The Meanings of Flower

Posts Tagged ‘Plants’

Selection of right plants is very essential when you decide to create your own garden.

It is the first step towards your private garden. It is always good that you buy nursery plants to start with. This will save a lot of effort on your part to find perfect seeds or bulbs of your chosen flowers.

 

Then you have to decide on whether you are going for a flower garden or a fruit garden. You will get all the kinds of fruit and flower seeds if you are going with nursery plants.

There are people who also are interested in fruit garden but it is normally difficult to manage.

 

If you merely want to decorate your back yard, a normal flower garden would be enough.

You may not even need a larger space for it. This is not true with fruit garden since you will need a massive peace of land for it.

]]>

 

It is good if you start with a flower garden and eventually expand with fruit trees too as you gain some hands on experience with gardening. Also try out perennial flowers to achieve a picturesque look throughout the year. This is very important because when there are guests at your home and you want to show them your garden there should be at least some amount of flowers in them. Perennial plants are really handy in bringing life to your garden.

 

They don’t need too much of supervision and soon are able to take care of themselves once they grow. It is beneficial because ion today’s fats lives very few people get time for their own self. How can you manage to give so much of care to your garden? And nursery plants are mostly available in perennial types that mean they are absolutely cultured to be on their own. It would be advisable that you check out what types of flowers would suit your local soil and atmosphere by visiting various nurseries.

 

In fact you can get this information online also. You have two choices. You could either buy plants with bulbs if you are in a hurry or go for seeds if you are ready to wait a while. You may save a lot of money if you go for buying seeds. But it is advisable you have some knowledge about gardening. In case the plants do not grow as per your expectations you can still consult your nearest nursery or some gardener

Last month we looked at arranging garden furniture, but it is also important to take a little time and carefully consider the arrangement of your plants and containers too. Plants and flowers will turn an ordinary patio into a garden patio, and set the stage for a peaceful and welcoming extension of your home. We always tell our customers to treat their outdoor space as an additional room and use plant accessories as an important part of this exterior living space. Your family and friends will enjoy the harmony and beauty of well arranged-plants on the patio while they enjoy a meal or conversation. You’ve spent the money on your stunning new Lazy Susan garden furniture, so why not enhance it even further!

Many new homes now come with patios that are nothing more than an ugly slab of concrete. While this is enough for some people, those that have a big garden might want a little something more. If you are going to use your patio for entertaining, you will probably be interested in trying to find some ways to upgrade that patio. Anyone can have that slab of concrete at the back of their house but if you have a carefully thought out garden and patio, it will enhance your whole house and even raise it’s value. People who use their patio a lot want to make it as accommodating as possible and a fun place to hang out. This means you need to be creative in the garden furniture department too and how you arrange the surroundings. The more work you do around the patio with plants and trees will ultimately enhance the look and feel of the finished patio. Look in garden and home improvement magazines and I guarantee you’ll find all sorts of fantastic ideas for your patio makeover.

Set three plants in a corner (odd numbers always works better), using one small, one medium and one large container.
Place the largest containers at the back and the other two plants to the left and right in front of the large plant.
Always pick a different colour of flower for each container.
Place small plants on tables next to chairs and one plant as a centerpiece for the patio table.
Choose a 4-inch pot for small tables, and a 6-inch pot for the patio table.
Suspend a hanging flower bracket from the side of the home by the patio door. Purchase a completed basket from a nursery, or fill your own with calibrachoa, scaevola, or trailing verbena flowers.
Flip unused pots upside-down and set a container of equal size on top of the flipped pot. Use a decorative pot for the bottom or spray paint the pot a complementary colour.

If your patio gets some bad weather, like strong winds or hot sun, choose your plants wisely. Wind-hardy plants include things like bamboo, pampas grass, nandina and ornamental grasses. Sun-hardy plants on the other hand include things like sunflowers, roses, daylilies, and lupines.
If you think of a single giant flower head when you think of sunflowers, then you really need to take a look at some the ornamental varieties that are available. They come in all sizes and colors and produce some stunning bouquets of flowers.
If you have room for small trees, you may want to think about a small citrus tree or weeping willows, Japanese maples, and corkscrew willows.
Choose your container pots carefully and ideally you want to get different sizes that complement each other in terms of shape/design. Fill them with a good potting soil, and plant with a variety of plants that do well in the UK.
Remember to plant your containers so there is a tall focal point, some short or trailing plants as well as something sized in between to fill up the space. Some people refer to these as thrillers (your tall focal point), fillers (the medium sized plants) and spillers (the small trailing plants).
When choosing your container plants, look for a variety of texture, color and greenery. Some plants will have smooth round leaves, others will have pointed leaves or serrated leaves, while some leaves will be rough textured or vary in terms of colour
Group the plants you are thinking about in your trolley at the garden centre to see how they work together.
Once you’ve got your containers planted, place them in groupings in corners or near the edge of your patio. Use more containers to highlight your table, and to shape your garden furniture or seating area.

