Fabulous Flower Beds
OUR FAVORITE FLOWERS IN POTS
Are you looking for some tried-and-true favorites to decorate the outside of your home this spring and summer? Well, look no further!
“Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells, And pretty maids all in a row.”
We all know the English nursery rhyme of the contrary maiden Mary and, sometimes, may even utter it to ourselves (perhaps while planting a garden). One thing is for certain: no matter how old one gets, a garden is always appropriate and, more than that, can be a little piece of heaven on earth.
Pretty Pansies and Petunias
- Pansies and petunias are synonymous with flower pots, beds, and windowsills. They are both relatively easy to grow when it comes to flowering plants and come in a wide variety of colors. Both have a lengthy flowering duration and are absolutely charming. Their velvety faces are a welcome addition to any home. Often planted as a border around fences, porches, and gazebos, these flowers may be commonly seen but are anything but ordinary.
- The name “pansy” actually means “thought,” so the flower symbolizes a memory or souvenir. Sentimental in nature the “flower with the face” resembles a viola and can even be seen growing through cracks in the pavement. A “Johnny Jump-Up” or “wild pansy” is actually a purple and yellow violet that literally pops up everywhere. These common English wildflowers are edible and sometimes added as a garnish to summer salads.
Potted Posies
(All images courtesy of Chelsea Flowers’ Events: Outdoors)
Unsure of what to plant in your terracotta pots? How about these tried-and-true staples:
- Red geraniums add a pop of color to any window or patio.
- Begonias, with their waxy petals, are ideal for planting in spring and summer. They love the shade and do wonderfully in a planter at the base of a tree, or in a hanging basket.
- Torenia (also called “wishbone flowers”) are annuals in the Linderniaceae family. Relatively small, these plants have lots of tiny blossoms that thrive in the summer heat.
- Violas or violets do not thrive in the heat like Torenia but are popular in the spring (and must be replanted each year, although some do reseed themselves).
- Marigolds are endlessly popular, cheerful flowers. Their odour repels insects and other garden pests. Famous for their bright orange and yellow heads, marigolds are a golden addition to any flower patch.
- Lobelia flowers in waves, spreads easily, and is the perfect plant for a shady spot. Known for its delicate foliage and brightly-hued blossoms, this beauty will thrive all summer.
A Floor of Flowers
- Creeping phlox is similar to Lobelia in appearance and will spread far from the flower bed across an entire lawn if you let it. For a blanket of blossoms, plant some low-growing phlox.
For more information (and images for inspiration) regarding outdoor flowers, consult the link below:
https://chelseaflowers.co.uk/outdoors/
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