When grown in gardens, Carnations grow to between 6 and 8.5 cm in diameter. Petals on Carnations are generally clawed or serrated. Carnations are bisexual flowers and bloom simply or in a branched or forked cluster. The stamens on Carnations can occur in one or two whorls, in equal number or twice the number of the petals. The Carnation leaves…
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…
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…
Cardinal flower is a brilliant scarlet-colored native wildflower that grows in marshes, stream banks and low woods. Its extremely showy blossoms can be recognized at considerable distance. Few native plants have flowers of such intense color as this common herbaceous perennial. The cardinal flower produces intense red blossoms at a time when many other perennials are declining in the summer heat. This…
Can be grown indoors or in the garden. Indoors, water freely and fertilize monthly during the growing season. If plants are in pots, move outdoors in summer if desired. In the garden, plumbago likes fertile soil in full sun. If growing on a trellis, tie stems to supports. Protect from strong winds. This evergreen shrub, native to South Africa, has long,…
Canna lilies are low maintenance and easy to grow, and both their flowers and foliage offer long lasting color in the garden. The flower color may be red, orange, or yellow. Depending on the variety, foliage color varies from green to maroon, bronze, and variegated types. When growing cannas in the garden, placing them in mixed borders or group plantings…
Candytuft, a ground-hugging perennial flower frequently used as pathway edging, is a late bloomer that brightens gardens in April or May. Best planted in early fall, it is a slow grower that will brighten gardens for many years. Its white or pink blooms are abundant and showy. Masses of blinding white flowers dot the stems. The color of the blossoms…
Camellias are evergreen shrubs or small trees up to 20 m (66 ft) tall. Their leaves are alternately arranged, simple, thick, serrated, and usually glossy. Their flowers are usually large and conspicuous, one to 12 cm in diameter, with five to nine petals in naturally occurring species of camellias. The Camellia flowers have a characteristic glossy leaf and are classified as…
California poppies are annual plants with feathery gray-green foliage. The four-petaled flowers, borne on stems 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 inches) long, are usually pale yellow, orange, or cream in the wild, but cultivated varieties are available in whites and various shades of red and pink. California poppy is used alone or in combination with other herbs for anxiety, trouble sleeping (insomnia),…
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…