]]>

An attractive display of flowering plants, lush green foliage and even a few vegetable crops can turn a basic patio into an inviting oasis. Simply by making use of containers to accommodate various plants on a patio will give the you the ability to adjust the patio’s appearance as and when the mood takes you. Placing pots that contain small shrubs or trees onto the patio will produce some shade and make it more appealing to lounge on during the summer heat.

A miniature vegetable garden can successfully be created on a patio. Vegetable plants that grow in a garden also have the capability of flourishing in containers. A tomato plant grows well when placed in a 5-gallon pot in full sunlight. Consider placing a cage around the tomato plant to provide added support to the bush’s bulk as it produces large tomatoes. Cherry tomato plants produce virtually nonstop bite-size, juicy tomatoes that help add color to the patio. Peppers and green beans also grow well in patio pots.

A small tree can enrich a patio from the confines of a large pot or when planted along the patio’s perimeter. Choose either single or multistemmed varieties that provide visual seasonal interest. The eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) grows to a height of only 25 feet and displays a spreading canopy that will reach out over the patio to provide shade. Dwarf citrus trees, apples and some stone fruit trees grow well in large containers. A tree’s root system suffers exposure to the elements when planted in a pot, so tropical fruit tree containers may need to be moved indoors during inclement weather.

Consider placing a wide variety of pots containing annuals and perennials throughout the patio. Annuals offer season-long blossoms and often fill in the blooming gap of perennial bloom times. Perennials usually bloom over a two to three week period and then display foliage for the rest of that season. Annuals die out each season when the first hard frost occurs, but pots of perennials will last for a good several years. Hanging baskets suspended around your patio also make a delightful accent.

Shrubs, such as the rose bush, do well in containers. Some rose bush varieties also create a strong scent to perfume the air around the patio. The prolific flowering lantana shrub (Lantana camara) displays clusters of orange, yellow, pink or white flowers, depending on the cultivar. The banana plant (Musa x paradisiaca) offers lush green or maroon foliage that gives the area a tropical appearance and makes an elegant backdrop for flowers. The plant does require moist soil to thrive.

Anyone with a patio should always be looking for ways to make it look better. What you will find is that any patio design ideas that involve the garden or surrounding area will be some of the best ideas. You can have a great looking patio but if the garden around it looks awful then the patio will not shine like it should. Likewise, if your patio is plain but the surrounding plants, flowers, and hedges look spectacular, the patio will look better than it should. By making sure that your garden looks its best and goes well with the patio is the best way to show off your patio. If you don’t have the money to put in a new patio, you can always work on the surrounding area instead.

You may be glad this summer if you take the time right now to plan ways of making your patio area more pleasing on the eye. This does not mean that you have to spend a fortune on your patio too. By carefully choosing the right flowers and plants as well as paying a little attention to the garden landscape around your patio, you can easily make your entire patio area much more interesting. By carefully blending your patio and the garden around it you will ensure they look like they are meant to fit together and it will pull your entire outdoor space together.

Lazy Susan is a small family business that specialise exclusively in wicker, rattan and metal garden furniture, specifically cast aluminium. Visit www.lazysusanfurniture.co.uk to find out more and view our complete product range.

One of my favourite species, this iris forms erect clumps of sword-shaped, grey-green leaves, with stems of fragrant, velvety, dark purple flowers borne in summer.

Welcome clusters of saucer-shaped, white or pink-tinted flowers open from winter to spring above the basal clump of divided, coarse-toothed, evergreen leaves.

A nice change from spotted varieties, with its low clump of rough-hairy green leaves. In spring, it bears nodding clusters of rich gentian-blue, tubular flowers, red in bud.

An adaptable and reliable, semi-evergreen carpeter, with lobed, aromatic leaves often coloring well in autumn. Clusters of pink t(? purple flowers appear in early summer.

One of the best slug-proof hostas, forming bold clumps of attractive, heart-shaped, bluish grey leaves. It produces pendent, blue-grey bell-flowers during summer.

If kept moist in summer, this cheery plant will bear a succession of dark-eyed, rich yellow daisies, good forcutting, from midsummer to autumn.

]]>

Reliable and easy to grow, with mounds of grey-green leaves and fleshy stems topped by flattened heads of white flowers from summer to autumn. Loved by butterflies.

