Garden Colour How to set up a colourful garden...
Garden Colour Autumn Annuals available for Autumn planting provide vibrant colour from mid-autumn right through to Spring. Cooler weather gives us some of the most flamboyant flowers including Pansies, Primulas, Polyanthus, Cineraria s and Violas. Spring Annuals available for planting in Spring flower from mid-spring to Autumn. During the warmer months it s all about Petunias, Snapdragons, Zinnias, Begonias, Marigolds and Impatiens. For the full range of annuals check out your local Plants Plus Garden Centre.
COLOURFUL MOODS If you re after a cool theme try a combination of soothing blue and white flowers. For something hotter, experiment with splashes of fiery red, orange and yellow. Create a soft, romantic mood with pinks and mauves or bring colourful drama to the garden with an exuberant mix of blue and yellow or orange and purple. White flowers set off other colours perfectly and can be used to brighten shady areas of the garden. Silver foliage plants like Cineraria s make a lovely foil for brightly coloured flowering displays. DESIGNING WITH COLOUR Winter and Spring flowering annuals give the garden a warm glow on a dull day and are brilliant for filling the gap in our gardens left when the perennials die down. Annuals are also a wonderful complement to late Winter and early Spring flowering bulbs. During the warmer months team annuals with roses or Summer flowering perennials or use them brighten outdoor entertaining areas. Grow them in pots at the entrance to your home or dot them around the garden where colour is needed most.
Here are some easy steps for creating vibrant colour displays in your garden: Step 1 CHOOSING THE RIGHT SPOT Look at the conditions your garden has to offer and choose the right plant for the right place. If unsure, check the plant label and ask at your local Plants Plus Garden Centre. Step 2 PREPARE THE SOIL BEFORE PLANTING Most annuals enjoy good drainage. Incorporate plenty of Earthcore Groganic Soil Improver and organic matter into the soil. Step 3 PLANTING Water the punnets before gently removing (and if necessary separating) the individual seedlings. Pay attention to the recommended spacing on the label then dig planting holes large enough to accommodate the roots comfortably. Plant to the same depth they were in the punnet and then backfill the hole, firming the soil down lightly. Most annuals take just 6-8 weeks to flower from seedlings. Tips! In garden beds annuals work best planted in big bold groups. Look for varieties that can withstand hot dry conditions once established like Vincas and Zinnias.
How to set up a colourful garden... Step 4 WATER SAVING MULCH After planting give garden beds a fresh layer of organic mulch like fine pine bark, pea straw or lucerne to help to conserve moisture and reduce weed growth. Take care not to smother your seedlings Keep mulch away from the stems of plants to avoid rotting. Step 5 KEEP YOUR COLOUR DISPLAY LOOKING GREAT Water them in with a seaweed based plant tonic to help promote healthy root growth and reduce plant stress and continue to apply it throughout the season. Water regularly until your seedlings are up and running, as they grow and establish you ll need to water less frequently. Liquid feed every 2-3 weeks with Thrive Soluble Flower and Fruit to promote healthy growth and loads of blooms. Keep an eye out for hungry pests like slugs and snails. Dead head regularly to encourage new flowers. INSTANT COLOUR Look out for annual colour pots in your local Plants Plus Garden Centre. The plants have been pre-grown for you so they re flowering and ready to go! Simply plunge them into garden beds or pop them into a decorative pot for instant colour.
Pots and Hanging Baskets Step 1 CHOOSE A DECORATIVE POT OR HANGING BASKET Different coloured containers create different moods. Bright blue glazed pots filled with yellow flowers create drama. White peace lilies in a white pot are calming. Colourful foliage spilling out of red pots is flamboyant. Step 2 INSPIRATION Draw inspiration for your planting scheme from the colour, texture and design of the container. Pick colourful flowers or foliage to match or contrast with the colour and design of your pot or hanging basket. Team plants together that enjoy similar growing conditions. For a designer look plant taller plants in the centre of the pot or basket and smaller spreading and trailing plants around the edges. Step 3 USE A TOP QUALITY POTTING MIX Use Earthcore Premium Potting mix that contains added goodies like re-wetting agent and controlled release fertiliser to improve the growth and performance of your potted plants. Add water storing crystals to your potting mix before planting. When the potting mix dries out plants can draw moisture from swollen water crystals. Step 4 MAINTENANCE Keep your potted displays looking their best by following the Care Tips in Step 5. Scan this QR code with your smartphone to view more inspirational ideas! Tips! To create a hanging ball of colour cut holes in the side of the liner or choose a basket with pre-fabricated holes and plant cascading plants like spreading Petunias or trailing Dichondra into the potting mix. www.plantsplus.com.au îs.25685_aug2012