Annuals in containers have become one of the most popular and versatile methods of colouring our outside growing spaces, whether you make your home in the highest of high rises or opt for the sprawling suburbs. With such a wonderful collection of containers available, including pots, window boxes, baskets, half barrels and urns, the selection is absolutely incredible. Employ a little imagination and you can create an attractive, colourful oasis for garden, balcony or roof top.
It's a proven fact that plants can lower stress in our lives, and high rise buildings today, in particular office buildings, are being specifically designed to accommodate such park-like experiences in the sky. What a wonderful stress-free and relaxing lunch break we would enjoy with such benefits available just by taking the elevator to the very top of the workplace. In fact it has been discovered that covering our roof tops in this manner not only keeps buildings warmer in winter and cooler in summer but also assists in improving air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen.
The availability of new and interesting annuals has come along by leaps and bounds over the last few years. No longer are we restricted to geraniums and impatiens, the staple diet of sun and shade areas, but we can experience a whole new plethora of variety and colour combinations readily available from most quality garden centres. Here are some absolute "must haves" for colourful container gardening that I know you will really enjoy growing this year.
Calibrachoa (Million Bells) - Celebration Series
This delicate flower, resembling a petunia, displays masses of very small blooms on a compact plant of slim leaves and twiggy stems. Calibrachoa loves a sunny location and just three will fill and trail beautifully from a 10in. (25cm) hanging basket. Deadheading is unnecessary on this one. There are seven colours available in the Celebration Series, the latest being orchid.
Osteospermum (South African Daisy) - Symphony Series
This great new series is more compact and will grow and flower well, even through the hot summer months. An exciting warm orange is the theme for this series. These Osteospermum would look fantastic planted in a black urn with trailing whites and yellows such as Bacopa and Biddens.
Verbena peruviana - Temari Patio Series
A delightful South American tumbling, trailing plant, displaying enormous blooms amidst dark green, broad foliage that has the advantage of being very resistant to powdery mildew. This new series of four colours portrays a free-branching habit and is excellent for hanging baskets, planters and window boxes. Use in areas of sun/part sun.
Zinnia 'Profusion White' - Profusion Series
This AAS (All American Selection) Award winner from the Profusion Series is the only white zinnia with single daisy-like flowers. Unlike most zinnias 'Profusion White' has exceptional disease tolerance, especially towards powdery mildew. Easy to grow and ideal for contrast in tubs and window boxes. Plant this beauty in full sun and enjoy blooms from spring until fall.
This week I want to share with you a visit to my Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden where you can enjoy the beauty of these floriferous plants and also benefit from their nectar-attracting qualities, magnetising both butterflies and hummingbirds to rooftop and garden.
Sedum x 'Autumn Joy' ('Herbsfreude')
This plant is quite incredible in that it looks fantastic throughout all stages of its growth - from attractive bright green, succulent leaves and buds in spring, to huge heads of salmon-pink flowers in late summer through to fall, and then amazing seed heads lending an artistic sculpture to the winter landscape. Long-lived and trouble free.
Salvia nemorosa 'May Night' ('Mainacht')
This former 1997 Perennial Plant of the Year is still a winner in any garden! A showy plant displaying dense spikes of deep indigo-violet fl