IT IS PROBABLY TRUE to say that rabbits are the most serious source of plant damage and loss in the garden, especially in country areas or those close to large, open spaces. Rabbits can eat their way through a bed or border faster than any slug or snail, and although various methods are recommended for their control, it does no harm to include some perennials in the garden that rabbits usually find unpalatable or uninteresting.

From late summer into autumn, branched heads of small white, pink-tinted daisies, with rich yellow centers, are produced on a bushy clump of erect, leafy stems.

In late summer and early autumn, stout stems bearing large, loose heads of rich blue flowers rise above the bold clump of long, strap-shaped green leaves.

This adaptable, reliable plant has mounds of downy, scalloped and lobed, grey-green leaves, topped by yellowish green flower clusters in summer. Will seed around.

Known also as ‘Ostrich Plume’, which neatly describes its arcing sprays of pink flowers in summer and autumn. Young leaves are attractively bronze-tinted.

A beautiful and sought-after group of hybrids, bearing semi-ever green leaves and large, nodding, saucer-shaped flowers in a range of colors from late winter to spring.

The low mound of leathery, evergreen leaves is crowned in early spring by dense clusters of fragrant pink bell-flowers. It is excellent for ground cover or path edging.

A vigorous, creeping perennial, eventually forming large patches of leafy stems that color richly in autumn. Terminal clusters of fiery orange flowers open in summer.

 

 

PERENNIALS WITH TALL, SPIKE-LIKE HEADS of flowers can create bold and dramatic effects, bringing structure and height to garden displays as they rise above other plants in stiff, tight spires or elegant, tapering racemes. In most flower spikes, the blooms open from the base upwards but some, like those of Liatris spicata, open from the top first.

Tall, black-stemmed spires of tiny yellow flowers rise impressively in summer above the piles of long-stalked, heart-shaped, toothy leaves. Best in moist soil.           

The erect stems of this vigorous perennial are clothed in narrow, willow-like leaves, and sport long spires of white flowers with green sepals in summer. Will seed freely.

In early summer, and sometimes again later, this gorgeous delphinium’s sturdy, erect stems bear dense, tapered racemes of semi-double, creamy white flowers.

]]>

Quite different to the common foxglove the stiff, architectural spikes of golden brown, red-veined flowers rise above low, leafy rosettes during summer.

A robust, clump-forming plant with stiff stems and strap-shaped leaves. The dense pokers of coral-red flowers become erect after opening in late summer and autumn.

Striking and reliable, this mullein bears erect, often branched stems crowded with white, mauve-centered flowers in summer, over semi-evergreen, hairy leaf-rosettes.

UIERY-COLOURED FLOWERS may not appeal to gardeners with delicate tastes, but for many others, they inject life and passion into the garden. Reflecting the intensity and warmth of the sun, a single fiery-flowered perennial can brighten an otherwise bland border, while combining a few of them in a mixed planting will create a riot of color.

It may be a weed in its homeland, but in the garden the gloving orange flowers that crown the erect stems in late summer are a joy. Beware of the caustic, milky sap.

In late summer, the semi-double, glowing red blooms of this popular perennial are strikingly off-set by its dusky-red stems and leaves. Protect the tubers in winter.

Slender, branching stems carry orange-red flowers, with golden stamens, above a loose clump of deeply divided, hairy green leaves during spring and summer.

A classic perennial, with bold clumps of sword-shaped, pleated leaves, and arching spikes of trumpet-shaped, rich orange-red flowers in summer. Good for cutting.

This bushy, often short-lived perennial has big, daisy flower heads in summer and early antumn. The orange-red blooms are yellow-tipped with maroon centers.             

In late summer and autumn, stout clumps of erect, leafy stems carry a .multitude of bright orange-brown, yellow-suffused daisy-flowers with brown hearts.

 

 

Kalanchoe plants are pretty dry garden bloomers known for their bright colorful flowers.  They’re great succulent plants for dry landscapes or as houseplants in container gardens indoors.  Kalanchoes are in the Crassulaceae or, Stonecrop family.  Most varieties are perennial and evergreen.

One of the most popular form of kalanchoe species grown today is kalanchoe blossfeldiana and its many hybrid plants.  Kalanchoe blossfeldiana plants grow up to 2 feet tall and as wide.  They have large, leathery leaves about 2 1/2 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide.  The leaf edges are usually lightly scalloped and may have a slight tint of red or other color.  Some hybrid plants have smooth edges and different colors on the leaf.

