta pots, and gardens with flowers. We tend to them and watch them grow. They provide us with a source of nature that erupts in dazzling colors.
Whether you are a novice planter or someone who eagerly awaits the spring to fill your garden spaces – here is the rundown on some of America’s favorite plantings to include in your home spaces…
Gerber Daisies – No adorable baby face included…
Who doesn’t love these bright and cheerful daisy-like flowers? Originating from South Africa, they come in various sizes and colors including pink, yellow, salmon, orange, and white. The flower blooms anywhere from 2 to 5 inches across.
You can grow Gerbera Daisy plants from both seed and seedlings. Seed is the cheapest method, but seeds must be sown immediately as they lose viability quickly after opening.
Make sure to plant them with adequate spacing and in high light areas. A little bit of light shade in high summer is alright, but without full, direct light the plants will pale and not produce nearly as many blooms. Water in the morning so leaves can dry out during the day to lessen the risk of rot and fungal diseases.
Impatiens – Yes, they are impatient…
Impatiens are one of the most popular annual flowers. Why? Because of their coloring and the fact that they thrive in shady areas. This plant is short and will not attain a height of more than one foot. Impatiens come in a variety of colors, including white, red, pink, violet, coral, purple, and yellow.
Impatiens take their name from the Latin, impatiens, meaning – well – impatient. They are so-called because their ripe seed pods will sometimes burst open from even a light touch. These little impatient lovelies are super keen on showing the world their displays of color.
Grow Impatiens in well-drained soil enriched with hummus. Because they require a good amount of water, the soil must drain well. The soil should also be moist and deeply shaded as that is where they thrive. In fact, they’re among the relatively few readily available, inexpensive flowering plants that will put on a great floral display even when grown in full shade. Once in the ground, the Impatiens will need at least 2 inches of water a week. One last thing – Impatiens are very sensitive to heat. If your temperatures rise above 85 degrees Fahrenheit, they will require at least 4 inches of water per week.
Blue Angels (Viscaria) – Absolute angels to grow…
No flower seed is easier to grow than Viscaria. It will be bloom in 6 – 8 weeks after sowing the flower seed and has blooms all season long. The blooms are 2 inches across and have wide-open, two-tone blue petals.
Viscaria is a member of the Pinks and Carnation family. Like most of its relatives, it prefers wide open and sunny habitudes. They do withstand short term droughts, but don’t let Viscaria become too dry. This plant will grow on a wide range of soils, but dislike heavy, wet ones. Generally, they are stiff enough to support themselves, but some of the taller varieties may need assistance from pea- sticks.
Now is the perfect time to plant Viscaria. Sow groups of 3 – 4 seeds and space them 10 inches apart.
Morning Glory – The rise and shine flower…
All Morning Glory plants produce blossoms of various shades like white, red, blue, purple, and yellow with heart-shaped leaves. These blossoms open in the morning and begin to close in the afternoon. (It’s exhausting work to provide such beauty to the world!) Blooming usually occurs anywhere from May through September.
Growing Morning Glories is easy. They’re great for containers when provided with a trellis or placed in a hanging basket. Morning Glories prefer full sun but will tolerate very light shade. The plants are also well known for their tolerance to poor, dry soils. They can easily establish in any slightly disturbed area, including garden edges, fence rows and roadsides where the vine is commonly seen growing. Morning Glories prefer well-draining soil that is moist but not soggy.
The care of Morning Glory plants is also easy. In fact, once rooted, they require little attention. Ideally, the soil should be moist, but not wet. Water them during dry periods, once or twice per week.
Snapdragons – These babies snap everyone to attention…
Bright Snapdragon flowers bloom profusely throughout cool weather in intensely saturated colors and standout in a spring garden.
When planting in the spring, full sun to partial shade is the way to go with the Snapdragon. Once the temperature heats up though, don’t be surprised if they stop blooming altogether. If you plant them in partial shade and keep them well watered, they can make it through the summer.
When growing Snapdragons, keep them moist for the first few weeks. Once established, the plant will need approximately an inch of water per week in times of no rainfall. Water near the crown of the plant and avoid overhead watering to keep your Snapdragon healthy. Once established, let the soil dry about an inch deep before watering.
