Charming Flowers

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…

The plants are often cultivated outdoors in western North America and in colder regions in greenhouses. Bottlebrushes grow into big shrubs or small trees. Bottlebrush plants  get their name from the spikes of flowers that bloom at the ends of the stems, bearing a strong resemblance to a bottle brush. Grow them as shrubs or small trees that grow up to…

The native species has pearly white flowers centered with steel-blue and encircled with a narrow, yellow band. The flowers are held well above the plant, which forms a compact mound. The leaves are handsome grayish-green that combines well with other colors in the garden. The African Daisy is a perennial with flowers that come in a variety of colors including red, gold,…

Blooms of the bleeding heart plant (Dicentra spectabilis) appear in early spring adorning the garden with attention-getting, heart-shaped flowers borne on arching stems. Bleeding heart is deciduous plant. It discards leaves at the end of the summer. Bleeding heart develops pink, heart-shaped flowers (petals are white from the inside) with small, white, drop-like hanging part on the bottom side. Flowers are…

Very long blooming period of about four months. Common varieties are a combination of yellow & brown red colour. They have purple disk flowers and yellow, orange, or white ray flowers with three or more teeth that give the plant a fringed appearance. Most have hairy leaves that are either grouped at the base of the plant or alternate along the stem.…

Growing hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) in the garden is a goal of many gardeners who remember these impressive flowers from their youth. Hollyhocks add drama and height, making an impressive backdrop to shorter perennials. Alcea is a genus of about 60 species of flowering plants in the mallow family Malvaceae, commonly known as the hollyhocks.  They are native to Asia and…

Given the right indoor environment, they will thrive and make for a wonderfully unique houseplant. Ferns come in a wide variety of colors and textures. The Bird’s Nest Fern has large simple fronds that are tropical-like in that they resemble banana leaves. These ferns have a slow growth rate. They're best planted in the spring, though houseplants generally can be…

Peacock houseplants (Calathea makoyana) are often found as part of indoor collections, though some gardeners say they’re difficult to grow. Peacock plant care includes keeping the soil consistently moist. The foliage of the Calathea peacock plant can be damaged by fluoride in water. Collect rainwater for watering peacock houseplants, or use bottled, distilled water without fluoride. The Calathea Makoyana or…

Wow! Such a beautiful plant! We absolutely love the full shape and wonderful foliage on this houseplant. Growing in it's natural habitat - this native to south and central America plant grows in swamps up to 20 metres tall, which is surprising considering how well it's adapted to become an easy to care for indoor tree. The Mexican fortune tree…

Kalanchoes are bright and vibrant flowering plants with gorgeous tiny flowers blooming all year round. They are extremely easy to plant and maintain, making them an excellent indoor plant attraction. Kalanchoes are succulents that grow best in a well-drained and well- aerated potting soil, such 60% peat moss and 40% perlite. Cut back tall growth and old flower stems. Keep well watered…

Dracaena is a popular houseplant because it is easy to grow and very forgiving of novice gardeners. It’s also a top pick because there are so many varieties with different sizes, leaf shape, and color. A variegated dracaena plant, like the Song of India dracaena, for instance, gives you beautiful, multicolored foliage. The song of India plant is a species…

The Lucky bamboo is an easy to grow plant which can thrive in soil or water. The plant having a name starting with the word“ Lucky” itself is a dead giveaway! Call this “good luck plant” it has opened up a whole new way for people afraid of or who carry the “brown thumb” badge with them, along with adding some green with…