Flowers bloom in upright, large clusters from 2 to 3 inches across, and are made up of small daisy like flowers of 5 petals.  The stamens are usually yellow and can stand out brightly depending on the flower color.  Flower colors can range from white, yellow, orange, red, pink and everything in between.  Flowers can also be creamy, dreamy pastels, or have flowers with more than one color, but kalanchoe blossfeldiana are mainly known for neon bright colors.  These drought tolerant plants make a bold statement in the garden with their glowing, bright flower colors.  Bloom is heaviest in spring, but they can bloom all year with a little feeding of fertilizer after the first bloom.

]]>

Care of kalanchoe plants outdoors is easy in mild winter areas.  They are hardy to USDA Zone 10b, or 35 degrees, (Sunset Zone: 17, 21-24),  These plants can take full sun to part shade in the garden.  Outdoors, if it gets over 100 degrees for more than a few days, or your plants develop brown spots it may be getting sunburn.  Either move the pots, or give them a little shade during the hottest part of the day with a temporary screen. Indoors they prefer a bright windowsill with lots of light.  Indoors, place your kalanchoe plants near a bright window.

Kalanchoes are popular gifts during the winter and make nice housewarming presents.  If you are lucky enough to receive one the first thing you might want to do is see if the soil is dry.  If so, give your plant some water and let it drain in the sink.  Then move them outside if you are in a mild winter area, or to a windowsill if it is cold outside.

Seeds saved from any hybrid plants will not grow out to look the same as the parent plants.  It is much easier to propagate kalanchoe with leaf or stem cuttings.  Place the cuttings in damp soil, and keep the soil moist for the first two weeks.  After that, let the soil dry out between waterings.

Like most succulent plants, water requirements for kalanchoe are low.  They can take average garden water, but will also grow well with much less.  In my garden a few plants are out in a section with the natives and other drought tolerant plants and they do quite well.  To avoid root rot, let the soil dry out before you water them again.

Kalanchoe plants also do well in container gardens.  Since they can handle drought, they are a bit more forgiving than other plants if you forget to water them!  They look great on the patio or as a focal point on your table.  For drop by http://www.theGardenPages.com to see photos and read more about dry garden plants.

Here are some plants you can grow and sell for great profits:

Anthericum

The spider plant, Anthericum, sends out long stolons (runners ) with new plants on the tips. The little white blossoms are not showy. Anthericum grows from a tuberous root similar to an icicle radish. Propagate by plant division or by cutting off and rooting the runners. It will grow in almost any kind of soil, in a temperature range from 55 to 75 degrees, shade or sun, and needs little fertilizing.

Asarina

Ceropegia thrives in a porous soil of loam, leafmold, peatmoss, and sand. By no means temperamental, it seems to grow rapidly in any temperature above 60 degrees.When propagating, you can save yourself work by plantingtwo tubers and a length of stem and leaves to a 2-inch pot. Pot up in late February for 6- to 8-inch vines by May.

Cacti

If your time is limited (perhaps only week-ends), cacti may be just the ticket for you. Many cacti need only once-a-week watering during November to April, with twice-a-week watering the rest of the year. Succulents are equally worth your consideration.

Propagate cacti through seed or cuttings. Unique forms can be produced by grafting one on another. Cacti thrive in a dry, sunny, 65-degree greenhouse. They grow well in sandy soil, low in nutrients. A good mixture for potting is equal parts of sand, loam, and broken brick, with a generous sprinkling of charcoal. Perhaps the worst enemy of cacti is ove rwatering, and yet for best growth, they need a lot more water than is popularly believed.

Grow cacti from seed by filling the pot 1/3 with drainage material and the balance with the soil mixture. Moisten the mixture, plant the seeds, and cover with a sprinkling of soil. Place a pane of glass over the planting and set it in a 65- to 75-degree house. Germination will vary, depending on variety, but from a mixed pack of seeds you should see sprouts within 10 days to 2 weeks. Germination may continue for 6 or 8 weeks.

]]>

Growth is slow; you won’t have to prick out seedlings for 3 to 6 months. When you do, gradually remove the larger, stronger ones and pot into well-drained thumb pots of the same soil mixture.

Take cacti cuttings during the summer; be sure to use a sharp knife. Letting them dry in the air for a couple of days will remove most of the excess moisture and speed the formation of a callus (a “growth” over the cut area essential to root formation). Plant the cuttings in pots of sandy soil.

Within 2 to 3 months, you will find them well rooted and ready for a shift to pots of soil. You will produce a really fine crop of cacti if you remember to (1) use the smallest pot that will comfortably hold the cactus; (2) stake tall plants; (3) water them twice a week when in active growth, once a week when resting and be sure of good drainage; (4) give good ventilation during warm weather.

