Summer is here and the living is easy. Well, not necessarily so
if you happen to have a big outdoor party or event coming up, and
Mother Nature seems to have provided you with just one prominent
color scheme: green.
Summer is here and the living is easy. Well, not necessarily so if you happen to have a big outdoor party or event coming up, and Mother Nature seems to have provided you with just one prominent color scheme: green.
While it may be too late to dress up your garden for the Fourth of July, there’s no time to wait for plants to fill in the empty spaces. The solution is to fill your yard, patio and deck with spectacular color provided by easy-to-maintain annuals for an instant garden that looks like it has been there forever. The added benefit is the fact those blooms of color will be there long after the party is over.
Annuals mean instant color. These are the flowers that dominate the six packs at the neighborhood garden center. They provide almost limitless choices of colorful blooms, and best of all, they continue to provide enjoyment and beauty throughout the entire growing season. Those annuals available now are known as summer annuals, and will bloom in our climate right through around Halloween. How’s that for instant color?
If you do have a deadline for your outdoor party looming, focus on geraniums, impatiens, and petunias. These are the “Big Trio” of annuals – the real workhorses when it comes to blooming color. I’ll be the first to admit that these “Big Trio” aren’t exactly unique. However, for fast, instant color, they are hard to beat. Choose geraniums and petunias for hot, sunny areas and plant impatiens in partial shade.
Impatiens are the nation’s number-one bedding plant and for good reason, too. They are definitely low-maintenance in that all you need to do is plant them in a morning sun/afternoon shade area and keep them watered. They do love their water! Impatiens are also versatile. They can be planted in the ground, but are just as much at home in hanging baskets or other containers. There are also fancy “double” impatiens that feature flowers that look like miniature roses. Don’t forget about New Guinea impatiens, which are more expensive, but feature larger, fancier flowers and usually yellow or red-tinged foliage.
If you’re really pushed for time, go for annuals in gallon cans, 6-inch pots or 4-inch containers. These can range in cost from $1 to $5 each. Four-packs, six-packs, quarter flats and full flats obviously will be cheaper. Usually it’s better to buy smaller in that flowers won’t be root bound, and you’ll save money at the same time. However, if you’re pressed for time, go with the larger versions.
Also, remember these additional tips when it comes to annuals:
• Choosing a single color carries a more dramatic visual impact rather than mixing and matching. You rarely see mixed color beds at large botanical gardens or parks. Professionals use one color for effect.
• Concentrating plants close together adds a thick lushness to your presentation that tells your guests you’ve been working really hard at getting everything just right. In fact, you could have planted the day before, if you choose the right plant material – and your guests would never know!
