GardeningSphere

Basket of Gold Alyssum

The Alyssum Basket of Gold Compacta, 'Aurina saxatilis', is a wonderful water-wise groundcover with dense clusters of golden-yellow spring flowers. This special dwarf variety of Basket of Gold is tight, compact, and very attractive. Combine the Alyssum Basket of Gold with red tulips, blue phlox, and candytuft for a wonderful early spring color display. Plant in the spring 2 to 4 weeks before average last frost date or in the late fall. This plant is excellent in rock gardens, in hanging baskets, in the foreground of borders, and as a ground cover.

Oriental Nights Alyssum

The Alyssum Sweet Oriental Nights, 'Lobularia maritima', displays tiny, rich, solid, deep purple flowers that make this low ground cover a delight. It is a wonderful annual ground cover. The Alyssum blooms all growing season. Nothing adds more to summer days than the frangrance of sweet Alyssum. The flowers are very small at 1/4 inch deep purple blooms that appear in clusters. This plant is excellent in rock gardens, in hanging baskets, in the foreground of borders, and as a ground cover.

Rosie Oday Alyssum

The Alyssum Sweet Rosie ODay, 'Tpomoea purpurea', displays rose-pink blossoms on low, compact plants. This sweetly scented Alyssum is covered with tiny rose-pink flowers that form mini-rosettes. Sweet Rosie Odays bloom in late spring through first fall frost. The Alyssum blooms very quickly after seeding, usually in about 6 weeks. In climate zones 9 and 10, they can bloom all year. This plant is excellent in rock gardens, in hanging baskets, in the foreground of borders, and as a ground cover.

Tiny Tim Alyssum

The Alyssum Sweet Tiny Tim, 'Lobularia maritima procumbens', is superior to Carpet of Snow alyssum. The dense, compact dwarf plant never needs to be sheared. It is a wonderful annual ground cover. Alyssum blooms all growing season and can withstand drought and heat. Nothing adds more to summer days than the gentle fragrance of Sweet Alyssum. Tiny Tim flowers are very small, about 1/4 inch white flowers. This plant is excellent in rock gardens, in hanging baskets, in the foreground of borders, and as a ground cover.

Armeria Formosa

The Armeria Formosa Pinkball Thrift, 'Arneria pseudarmeria ( formosa)', is like the common Sea Thrift, but bigger and it is a hardy perennial.. The Pinkball Thrift displays 1 to 2 inch round flowers in shades of pink, rose, and red. The Armeria Formosa blooms in the spring for 4 to 8 weeks. In mild climates, they can bloom all year. Plant in early spring, 2 to 4 weeks before the last average frost date, or late summer/early fall at least 2 months before the first fall frost. This Armeria is excellent as mounds in rock gardens and flower borders as well as its specialty, cut flowers.

Dwarf Milady Aster

The Aster Dwarf Milady, 'Callistephus chinensis', is a wonderful dwarf aster with big flowers. The Dwarf Milady adds a cornucopia of color to your garden. It is very heat resistant and virtually worry free. The 3 inch flowers appear in colors of white, blue, deep rose, pink, and scarlet. The Milady blooms from early summer up to the first hard fall frost. Plant in the spring after the last average frost date. This plant is excellent as a cut flower and the bright colors look great in any border.

Tall Matsumoto Aster

The Aster Tall Matsumoto, 'Callistephus chinensis', is a florist quality cut flower variety with tall, strong stems and an unusual bi-color flower with a yellow center. This Aster has a very long vase life. It will provide an "end-of-the-season pick-me-up" with its dazzling, radiant, medium sized flowers. The 2 inch wide flowers have white petals tipped bright pink with contrasting yellow centers. This plant is excellent as a cut flower and the bright colors look great in any border.

Covent White Babys Breath

The Baby's Breath Covent White, 'Gypsophila elegans 'Covent White', has graceful, airy flowers that are used for contrast in cut flower bouquets. The contast they add to large, colorful flower arrangemnts is stunning. Baby's Breath is an easy to grow annual and they provide clouds of white 1/2 inch flowers. Plant the Baby's Breath after the last average frost date. Baby's Breaths are used for cut flowers, rock gardens, and hot dry locations.

Black Magic Bachelor Button

The Bachelor Button Black Magic, 'Centaurea cyanus', has a black (deep maroon) flower that will combine magically with 'Blue Boy' Bachelor Boby or tall Cosmos. The Bachelor Button Black Magic, also known as Cornflower, has other admirable traits including drought tolerance. Bachelor Button will "naturalize" the seed that the plant drops. In warm climates, plant in summer to early fall for winter bloom. Remove spent flowers to extend the bloom season and increase the flower size.