Grafting for newer or more rapid-growing forms is fascinating. It should be carried out during the growing season. Select for the stock plant a species such as opuntia, acanthocereus, or pereskia. (The stock is the bottom or rooted part of a grafted plant.) Intriguing forms result when the rattail cactus is cut and grafted on one of these stocks.

The Christmas cactus is another excellent grafting subject. Use a sharp knife to cut the scion (the stem or bud that you graft to the stock). Make a slit in the top of the stock and place the scion in it; spines from cacti can be used as pins to fasten the two in place.

Succulents; many of which belong to the cactus family, are of easy culture and make good material for small pots.
Epiphyllums such as rhipsalis and schlumbergera are still another division of this large plant family. They are the plants with the fabulous flowers sometimes called Easter, Christmas, or Thanksgiving cactus. These require richer soil and more humid conditions and therefore require larger pots than the slow-growing cacti.

Ceropegia

A little vine of many names, Ceropegia is called rosary vine, lace vine, or hearts entwined; it is a good seller under any designation. Grown from small tubers planted in pots, it sends out slender trailing stems early in life, and little aerial tubers form at regular intervals along the stems.

These resemble small beads; hence the appellation, rosary vine. These tubers can be planted for new plants. Varieties are quite numerous. On C. woodi the nearly circular leaves are flecked with silver and the flowers are lavender with fuzzy black tips, resembling a candle and wick. On C. Sandersoni the leaves are thicker and larger and the flowers a greenish white, over an inch in length.

Flowering vines have a tremendous appeal. In Asarina (Maurandia) we have a real treasure. This fast-growing vine with ivylike leaves bears pink or purple flowers like those of slipper gloxinias. If unable to purchase a plant or cuttings as a starter, order seeds from a specialty house. Plant the seeds any time of year in light loam, cover with glass, and place in 60- to 70-degree temperatures. Germination takes place in about 10 days. As your seedlings begin to crowd, thin them out and place them in 2-inch pots; here they will bloom in 4 to 5 months.

Here is a nice selection of plants that are popular with the public and can make you good profits:

Monkey Flower (Mimulus)

This is indeed a versatile plant. A semi-trailer in shade, it is good for window boxes, outdoor planters, and hanging baskets. With full sun it grows upright and is excellent for use in the border. The brilliantly colored flowers are light yellow splotched red, or red with yellow markings. Here are flowers to liven a garden throughout the summer.

Sow mimulus seed in January in the warm house. Transplant in late February to 2- or 3-inch pots of porous growing mixture. These will be well established for the spring and summer business.

Morning Glory (Ipomoea)

Propagate strobilanthes through cuttings. The purchase of one plant in a 4-inch pot in the fall will give you fifty or more plants in 3-inch pots for spring and summer sales. Grow it in a warm house and keep it nipped out for bushy growth. Stick the nipped out pieces in a propagating case and you’ll have still more plants for sale.

Sow the seeds in April. They are best planted directly into 2-inch pots of ordinary greenhouse soil. If you have a heating cable in your greenhouse, give some bottom heat as a starter. Lacking a heating cable, start them in a warm greenhouse. As the vines grow, the potted plants can be moved to the cold frame or placed in a cooler part (50 degrees) of the greenhouse.

Although there are many new varieties, Heavenly Blue remains high on the list of favorites.

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum)

Nasturtiums, with their blaze of yellow, orange, and red flowers, are versatile. Plant seeds in early March directly into 2-inch pots of soil. Grow them in the cool greenhouse. The tall vining types are generally listed as “old fashioned fragrant,” or “fragrant giants.”

]]>

Scabiosa

This sturdy and popular annual has fragrant, pincushion-like heads of white, pale yellow, salmon, pink, scarlet, or blue flowers; in fact, pincushion flower is one of its common names. Start the seed early in March in the warm house in average greenhouse soil. Pot singly into 3- or 4-inch pots in April and plants will be well established for May sales.

Schizanthus

Often listed as butterfly flower, fringe flower, and, perhaps most commonly, as poor man’s orchid, schizanthus is lovely enough to use in situations calling for a specimen planting. The flowers of this annual, looking like tiny orchids in purple marked with white, red, or deep yellow, are borne in clusters.

