Breathes there a soul whose heart does not skip at the sight of a flower garden in full bloom?
In the spring especially, with its promise of renewal, our steps are made lighter by bright and perky flowers that seem to surround us everywhere. As Green Thumbers know well, a garden can bloom year-round with careful planning and judicious selection of annuals.
Fast-growing, free-flowering and festive, annuals live for the moment. They have to: their entire life cycle is less than a year, and often only a few months.
Annual plants come in a variety of colors and shades and can flower in every season. The new edition of Ortho's "All About Annuals" guidebook contains planting instructions for the 300 best annuals. The book is just one book out of 16 new Ortho books designed to help you in the garden.
Early annuals leap from the ground and bloom before perennials know it's spring. Some summer annuals party from June until first frost. Later bloomers carry on past Labor Day with their flowers fading into winter. Tougher plants even survive mild winters.
From geraniums and marigolds to petunias, lobelia and impatiens, even common annuals can make your home come alive with bright colors. And they're easy to plant, inexpensive, and trouble-free.
"All About Annuals" explores the surprising seasonal effects possible with annuals. It explains how plant form and structure are the basis for good design. Complete with color photographs, the book also has a "bloom season" chart to help you plan overlapping seasons of color all year.
The book also contains a wealth of information about buying annuals. A few tips:
- Be very picky when you shop. Keep in mind that annuals live only for one season, so buy those that look like they've gotten off to a healthy start.
- Shop around. Visit several nurseries before you buy to get an idea of what's out there. Buy at outlets that have a wide selection of plants that are attractive, well rooted and vigorous.
- Look at the roots of a potted plant. Tip the plant out of its container to check its roots. If they're tightly wound, the plant is root-bound and generally should be avoided.
- When planting, give them room. Don't crowd them; allow for growth. You may find it helpful to mark with stakes the locations of your plants.
Check your local bookseller to buy your new copy of "All About Annuals" or any of the other 15 new Ortho All About Gardening books on topics ranging from perennials and pruning to roses and garden pools
|