Novice gardeners often repeat the same mistake, seduced by the beautiful packages of seeds purchased at the store. Meanwhile, different plants for flower beds require different care, different timing of sowing, and they bloom at different times. A tempting picture often does not correspond to reality. But wisdom comes with experience. Let this short excursion into flowers for a flower bed be your initial experience, preventing possible mistakes at the first steps of a beginner grower.
Take it as a rule: bags with a mixture of different seeds should not be purchased. "Saving" on diversity in one package, you will not see a beautiful flowerbed. What happens when the miracle seeds sprout? You are confused. After all, the weed must be harvested, otherwise it will "drown out" the sown flowers. And how to distinguish seedlings of weed from shoots of cultivated plants? Each flower gives its own characteristic shoots. Just imagine how hard it will be for you to understand this variety. In addition, each flower has its own height. And there is no guarantee that lower plants will not hide behind higher ones. Note also that each plant has its own timing of sowing, flowering, its own temperature regime. Something will die even with light spring frosts, some - from the direct rays of the sun, some - from the excessive moisture that some colors need and is destructive for others ...
When buying seeds or planted flowers for a flowerbed at a store, do not ask for "unpretentious and pretty." You should already know exactly how you want to see your flower garden. And, accordingly, choose the suitable plants for the flowerbed.
Let's say you like neat, low curbs. Stop at the nemophile, limnantes, phlox, pansies, eshsoltsii.
Nemophile low (up to 25 cm), with openwork leaflets. The most common are three species: blue, white with blue specks, and almost black with white edges. You can plant all three varieties, while receiving a bright composition. These annuals, withstanding partial shade, are planted in May (light frosts are not terrible), and the first flowers delight in late June.
Douglas Limnantes - a rare guest in our gardens. Very unpretentious, with delicate touching, elegant flowers: a bright yellow center and white petals. Ideal for bordering borders, alpine slides. Sown in early May by June will turn into charming small bushes, generously strewn with flowers.
The annual phlox blooms profusely and for a long time. Ordinary bushes reach 50 cm, dwarf no more than 20 cm. The color scheme is varied. With a star shape, this is usually a combination of white, pink and red, with a simple one - the variations are endless. Often sold in a mixture of seeds. The flowering period is very long (July - October). Drought tolerant. Simply gorgeous in individual baskets and decorated drawers.
Eshsholtsiya ("California poppy") grows even on dry sandy soil. There are several varieties of it: simple, semi-double, terry. Flower life is limited to one day. But fading colors are replacing new ones. Eshsholtzia is not picky, but on clay soils and in the shade will die. Seeds are sown in two stages: the first time in April-May, the second time in a month and a half, in May-June.
Pansies, or violet, or viola, are usually grown as a biennial. Sown in July-August, it successfully wintered and blossomed with the onset of spring. But cute muzzles of violets can please the eye even in autumn, until snow falls. For this, seeds are sown earlier (in May), seedlings are grown in the shade, and at the end of August they are planted on a flower bed. The variety of viola is amazing. It is difficult to choose any one variety. Try sowing a Rocco or Crystal mix. In these series of wavy flowers you will find amazingly blue, and bright yellow, and snow-white, and even black varieties.
Well, lovers of lush flower beds are offered: cosmea, proudia, lavater. Of course, the list is long, but so far we will focus on three plants. And having gained experience, you will eventually decide what flowers for the flowerbed you can plant more.
Cosmea has long been considered a rather banal flower, awkward and constantly "walking" with the wind "bowing" in different directions. The modern cosmea of the medium growth (50 cm), compact, of various color schemes. Sold in separate varieties (not in mixtures).
Gordecia, similar to azalea, is widely known and loved by many. Pleases with flowers of various colors, from plain to colorful. If you decide to stay on proud, choose dwarf varieties: they will not need support and garter. Just a month and a half after sowing, this beauty will delight you with her elegant double flowers.
Lavatera is simply designed for those who want to have a chic flowerbed, not much to shell out. Sown in April, she will show the first white-pink-raspberry bells in June and will bloom until the frost. Just remove the fading flowers.
Annual flowers for flower beds are convenient primarily in terms of the possibility of annual updates and additions. But what if there is no possibility (or desire) to mess around with seedlings and transplants every year? Perennial flowers for a flower bed will be a great solution. Try planting zipper and miscanthus in the background. For the second plan in this combination, a prominent sedum, goldenrod hybrid, catnip are perfect. Well, in the foreground, a shrubby aster with a bright-leaved geyrherelloy will be appropriate. Grounding plants such as thyme and sedum are suitable for framing.
Do not be afraid to experiment. The main thing when buying seeds, pay attention to the growth conditions (earth, shadow, sun), sowing time, planting and flowering, plant height, seed shelf life. Good luck