Sow seeds in October for blooming or budded May sellers. Keep well moistened and grow in 60-degree temperature. In March, pot up two plants to a 3- or 4-inch pot, pinch out tips to make good branching, stake, and grow in good light.
Summer Cypress (Kochia)

The summer cypress can become a garden nuisance, but if restrained, it is a handsome shrubby annual, wonderful to use in the newly established garden or for special landscaping purposes. This plant with its neat conical growth resembles the small expensive pyramidal evergreens so popular in foundation plantings. Suggest summer cypress for use in temporary foundation planting, for fast growing hedges, or specimen plants for the garden.

The foliage, green throughout the summer, turns red in fall. I like its other common name, Mexican burning bush.
Sow the seed in March and grow in a warm house. Pot up in 3- or 4-inch pots in late April. The variety most commonly grown is Kochia scoparia.

Stocks (Matthiola)

Stocks are both annual and biennial plants. They are good for the sunny garden and the flowers are marvelous in arrangements. Some of the annual types flower 10 to 12 weeks after seed planting. Flowers are white, pink, red, and navy blue.

Sow the seed in March in a porous mixture. Grow in a warm house. As soon as the seedlings can be handled well-perhaps 2 weeks-pot up in 3-inch pots.

Any of the giant mixed strains produce handsome plants. There is also a dwarf 10-week stock on the market. This one, growing to 12 inches, has fragrant, large, double flowers. Mixtures listed as “column type” bear both single and double flowers on exceptionally long stems.

Strobilanthes

Suggest the use of a few strobilanthes (sometimes called conehead) plants to the gardener who has a yen for beautifully colored foliage. Although there are several species available, none is quite so handsome and easily grown as S. dyer-anus. New growth is deep red-purple, older leaves are silvery orchid. Strobilanthes makes a pretty border plant and it adds much to terrace, patio, outdoor planters, or window boxes.

The morning glory vines provide a wealth of exciting garden material-to help out in so many different gardening situations. New gardeners need fast-growing material for trellises and fences, as a screening for service areas, or accent plants grown on or near a wall. Morning glories provide all this-and, in addition, produce an abundance of blue, rose, or white flowers.

Here are some great plants for brilliant profits from your greenhouse:

Pinks (Dianthus)

Pinks, so easily grown, and in such a wide variety of colors, are good plants for terraces, bedding, or borders. There are single and double kinds, many having a pungent, clove like scent.

Start seed in February in the cool greenhouse. Make one transplanting to 2- or 3-inch pots, or sell directly from the flats.

to purchase a mixture. From a mixture you will get shades of light lilac, rose, pink, and red.

Low-growing Dianthus deltoides has pretty small pink, scarlet, or white flowers with little fragrance. These, too, flower the second year.

China pinks (Dianthus chinensis), the rainbow or annual pinks, grow rapidly from seeds sown in March and grown in the cold greenhouse. Pot and sell from 2- or 3-inch pots or directly from flats. They are not fragrant but their single and double flowers in a wide variety of colors make up for lack of fragrance, and they bloom from seed the first year.

Fragrant-flowered Dianthus grenadina resembles the florist carnation and will produce flowers from seed the first year but is not hardy in northern gardens.

Ranunculus

These daintily flowered creepers make splendid terrace plants. The small double flowers are in shades of yellow. Ranunculus asiaticus, tuberous rooted, is one of the best. Although it can be propagated by seed, the tubers are plentiful and low priced. Pot the tubers in early January, several to a 7-inch bulb pan or flat of soil. Tubers should be planted about 1 inch below the soil surface. Grow them in the cool greenhouse, or cold frame. When strong new growth shows, pot them in 2- or 3-inch pots of soil.

]]>

Stonecrops-Sedutn and Sempervivum

Most terracing includes steps, ledges, or a retaining wall of stone, brick, or cement. Often the retaining wall is not a complete one. It may be of slender stone slabs wedged into the soil with spaces left between the slabs. For the gardener who wantschoice, long-lasting material to add interest to any of these terrace features, suggest that he plant stone crops.

They have thick foliage in shades of gray, green, and rose-tinted green; attractive growth patterns (rosettes, fernlike spires, and slender trailing stems); a bonus of interesting flowers, and the ability to grow in poor soil.

You can grow these from seed, giving them the same culture recommended for cactus (page 191). However, the plants of most varieties are reasonably priced and the owner of a small greenhouse may find it more profitable to purchase them in lots of 50 or 100 and retail them. Among my favorite sedums are S. acre, S. album, S. reflexum chameleon, and S. spurium.

Hen-and-chickens is one of the most popular sempervivums. This one, a low-growing gray-green rosette, sends out tiny plants in such abundance it would seem, indeed, to be an old mother hen and her chicks. Cobweb is another attractive sem-pervivum. Gray-green, hairy leaves joined together by a lacy web, plus red flowers, make this an excellent choice for the terrace.

