Delphinium has Magnificent Flower Spikes in Their Own Way

An idea of luxury is to always have plenty of delphiniums. They’re not reliable in hot climate, so you must replace several of them each year. But it is gladly, not only for their magnificent flower spikes in the garden, but also for summer bouquets. They need extra attention, but they earn it. The most stunning ones are hybrids of Delphinium elatum, which are tall grand often upwards of five feet. Among these are the “Giant Pacific” series, which come in many shades and are often bicolored each flower along the spike having the center, or bee in a contrasting color. The vivid blue verities such as Blue skies are favorites, but always grow a purple, too such as King Arthur, and mauve, such as Astolat. The dwarf Blue Fountains hybrids are similar but only two feet tall.

Many delphiniums are a bit more reliable and very beautiful in their own way. Belladonna (light blue) and Bellamosum (dark blue) are three to five feet with an open from spike. Connecticut Yankee is a bushy 2 ½ feet in a number of shades. Chinese delphiniums (D. Chinese) are less than two feet and a very intense blue. Well to grow delphinium, prefer climate with cool summers, where their stems grow tall and strong, and where they are free from diseases that attack them diseases aggravated by hot muggy weather. Select a sunny location if possible one protected from the wind. Even there they will perhaps need to be staked. The stake should reach to the point where the flower spikes starts. Give them a very rich, alkaline soil. I dig a cupful of lime into the hole before planting, and top areas established clumps with a cup of lime each spring. I also top dress with a balanced granular or liquid fertilizer in spring and after the plants bloom. You must avoid mulching around the crowns (the place where the stems join the roots), moreover this can cause rot. Further remove all but five of the strongest stems in each clump in the spring and cut off spent flowers after they bloom in early summer. Then cut back the stems when you see new growth start to appear. Most will bloom a second time in later summer, but will tall verities the blooms from the second flowering will be shorter. Delphiniums will bloom the first year from seed. Source: Charismatic Planet

Coleus is loved for its dramatically variegated Leaves

A perennial flower grown as a tender annual, coleus is loved for its dramatically variegated leaves in shades of green, red, yellow, and white. Bothe shapes are markings and the shapes of the leaves vary from variety to variety and can be effective in mixture or in plantings of one color. They are often used in planters, pots and window boxes as well as in beds. Tall varieties grow as tall as three feet, shorter ones as low as six inches. Well, to grow coleus, it is best to buy started plants in the colors and leaf from you desire. Growing coleus from seed is slow. If you want to try it, sow indoors as early as ten weeks before the last expected frost. Sprinkle the tiny seeds on top of the soil and gently press them into it rather than covering them, and keep the soil moist and war during germination. Transplant seedlings into the permanent location after danger of frost have passed. Coleus plants should be spaced at least a foot apart; they can grow quite broad. Young plants can be pinched to make them compact and bushy. A Warm weather plant, coleus can grow in full sun in some climates, but part shade will prevent wilting in hot weather and produce stronger colors. Light mulch will help keep the soil moist, but don’t mound the mulch around the plants stems. 

 Source: Charismatic Planet

Cosmos Flower is Ideal for the back of your Garden

The most common varieties are hybrids of Cosmos bipinnatus, a half hardy annual with daisylike flowers sometimes as large as four inches across, with the beautiful shades of pink and red or white. Moreover, plants have airy, threadlike foliage and usually grow about four feet tall, but sometimes taller (the sensation hybrids are shorter. They’re ideal for the back of the annual garden. It is also use them to fill in between clumps of tall perennials such as asters and phlox. Hybrids of C. Further, sulphurous are shorter; normally around three feet and have yellow, red or orange flowers that are normally around two inches across and sometimes double as well. They are tender annuals. This is the preferred species for very hot climates. If you have never tried this type of cosmos you are missing a great flower. However, plants have airy but bushy foliage and bloom very profusely. 

Well, if you want to grow cosmos flower, then you’ve to sow seeds outdoors after the last expected frost, or indoors about six weeks before. Therefore, for optimum bloom plant in full sun or part shade in soil that is not too rich or too moist. Plant at least 12 inches apart. Tall varieties often need staking, but can be pinched if you want shorter plants and want more bloom.  Source: Charismatic Planet

Petunia is Small Flower Comes in Several Shapes and Colors

Petunias are half hardy annuals and are related to the potato and other members of the nightshade family. Their familiar trumpet shaped flowers come in several shapes. Moreover sizes and colors, from the old fashioned single flowers to modern hybrids that are striped, double ruffled and sometimes very large at least four inches across for the grandifloras. The new multiflora petunias are small and single and bloom very profusely they are also disease resistant. Since petunias make compact plants with masses of color, they are excellent in flower borders. We find that more modest, simpler petunias are less decimated by heavy rainstorms than the more flamboyant ones; the latter, though are fine as container plants in sheltered locations. The trailing petunias, such as the grandifloras, are especially effective in pots, planters and boxes. Petunia colors are virtually unlimited; there are even striped, bicolored ones. Height ranges from six inches dwarfs to 18 inches full size plants. 

 How to Grow Petunia

Well, you need to sow seeds indoors eight to ten weeks before the last frost, dropping the tiny seeds onto the soil surface and pressing lightly with the fingers. Keep the seedlings cool, and transplant then carefully to individual peat pots when each seedling has four leaves. They can be set out in the garden 12 to 18 inches apart after danger of frost in fairly fertile soil. Some petunias especially the doubles are slow to grow from seed and you may be better off with nursery grown seedlings. 

Petunias are warm weather plants but they sometimes do poorly during hot weather. If they look straggly and aren’t blooming well, cut them back to a few inches tall and feed them liquid fertilizer that you water in well. Petunias will self-sow readily, but the seedlings will rarely look anything like the parents. 

Poppy or Papaver Orientale

The Oriental poppy’s showy flowers appear for at most a week or two in late spring or early summer in gorgeous shades of red, pink, orange and salmon as well as white. They’re borne on stems 2 ½ -3 feet high above foliage that looks alas, quite messy as summer wears on then disappears. They can be grown in a bed by themselves, or tucked in among later blooming plants whose foliage will fill in and hide that of the poppies. There are several varieties to choose from, including the pink “Helen Elizabeth”, “Barr’s White” and “Carmine”, which is red with black markings. The “Minicap” series will do better than most in hot climates. 

We know, you want to know how to grow poppy? Poppies are planted in late summer or early fall. They rarely need division, and propagation is best done by taking root cuttings several inches long. They prefer sun, except in hot climates where some light shade is best during the hot part of the day. They are not fussy about soil, but poor drainage will cause them to rot, especially during the winter. Mulching should be avoided for the same reason. Source: Charismatic Planet