Probably the single most powerful design factor in the garden is color. When you think about memorable gardens, the strongest memory is most likely to be of the colors, rather than the plant forms, the garden design, or some other feature. So as you begin buying annual and perennial flowering plants this spring, why not plan to create a continual display of color in your garden?
Dispersing blocks of annuals throughout your flowerbeds, between and in front of the perennials, will enable you to achieve a long-lasting distribution of bloom. Perennials have relatively short periods of bloom, so annuals are used to keep color in the garden throughout the growing season. And since some annuals bloom later in the year than others, you can plant different varieties to furnish color at different times.
Plant early bloomers ASAP
In warmer areas of the South and Southwest, you can start this month by planting pansies, calendulas, snapdragons, English daisies, and other hardy annuals to provide early-season color. Add perennials such as yarrow, purple coneflower, salvia, and coreopsis in sunny garden spots for late-spring and summer blooms. If you feel like you need help in selecting the right plants for your yard, just ask your local garden center, check with the county extension service.
Give them good soil
To get your flowers off to a good start – and give them a good growing environment all season – plant them in soil improved with soil for flowers & vegetables. It’s specially formulated for annuals and perennials and will help keep your plants from drying out.
Don’t forget to feed
All of your annuals and perennials will have bigger, longer-lasting blooms when you feed them every other week with Plant Food– and it couldn’t be easier than when you use the hose-end garden feeder. Just drop in a full premeasured packet of plant food, turn on the water, and the garden feeder automatically dispenses just the right amount of diluted plant food. You can feed 500 square feet of garden in just 12 minutes!
With a little planning now and feeding throughout the season, you’ll be amazed at the on-going show of color your flowerbeds will give you in return.