Solar Garden Fountains and Summer Colors

26 May 2010

We still have a few weeks of Spring, and I'm noticing my roses are budding out for another profusion of blooms. I am in love with the Knock Out Roses. For Mother's Day I received a lovely pink bush, got it into the ground immediately and am enjoying the lovely little pink buds and blooms. Those roses are amazing all Summer long!.



The impatiens will continue to add lots of color to the summer garden, although not in the same abundance as early Spring. The white/pink variegated caladiums will also do well if you were able to plant them in a semi shaded position in the garden. These make a brilliant setting for a solar garden fountain, surrounding red hyacinths. Of course, moss rose, periwinkle, verbena and zinnias will bloom for you all summer, and are somewhat drought resistant. The rose moss and periwinkle do really well in direct sun, while the verbena and zinnias enjoy partial shade.



The fragrance of the white "Easter" lily planted next to the back patio is reason enough for me to be in the garden in the early morning with a cup of coffee, but listening to the birds as they dart in and out of their homes watching over their new families adds to my enjoyment. Be careful about taking that last long look at the garden before leaving for work if you are wearing perfume less the ever thirsty hummingbirds mistake you for their morning treat. In my garden they seem to have no fear. Speaking of hummingbirds, they love bright colored blooming vines and vines for summer color include clock vine, cypress vine, Malabar spinach, and morning glory. One of the perks of attracting all those birds to the great wooden bird houses is they eat the morning glory seeds and them "drop" them in your garden..free vines!



Now is the time to plant cannas, purple coneflowers, day lilies, gladiolus, gloriosa daisies, hardy hibiscus and salvia. These are perennials and with winter mulching will return year after year to provide summer color. I am amazed at the increase in the number of gardeners. It seems the nurseries supplies begin to run short earlier and earlier each growing season. So don't delay too much longer. Something I have discovered is the 50% to 75% off racks that some of the nurseries use to sell rather than have to throw out plants that are beginning to look worn. Some of my best plants were just such discards, which with special tender loving care turned out to be my best plants. A word of caution, some don't make it. But those that do seems to be so grateful, they bloom more extravagantly than the full price plants.



Jody Foster