Blue Boy Bachelor Button

The Bachelor Button Blue Boy, 'Centaurea cyanus', displays sky blue flowers that are attractive as cut or dried flowers. The Bachelor Button Blue Boy, also known as Cornflower, has other admirable traits including drought tolerance. Bachelor Button will "naturalize" the seed the plant drops. It readily comes back the next year to produce another crop of blue flowers. In warm climates, plant in summer to early fall for winter bloom. Remove spent flowers to extend the bloom season and increase the flower size.

Sweet Sultan Bachelor Button

The Bachelor Button Sweet Sultan Imperialis, 'Centaurea (Amberboa) moschata', is a deliciously fragrant and an absolutely splendid cut flower. If you like cut flowers, you must grow Sweet Sultan. The easy to grow and very fragrant 'Imperialis' is a somewhat taller and improved variety. The 2 inch flower heads are thistle-looking and almost shine. Plant the Bachelor Buttons in the spring 1 to 2 weeks before the last frost. The Sweet Sultan is an excellent cut flower and grows well in that "hot" spot where nothing else does well.

Tall Blend Bachelor Button

The Bachelor Button Tall Blend, 'Centaurea cyanus', is a carefree annual that adds vertical interest and an array of colors to your garden. The Bachelor Button, also known as Cornflower, is drought tolerant and needs little pampering. The seed the plant drops quite readily comes back the next year to produce another crop of beautiful flowers. Plant in early spring 1 to 2 weeks before last frost. In warm climates plant in in summer to early fall. The Bachelor Button is great for cut or dried flowers.

Pastel Blend Balloon Flower

The Balloon Flower Pastel Blend, 'Platycodon grandiflorus', displays fascinating inflated buds that open to reveal star-shaped flowers. The flowers are 2 to 3 inches across. The unique green buds mature to violet, white, and rose colored flowers. The rose bells of the balloon flower are delicately accented with purple veining and creamy yellow stamens. Plant in early spring, 3 to 4 weeks before last spring frost, or as late as 2 months before the first fall frost. The Balloon Flower is a great cut flower.

Dotted Mint Bee Balm

The Bee Balm Dotted Mint, 'Monarda lambada', is a variety of Bee Balm that has a unique and dramatic flower cluster. To protest tea taxes, the original colonists drank Bee Balm tea. The Dotted Mint has a pleasant odor of mint and basil and it attracts hummingbirds. Plant in the spring about 2 weeks before last average frost date or in late summer/early fall at least 2 months before first frost. This Bee Balm is used for cut flowers and is edible. It can be used to make tea or chopped and added to recipes for duck and pork.

Acaulis Bellflower

The Bellflower Clustered Acaulis, 'Campanula glomerata 'Acaulis', is the perfect perennial for edging paths and borders. It is called Clustered Bellflower because of the tightly clustered flowers at the top of the short stems. When planted in groups of five or more, they provide a dramatic effect. Plant in the spring 2 weeks before average last frost date or early fall, and at least 2 months before first frost. This Bellflower is used in rock gardens, borders, edging for paths, borders and for ground cover.

Canterbury Bells Bellflower

The Canterbury Bells Bellflower, 'Campanula medium', has tall flower spikes with elegant, bell shaped flowers that will remind you of a storybook English cottage garden. This elegant tall plant is an excellent backdrop for your shorter annual and perennials. Bellflowers have 1 to 2 inch long bell shaped flowers in the colors of purple, violet, blue, lavender, pink, and white. They like rich, well drained soils that are kept well watered. Plant in late spring or early summer for bloom the second year. The Bell flower makes excellent cut flowers.

Bells of Ireland

The Bells of Ireland, 'Moluccella laevis', has tall spikes of apple-green "bells" that are perfect for the back of a border. Not only Irish eyes will smile at this unusual plant. It's bright greenbells with their tiny white "clappers" are always a conversation piece. The Bells of Ireland bloom in the late summer. Plant in early spring, 2 to 4 weeks before last spring frost or late fall for early spring germination. The Bells of Ireland are excellent for cut or dried flowers. They are self sowing because the plants will come back the next year from the seed it drops.

White Lace Bishops Flower

The Bishops Flower White Lace, 'Ammi majus L.', has delicate white flowers that will lend a lacy, airy look to your garden. This is your flower if you want the wonderful look of Queen Anne's Lace that is not the noxious weed Dacus carota. The White Lace plant is attractive to butterflies. The very small, pure white flowers appear in loose airy clusters called umbels and are up to 6 inches across. Plant 4 to 6 weeks before the average last frost date. Ammi can be grown as a pot or accent plant and is much sought after as a cut flower.

