Charming Flowers

Upside down leaves and brightly coloured blooms; these are the characteristics that make the alstroemeria such a distinctive and interesting flower. Sometimes mistaken for miniature lilies, the alstroemeria can be easily recognised by the dark markings in their trumpet shaped heads and yellow throats. The alstroemeria has a host of spiritual interpretations, from devotion and friendship to the achievement of…

It is not the same as ornamental marigolds of the Tagetes genus grown in vegetable gardens. Calendula is native to Asia and southern Europe and has been traditionally used in Ayurvedic and Unani systems of medicine. Calendula blossoms form a neat ray of petals that gently unfold from a tight bud, opening up to radiate from the center as the…

We’re all familiar with the baby’s breath plant, from bridal bouquets to cut flower arrangements that use the small, delicate white flowers, fresh or dried, to fill in around larger blooms. Baby’s breath is the star of the cutting garden, providing delicate little blooms that dress up floral arrangements, (and your garden). If you have access to a mature baby’s…

Cyclamen is a petite flowering plant that has sweet-scented, small blooms on long stems that stretch up above the foliage. It is a tuberous perennial, meaning it dies down to its thick roots (tubers) during its summer dormancy period and then regrows quickly each fall. Its flowers come in shades of pink, purple, red, and white. It's commonly grown as…

The beauty of peonies is unparalleled. They grow in large blooms in shades of pinks that are quite pleasing to the eye. Their foliage is also unmistakable and creates a nice contrast to the brightly colored flowers. This plant takes a little bit of time to develop and will need a few years to grow into their full beauty. Peonies…

A popular ‘everlasting’ flower, easy to grow, produces a mass of small globular flowers. Typical colour is purple. Others include orange, pink & off white. Gomphrena is a cheery little clover look-alike that for centuries has graced classic cutting gardens. American gardeners have relied on its pleasing bachelor button flowers since the early 1700s. With pink, purple, or white gumball flowers, globe amaranth has…

These adorable, yet prickly plants are a great indoor addition. If you have children, it is best to keep them high up, since their thorns are small and not so welcoming. Like desert plants, Bunny Ear Cactus is great to adorn dry indoor spaces. They do not require too much maintenance and can be easily taken care of. They are…

Peace lily is a natural for filling a corner, including those with part sun as well as dark spots. Tuck it into a simple container to let glossy leaves and stately flowers steal the spotlight. A beloved houseplant, peace lilies are renowned for their easy care. All of us crave to live a life filled with peace and contentment. Peace Lilly…

Do you belong to those tribe of people who want to add a dash of color around the house and aren’t just looking for green plants? Then Anthuriums are your answer. Leaves of this plant are clustered in shape and the inflorescence bears small flowers which come in several colours. The flowers are collected in a dense spiral on the…

Aechmea fasciata (Urn Plant or Silver Vase Plant) makes a great houseplant because it’s beautiful and low-maintenance. Aechmeas make great houseplants and their large pink blooms can brighten your home for months. The silver vase plant forms an upright vase-shaped rosette of arching silver green leaves with spiny edges. The silver coloring comes from the whitish scales called trichomes that…

Pencil cactus is easy to grow if three things are provided: high light, low water, and gritty soil. This plant is perfect for travelers or people who sometimes forget they have houseplants. This plant will not tolerate low light conditions. Direct sun, or plenty of bright ambient light from a western, eastern, or southern facing window is ideal for this…

The Aluminum plant does occasionally flower, but the tiny white blooms are not ornamental. You will want to remove them as soon as they bloom to conserve energy for the impressive foliage growth. The Aluminum plant is an easy going house plant that is generally simple to please. So long as the Pilea cadierei plant gets the water and sunlight…