Tuberous Begonias

You can’t beat tuberous-rooted begonias for growing in shady areas of the terrace. It’s easy to see why they are called mocking-bird flower, for the blossoms come in shapes resembling roses, gardenias, camellias, and carnations. The colors are gorgeous, including pure white, all shades of yellow and orange, pink, rose, and red.

If this is your first year with tuberous begonias, you may want to start by offering mature tubers, started in pots. The tubers are reasonably priced-the domestics from California cost more than the imports, but they’re usually larger and firmer.

Here are some plants you can grow in hanging baskets to make a great display:

Asparagus Fern (Asparagus plumosus)

These can be grown from seed but the seedlings are the victims of so many insect pests that it is better to purchase small plants in February and grow them on in the warm house for spring and early summer sales.

Feathery green trailing growth, plus small white flowers which often produce small red fruits, make this a froth of green for the window box or planter. Here it is seldom bothered with pests unless the season is exceptionally hot and dry, then it may become infested with red spider.

If you have old plants left over, you can divide them with a sharp knife, potting up the pieces of long white tubers and foliage in 4-inch pots of greenhouse soil. They also make wonderful hanging basket plants for the patio or greenhouse.

Begonia

Nearly everyone knows the little wax begonia (B. semper-florens), with its shiny leaves and white, pink, or red flowers. You can purchase a large plant of the wax begonia and propagate most of your own stock through cuttings grown in the warm house, buy small potted plants for retail, or grow these fibrous-rooted begonias from seed. The procedure from seed is like that for most house plants, (page 112).

Equally good for window boxes are the hanging basket types of tuberous-rooted begonias. The single or double flowers range from white and yellow through pink, salmon, and red.

Dracaena

Most gardeners think of dracaena as a house plant but it makes a good tough item for outdoor planting in summer. And you can always tell your customers it serves double duty. When the window box season has finished, it can be dug up, potted, and used as a house plant.

This is another item I believe is best purchased as small potted plants. You won’t want too many to start with-probably no more than 2 dozen-and they are low priced. D. fragrans has green leaves but many varieties have striped and speckled foliage. There’s D. Massangeana with a wide golden stripe along the leaf midrib; D. Godseffiana, with flecks of white on its foliage; D. Goldieana has green and silver foliage; and D. Sanderianq, a slender plant, with glossy green leaves margined white.

]]>

If you have plants left over, you can propagate more from tip, stem, or root cuttings struck in a propagating bed or case. They must be grown in the warm house.

Heliotrope

The dwarf form of heliotrope, with its heads of blue or white flowers, makes a wonderful plant for window box or planter (and is fine also for bedding or as an accent plant).

Heliotrope is easily grown from cuttings taken in the fall. These are sold in pots the following spring. Grow the cuttings in any medium you prefer, in a warm house. As soon as they are well rooted you can plant them in 3-inch pots of greenhouse soil. When the plants reach the height you want, cut out the top so the plant will branch.

Hoya Carnosa

Often called the wax plant or Swedish ivy, this plant with its heavy, glossy, green or variegated leaves and huge clusters of waxy white or pink flowers makes a marvelous summer window box plant. And it, too, serves double duty. In the fall it can be brought into the house and used in a hanging basket or trained up the side of a window.

It’s best to buy this one as rooted cuttings; pot them in rich soil, and grow them in the warm house. You probably won’t want to start out with more than twenty-five. If you keep some over and want them to flower in your greenhouse, do not take tip cuttings. The blooms form on the tips and after the plants have flowered, they will produce a second-year flower crop on these same tips.

Pandanus

Here’s another plant which doubles for window box and in¬door garden. The green foliage is bordered or striped with white or yellow.

As a starter, buy un-rooted cuttings and root them in flats of light soil mixture at 65 degrees F. When they are rooted, in about 3 weeks, pot in 3-inch pots. Plants started in March are ready for later spring sales.

Thunbergia

Although generally reserved for greenhouse decoration, thunbergia makes a good trailer for the window box. Its flowers, produced freely throughout the summer, are white, cream, orange red, and in shades of blue-purple.

Thunbergia, called clock vine, is easily propagated through cuttings or seed sown in the spring in the warm house. Pot up into 2-inch pots as soon as the cuttings or seedlings can be easily handled.

Wishbone Plant (Torenia)

Small gloxinia-like flowers in white and yellow, plain yellow, or blue and white, and tiny green leaves, plus a trailing habit when grown in partial shade, make the wishbone plant unusual material for the window box, planter, or hanging basket.

