Flower Gardening

Flower gardening need not be limited only to summertime. If you
plan carefully and plant ahead of time, your garden can be filled
with an abundance of flowers for most of the year.

If we start by seasons, then for spring flowers, the best thing
you could do would be to plant bulbs. Any nursery will have them,
and if you're more inclined towards the exotic, and rarer flowering
bulbs, there's a good chance you can have them ordered specially.

Favorites amongst bulb lovers are early springtime Crocuses, and
cheerful Snowdrops. Tulips though, are by and away the most famous
of bulbs in demand by flower gardeners, and are available in a
variety of shades, including a black-colored one, which is really
more of a deep maroon and one of those rare flowers I was talking
about earlier.

Remember that all spring flowering bulbs should be planted in mid
autumn, as this is the best time for them. Come any closer to winter
and you're in danger of losing your bulbs altogether.

Moving through to summer, we find that perennials are a firm favorite
for flower gardening as they yield blooms almost continuously
throughout the season, and sometimes beyond. With a little luck and
care, you'll also find that most of your perennials will last through
to next year, and the year after that, and, well you get the picture
right? You'll also find that as the years and the seasons wear on,
your perennials will become fuller, and generally will become more
abundant than the first year you planted them.

As autumn gently closes in most flower gardens are left bereft of
anything but a few small hardy plants. If you're into more dedicated
flower gardening however, that need not be the case for you. Hardy,
drought resistant plants like Asters number among the many types of
fall flowers available, and will look stunning in late summer/early
fall, Generally, autumn plants will grow to a good 3-4 feet in height,
and have vivid colors, as well as the more genteel pastel colors to
choose from. Ornamental grasses are another favorite and will nicely
complement your fall flowers.

To round off the year and your efforts at flower gardening, don't
despair as there are many winter blooms available. Amaryllis, Hyacinth,
and Narcissus are a few of the more common known flowers and are
available in bulb form. If you want something a little more out of
the ordinary, you could always try Winter Jasmine, or Winter
Honeysuckle.

So, take heart, take plenty of notes, plan, and buy to your heart's
content. By the end of it all you truly will have a flower for every
season, and your flower gardening efforts will be rewarded most
bountifully

Tomorrow's article will be on Gardening Books - see you then!

All the Best - Ian Fleming