Whether summer, winter, autumn or spring, there’s nothing quite like some colorful, fresh-smelling flowers to brighten up your home. The trick however, is to invest in plants that will actually last all year round. Now, this may vary, dependent on whether your blooms are for indoor enjoyment or outdoor, but one thing is for sure, there are enough options out there that you’re guaranteed to find just about anything that tickles your fancy!
Although many of us want a great-looking garden, that doesn’t mean we all necessarily know what to look for, what works in certain types of soil or light, or what to do once we’ve bought the plants home. If in doubt, direct your query to an expert. There is a wealth of knowledge and advice on websites such as http://www.spaldingbulb.co.uk which covers bulbs, trees, shrubs and lawn care.
Another helpful source is sunrise.com, which recently featured an article detailing 20 perennial flowers, ensuring you get some great inspiration for your own gardening.
Top Hand Picked Bloomers
To narrow it down a little though, here’s a list of hand-picked top bloomers for all-year flower loving:
1. Let’s hear it for the Salvia nemorosa (otherwise known as Caradonna). With a stunning combination of sharp violet flower spikes on perfectly polished purple stems, not only are these a firm favourite for the much-loved bee population, but with a little dead-heading, these stunning shoots will re-flower through until October! Despite holding out to the colder months, the Caradonna is, however, much more of a sun-lover by choice, and looks beautiful when scattered through late season grass.
2. A particularly common and well-recognised garden flower is the Foxglove, easily spotted for its height and elegance. The foxglove is actually formed as a result of hybridisation between hedgegrow foxglove and isoplexis (found on the Canary Islands). Because of this combination, this intergeneric hybrid actually continues to flower tirelessly, in an effort to produce seed. Despite failing, it continues to flower, making it the perfect addition to your garden for lengthy bloom.
3. Penstemons are next on the list. Yes, another funny name, but who are we to judge this hard wearing flower? Come rain or shine, this plant is going to hold its own – we’re even talking lows of -15degrees, which let’s face it, is pretty darn cold. The ‘firebird’ form of penstemons come in a crimson shade, but if you’re more a fan of a plum colour, seek out ‘blackbird penstemons’. These are just two examples of hundreds so the choice really is endless.
While these examples are three sturdy outdoor flower choices, to avoid an unfortunate cold-weather mishap, you could always opt for indoor flower and plant arrangments? With a more controlled environment you can concentrate on giving your blooms the right amount of heat and regular water… it’s just the sunlight that’s out of your control!
Still, for indoor plants, why not try Cape primroses? This eye-catching number can in fact bloom all year round if looked after well. Keep the soil damp but not soggy and believe it or not these home-friendly plants actually prefer to be kept cooler – saves you cranking up the heating in your home.
There really are hundreds of different blooms to pick from and while it’s a bit of trial and error, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed with the suggestions above. But to be safe, you can always ask the experts. Especially as a beginner, extra advice and reassurance never goes a miss so it might be worth having a read of the Radio Times Gardening 101 for all year planting. Good luck!