Black-Eyed Susan

The Black-Eyed Susan, 'Rudbeckia hirta', is the most drought tolerant of all the Rudbeckias. The beautiful 2 to 4 inch daisy like flowers are adorned with orange/yellow petals. Black-Eyed Susans bloom for a long time, at least 60 days. Even though grown as an annual, Black-Eyed Susan is technically a short-lived perennial and may come back for a second or third year. They provide good fall color; when many perennial and annual flowers are beginning to fade, the Black-Eyed Susan look great.

Black-Eyed Susan Vine

The Black Eyed Susan Vine, 'Thunbergia alata', is a vigorous vine with spunky yellow, orange, and white flowers. The solid black eye of the flowers contrast vividly with petal colors. The Black Eyed Susan vine is easy to grow and produces flowers that are 1 to 2 inches wide. This vine blooms reliably from early summer through late summer. The Black Eyed Susan vine can be grown as a quick screen and as a colorful groundcover. They are excellent in window boxes and hanging baskets.

Black-Eyed Susan Vine Spanish Eyes

The Black Eyed Susan Vine (Spanish Eyes Blend), 'Thunbergia alata', is a vigorous vine with sunset colored, dark eyed flowers. The Spanish Eyes Blend is a very fast growing vine with a unique blend of warm colors which contrast brilliantly with the dark "Spanish" eyes. The flowers are between 1 and 2 inches wide on a 5 to 10 foot vine. The Black Eyed Susan vine can be grown as a quick screen and as a colorful groundcover. They are excellent in window boxes and hanging baskets.

Desert Bluebells

The Bluebells Desert, 'Phacelia campanularia', captures the magnificence of the desert wildflower show in your garden. The Bluebells luminous, upward-facing chalices glow in the spring garden The tough and easy Desert Bluebells laugh off the most inhospitable conditions. The 1 inch wide flowers are produced in clusters several inches across. Plant in early spring 3 to 4 weeks before the the average last frost date, and in mild climates, sow them in the fall. Bluebells are excellent in wildflower plantings, rock gardens, and in containers.

Butterfly Flower

The Butterfly Flower, 'Aschepias tuberosa L.', is a must for the butterfly garden. Butterflies will seek out your garden when you have this vigorous perennial shrub-like plant. The vivid red-orange flowers attract the Monarch butterfly. The individual flowers are 1/2 inch long, borne in brilliant red clusters and bloom in the summer. The flowers are followed by decorative green seed pods. Plant after all danger of frost has passed and up to 8 weeks before first fall frost. They are excellent for cut flowers.

Pacific Beauty Calendula

The Calendula Pacific Beauty (Pot Marigold), 'Calendula officinalis', is very easy to grow, and an adaptive plant that will prosper under most conditions. Calendula, an old English cottage garden flower, is not fancy, but if you are looking for something with large, beautiful flowers that is easy to grow, this is the plant. The Pacific Beauty has 5 inch bright orange and yellow, double, daisy-like flowers. The Calendula is a long lasting cut flower and looks great planted in masses, such as in borders, parking strips and containers.

Evergreen Candytuft

The Candytuft Evergreen, 'Iberis sempervirens', has beautiful pure white flowers that cover this evergreen ground cover in the spring. Native to Europe, Candytuft has been used for centuries as an edging or border between lawns and taller plantings. The flat heads or clusters of stunning pure white, four-petaled flowers are on stems that are long enough to use in cut flower arrangements. Candytufts are excellent in pots, containers, rock gardens and as a small scale ground cover.

Cardinal Climber Vine

The Cardinal Climber, 'Tpomea x multifida', has fabulous lacy, fern-like foliage and is as interesting as the stunning dainty 2 inch red tubular flowers. Need a vine for a trellis, pole, or fence? This easy to grow vine would be a great choice. The deep red flowers have a white/yellow throat and make this plant an eye-catcher. Planting time for the Cardinal Climber is in the spring after the last average frost date. Cardinal Climbers are used for pots, baskets, climbing up fences, trellises, and as ground cover.

Mixed Colors Carnation Chabaud

The Carnation Chabaud Mixed colors, 'Dianthus caryophyllus', has a gorgeous mixture of violet, purple, red, pink, orange, yellow, and bi-colored flowers. The beauty and fragrance of carnations can be in your garden. Combined with the elegant, long, skinny bluish foliage, the wide range of flower colors will add a palette of colors to your garden. Pinch off faded blooms to encourage additional blooms. Plant after the last day of spring frost. Chabaud Carnations make excellent dried flowers.