In warmer areas of the country, this one is handled as many northern gardeners handle pansies.

Sow the seeds in March in loose soil and grow in the warm house. Do not let seedlings dry out-they may not revive. As soon as you can handle them, perhaps mid-April, plant them in 3-inch pots of porous soil.

The popularity of hanging baskets, outdoor planter boxes, and window boxes makes it necessary that you should know a little about the type of plants your customers will want to purchase for use in these garden “areas.” Almost any of the small vines, or trailers-Vinca ma\or, hoya, wandering Jew, trailing petunias, begonias, and ivy geranium-will do beautifully. The upright geraniums often are depended upon to furnish the bulk of bloom for both types of planters. Most of the small bedding plants also are good.

Here are some great plants you can grow in your greenhouse for all year round profits

Annual Phlox

The lovely little annual phlox in a vast selection of colors will almost always be among your best sellers. They are useful anywhere. Suggest to your customers that these plants are most effective in the garden when planted in groups of half dozen or more.

Sow the seed in early March in light soil. Grow in the cool greenhouse and pot up in 2 or 3-inch pots in mid-April.

Bachelor Button (Centaurea)

This plant with its silvery-gray foliage, bright blue, pink, or pink and white flowers is a great garden favorite. Recommend it for beds, borders, cutting rows, or accent plants.

Sow the seeds in February, planting them ½ inch deep in ordinary greenhouse soil or any seed-starter medium and grow them in the cool greenhouse. These seedlings will be large enough to be sold from 3- or 4-inch pots in May.

Balsam (Impatiens balsamina)

Balsams are old favorites-and they are constantly being improved as in the new rose-, camellia- or double-flowered types.

Sow balsam seed in March in pans or flats of sandy soil. The seed germinates rapidly when grown in 65 degree temperatures. Pot into 3-inch pots when the first true leaf shows, usually about 3 weeks after germination. They need lots of light, so grow them close to the glass. To obtain shapely plants remove the first buds from the main stem and side shoots.

Calendula

Calendulas, or pot marigolds, with their bright golden heads, are fine for garden color or for the cutting garden. They thrive in most any soil, and seeds sown in early April will produce large budded plants for late May or early June sales. Grow the seedlings in night temperature of 50 degrees.

]]>

Calendulas come in shades of cream, apricot, yellow, and orange. Grown under good conditions, modern calendulas are mostly doubles-regular pompoms. If many single or deformed blooms show up on supposedly doubled varieties, they probably have been grown under too high a temperature.

Castor Bean (Ricinus communis)

Owners of new homes-especially in housing developments -usually have common garden problems. Foremost among these is lack of shade and the immediate need for impressive-looking shrubbery or plants. The castor bean will fill both of these bills. These plants in one season will grow 8 feet tall and 5 feet wide, with very broad leaves. Suggest using castor bean plants also as patio plantings, boundary line markers, or to add a touch of interest to the new garden.

The beans are large. Plant each one in a separate 2-inch pot in March and grow in the cool greenhouse. In mid-May pot up in 4- or 5-inch pots.

Coreopsis

Coreopsis thrive in a sunny location. With their yellow, orange, red, and near-brown flowers, they add splashy color to the garden and are long-lasting cut flowers.

Start seed in the cool greenhouse in mid-April and you’ll have salable plants from 3-inch pots in late May.

Cosmos

With lacy foliage and richly colored flowers cosmos make popular additions to most gardens. Most of them are about 3 feet high at maturity but some of the “Mammoth” hybrids grow to 5 feet. They thrive under the same conditions as coreopsis. Cosmos come in deep rose, rich crimson, white, pink, and orange, with single and double flowers.

Dahlia

Planted early in February, most dahlias will produce flowers from seed the first season. Certain varieties such as Unwins have become favorites for pot growing. You can purchase these in mixture and plant them in early February in the cool house for salable potted plants in May.

Gilia

The gilia genus offers several good garden species. I like Gilia rubra (sometimes sold as Ipomopsis); it features rapid growth and tall (3-5 feet) spires of bright red flowers. These make wonderful accent plants to place among low-growing perennials, as iris or hemerocallis, and they are among the most handsome of background plants. Although easily grown, this gilia is not too often seen. Its common names include standing cypress and Texas plume. There are also varieties with blue, pincushion-like flowers.

To have flowering plants in May, sow the seed in December in a cool greenhouse. As soon as the little plants are large enough to handle, usually in about a month, transplant directly into 2-inch pots of average greenhouse loam. Plants will flower right in these 2-inch pots, but you’ll have larger plants and more flowers if you give one more transplanting-to a 3- or 4-inch pot.