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Winter Color....Don't Do Drab
Color is a great way to lift our spirits.
We are blessed in South Georgia to have plants, shrubs and flowers that bloom during our mild Winters.
Cassias and Confederate Rose are just a couple of the many plants that bloom in the Fall. Winter Berry (Ilex Verticillata) is one example of a plant that makes a showing with bright-colored fruit.
Pansies and Violas provide striking color during the Winter season and are great in combination with flowering Cabbage and Kale. Snapdragons come in many colors; and, provide height. Calendula is an easy-to-care-for plant which produces vibrant yellow and orange shades. Petunias generally do well unless we have a hard freeze. Paper White Narcissus also has an aromatic debut in January; but, does not bloom all Winter.
 
Snapdragons Calendula
One of our favorite showy Winter foliage plants is Red Mustard. It is a striking, large plant that loves to be combined with Yellow Violas. Swiss Chard ("Bright Light") is a bold-colored plant with stems of orange, yellow and red. These plants all do well in the ground or in a container for use on a patio or porch.
Let's not forget about the Fall and Winter flowering shrubs. Many shrubs and trees give good Fall leaf color such as Maples, Crape Myrtle, Chinese Pistache and Itea. Camellias are considered by many to be the "Queen of the Winter Garden". Many of the Camellia Sasanquas start off the cool season flowering in shades of red, pink, or white; and, are followed by the Camellia Japonicas for the rest of the season. Many of the landscape Roses continue to bloom during the Winter, just not as profusely.
Swiss Chard Chinese Pistache
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Holiday Poinsettia The holiday season is fast approaching and it just wouldn't be Christmas without a Poinsettia plant. The history of the Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) goes back to the Aztecs who used the bracts to make a reddish purple dye. In nature, Poinsettias are perennial flowering shrubs, native to Mexico, which can grow to ten feet tall. In 1828, Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U. S. Ambassador to Mexico, found a beautiful shrub with large red flowers growing next to the road. He took cuttings and brought them back to his greenhouse in South Carolina. The showy colored parts of the Poinsettias that most people think are flowers are actually colored bracts (modified leaves); the tiny yellow flowers are found in the center of the bracts. Today ninety per cent of all flowering Poinsettias get their start at the Paul Ecke Ranch which made the plant popular beginning in the early 1900's. While most people prefer the red bracted plants, there are over 100 varieties of Poinsettias available on the market. Many Poinsettias are now available at Seasons; come by and see our selection.
The most popular flowering plant in the United States, the Poinsettia, is easy to care for if a few simple rules are followed. Place the plant near a sunny window with at least six hours of indirect light. Make sure you keep the plant from touching the cold window. Keep the Poinsettia away from warm or cold drafts, maintain a daytime temperature of 60 to 70 F degrees; and a nighttime temperature of 55 F degrees. High temperatures will shorten the plant's life. Check the soil daily and only water when the soil feels dry. Make sure the pot drains well and has a saucer to catch the excess water, which is then poured off. Wilted plants will tend to drop their bracts sooner. Do not fertilize a Poinsettia when it is in bloom.
Tip of The Week: Contrary to a popular myth, Poinsettias are not poisonous. While some people may have a skin irritation from the milky sap, an Ohio State University Study showed that the plant is NOT poisonous if eaten. |
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Save The Workshop Dates
December 6, 2008 9 A.M. - 3 P.M. Wreath Making Event
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