Archive for the ‘Annuals’ Category
Wave Good-bye to Petunias
July 4th, 2009
Warning: This article may be offensive to some gardeners. Reader discretion is advised!
For the life of me, I cannot believe that petunias are the annual of choice for so many gardeners! Every where I look I see petunias in gardens, hanging baskets and containers. There is no escaping them! Talk about cookie cutter landscaping! Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Annuals, petunias
Posted in Annuals, Container Gardens, In Our Opinion | Comments (3)
Talinum paniculatum (Jewels of Opar)
August 16th, 2008
Here’s an annual that we grew for the first time this year. Based on its performance, it won’t be the last!
Perennial, grown as an annual in colder climates (hardy to 40F)
Light: full sun
Height: 28” – 34”
Width: 16” – 18”
Flowering: mid to late summer
Flowers: tiny pink singles, star shaped flowers maturing to bright red berries on tall, slender, multi branched stems
Leaves: chartreuse, mounding
Watering: keep on the dry side
Fertilize: once a month using 15-30-15
Other: drought tolerant, heat loving, very low maintenance
Pests: insect resistant
Diseases: disease resistant
Uses: containers, borders, naturalized areas, makes a great stand alone (accent) plant
All in all, I have to say that Talinum is one of the best container plants I have ever grown! I am very satisfied with it and can see it becoming a staple in our gardens.
I will be attempting to dry stems of Talinum seed heads to incorporate into indoor arrangements this winter. I’ll let you know how that works out!
Posted in Annuals, Container Gardens, Low Maintenance Plants | Comments (0)
Climbing Annuals – Part III
April 4th, 2008
Canary Vine is supposed to be fairly easy to grow but in our gardens, we have had varying degrees of success with it. As a result, this year, it will not be included in our plantings. It probably will show up again in a year or two. I will not be defeated!
Tender perennial (zones 9 – 10) grown as an annual
Full sun
Height 6’ – 8’
Fast growing
Flowers are yellow, 3” long with long fringes on the edges
Leaves are lobed, gray-green in colour
Grows easily from seed or cuttings
Susceptible to powdery mildew so provide good air circulation
Susceptible to whitefly, flea beetle and aphids
Fertilize with 15-30-15, or top dress with composted manure
Flowers are edible
Posted in Annuals, Climbing Plants, Container Gardens, HOW TO GARDEN | Comments (0)


