Poinsettias
This flower is one of the most used present in Christmas Eve.
The length of time your poinsettia will give you pleasure in your home is dependent on the maturity of the plant, when you buy it, and how you treat the plant. With care, poinsettias should retain their beauty for weeks and some varieties will stay attractive for months. But you have to now first that is a beautifull flower for not a long time.
After you have made your poinsettia selection, make sure it is wrapped properly because exposure to low temperatures even for a few minutes can damage the bracts and leaves. The leafs are very fragile.
Unwrap your poinsettia carefully and place in indirect light. Six hours of light daily is ideal. Keep the plant from touching cold windows.
Keep poinsettias away from warm or cold drafts from radiators, air registers or open doors and windows.
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Cannas are easily grown tender perennials with architectural foliage and brash flowers that inject a dash of exotica. They can be grown in shape and colour to the end of the summer season.
The most popular kinds of canna tend to have gladiolus-like flowers perched high above the large, paddle-like leaves. In addition to those listed below, keep an eye out for new hybrids that keep coming on the market. Cannas generally grow 1.5m to 2m (5ft to 6ft) high, with a spread of nearly 60cm (2ft).
Canna watering
These can be grown as marginal aquatics in plastic baskets around the edges of a pond. In the west of England they often survive in ponds all year, but in colder parts of Britain they need to be removed in winter and protected from frost, as with border cannas.
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With the wide range of colours available, tulips are often useful for formal displays in public places. They make a real impact when planted in large numbers. Densely planted, single colour displays intensify the effect of the colour and shape of the flowers, although they can also be effective when planted in smaller groups and work well in containers. And, beloved of florists, tulips make a wonderful display when used as cut flowers.
Tulips are one of the bulbs that we automatically associate with spring. The recognisable flower shape and often intense colouring provide a vibrant display. They are a loud, proud reminder that winter is over.
Tulip mid spring flowering
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Irises are named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow and grow wild throughout the northern hemisphere, from high Himalayan bogs to arid Greek hillsides and the banks of British canals.
Iris
Recommended varieties
Irises are incredibly useful upright perennials that can be grown in many different areas. Chose well and you’ll have irises in flower for six months, from November to June. You’ll also get a wide colour range from rich blues to flashy yellows and extraordinary combinations such as butterscotch yellow and violet. Many also have beautiful, intricate patterns.
Botanists divide irises into two key groups: the rhizomatous, which have rhizomes on or just beneath the soil, and those that grow from bulbs. The first group divides into two further sections, the beardless and bearded (with a distinctive little beard in the flower centre), all of which can get very confusing. The best way to decide which ones you want to grow is to visit specialist nurseries and check their colours and growing conditions.
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Roses are probably the most misunderstood and undervalued plants in the modern landscape. Most people seem to believe that all garden roses are troublesome, frail plants that need to be pampered and fussed over with weekly sprays and frequent fertilizing.
There are many different types:
Hybrid Teas: This is the flower that everyone pictures when we think about what a rose should look like. The classic spiral centre and individual long stem make this the most popular of the rose classes. The modern hybrid tea can be an excellent garden plant, as breeders are concentrating on improving disease resistance and overall garden performance. Many people believe that fragrance has been bred out of the modern rose, but there are many excellent tea roses with strong perfumes and more being introduced each year. Rose breeders realize that people still want fragrance in their gardens. Hybrid Teas are great for the formal garden, but should not be limited to this use. If you don’t want be bothered with fussing about roses, be sure to seek the advice of an experienced rose grower who can advise you on the healthy and hardy varieties for your climate.
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There are two kinds of spring-flowering auricula, the alpine and border.
Border auriculas
They are ideally suited to the British climate, and are typically found in cottage gardens, many having sweetly scented flowers. The yellow varieties, such as the late spring ‘Old Irish Scented’, have the strongest scents. Some old types have splendid names, such as ‘Rosemarket Rackler’ and ‘George Swinford’s Leathercoat’. ‘Old Irish Blue’ is still one of the best and most sought-after border auriculas.
Alpine Auriculas
Auricula site and soil preferences
Provide bright sun or light, partial shade and fertile, well-drained compost. Add handfuls of grit to John Innes No2 and mix well together.
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Family: Alliaceae Range: S. Africa - Cape Peninsula to Swellendam.Habitat: Rocky sandstone slopes, usually in montane regions
Upper slopes of Table mountain and the southern mountains.
African Lily
General caracteristics:
It is hardy to zone 9 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.
The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
African Lily cultivation details:
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* Family: Malvaceae
* Range: S. America - Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
* Habitat: Cultivated as an ornamental plant, it is not known in a truly wild situation.
Abutilon Pictum
General caracteristics:
It is hardy to zone 9 and is frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from April to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs)
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.
Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; South Wall By; West Wall By;
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