Lavatera Trimestris

This plant belongs to Malvaceae family which consists of Hibiscus and Hollyhocks. It has flower size of up to 3 inches and comes in beautiful colors of pinks and whites. Cultivars includes Silver cup, Mont Blac and Ruby Regis. This plant is very easy to germinate from seeds but does not prefer its roots to be disturbed. Therefore seeds should be sown where they had to flower. It can be used as an individual plant or a hedge. Lavatera prefers moist soil and cool days. When soil is dry buds may fall prematurely.

Plant Profile

Plant Name	Rose Mallow (Lavatera Trimestris)
Type	annual
Height in feet	2
Width in feet	1.5
Spacing feet	1
Sowing season	Fall
Flowering Season	Spring
Light requirement	Full sun
Germination	Easy

Growing Ranunculus

Ranunculus are some of the amazing and extremely easy flowers you can grow in your garden especially from corms. you can also germinate ranunculus from seeds however, it should be noted that the one germinated from seeds have different properties than from corms. Ranunculus from seeds tends to have larger flowers but have more vigorous blooms. Ranunculus from corms tends to have smaller and more showy flowers and their corms can be saved easily. Whenever buying corms, look for the bigger ones because it is the corm size that determines the number of flowers.

How to grow them from corms

A normal corm looks like spider. Before sowing them soak them in water for few hours so that the corms absorb some water. The corms are ready once they have swollen up. Sow them in already prepared flowerbed with the claws facing downward. you will not see any growth for a while. Do not worry because it takes a bit of time to develop some roots first and then show up some greenery. Flowers can be expected in early spring. You can use the blooms as cut flowers. the last long in vase. The best way is to cut them as soon as the flower bud starts to open. This way you can increase its vase life and enjoy its beauty for a longer time.

Plant Freesia This Spring

Freesia flowers are “zygomorphic” which just means that they grow along one side of the stem, in a single plane. When you look at a flower stalk however, you'll see that the blooms are facing upwards. How does this work? Freesias stems have the unusual habit of turning at right angles just below the bottom flower. This causes the upper portion of the stem to grow almost parallel with the ground. The flowers bloom along the top side of the stalk, facing upwards. This makes them lovely to look down into in a garden setting and ideal for arrangements.

They can be sown in October and November.

1. Find a location where the soil drains well. If there are still water puddles 5-6 hours after a hard rain, scout out another site. Or amend the soil with the addition of organic material to raise the level 2-3" to improve the drainage. Peat moss, compost, ground bark or decomposed manure all work well and are widely available. Freesia require planting sites that drain well. These plants do not thrive in soggy soil.
2. Site your freesia where they will receive full sun for the strongest stems and best flower production.
3. Dig holes and plant the bulbs 2” deep and 3” apart. Position the bulbs with the pointy end facing up.
4. After planting, water well to settle the soil around the bulbs. Roots and sprints will form in a few weeks depending on soil and air temperatures.
5. When in bloom, feel free to cut freesia flowers for striking bouquets and sweet fragrance. This is the main reason many people choose to grow freesia plants.
6. After blooming has finished for the season leave the foliage in place; don't cut it off. The leaves will gather sunlight, create food through photosynthesis and strengthen the bulb for the future. Water as needed during active growth periods; about 1" of moisture per week is a good estimate.
7. Later in the summer the leaves will yellow and die back as the plant slips into dormancy. Foliage many be removed at this point. Your freesia will rest for a few months before beginning the next growing cycle.

Petunia Grandiflora

Petunia grandiflora hybrids produce the largest blooms of all petunia varieties, growing up to 5 inches in diameter, but tend to bear the least amount of flowers. They can grow up to 24 inches tall. Certain strains can spread up to 36 inches wide, with trailing stems and showy blossoms with straight or ruffled edges. You can find these petunia hybrids in both single and double flower varieties. Double flower petunia grandiflora hybrids have multiple sets of petals on a single flower, while single flower varieties have one set of petals.