[ad_1]
What do Swiss cheese and plants have in common? They come together in the marvelous Monstera—nicknamed the Swiss cheese plant because of its funky leaves that are dotted with holes. Monsteras are beloved for their bright green, large, slotted foliage that grows well indoors and outdoors.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
After 20 years of growth, some of the ever-widening, 40-foot-tall Leyland cypress trees running along my backyard property line are blocking the walkway.
A simple trim is not an option because only the outermost foot or two of each branch is needled, and more than that would have to be removed to allow unencumbered foot traffic. That would expose bare branches, which would be an eyesore, both figuratively and potentially literally, as the remaining sticklike appendages would pose an ocular hazard to passersby.
So, the only remaining option is to completely remove the branches from the bottom 6 feet of each tree, revealing the trees’ trunks and the fence they were planted to hide.
I accept responsibility for the debacle because it should have occurred to my younger, less-experienced self that the behemoth trees would create an obstacle after a couple of decades. Alas, it did not. So now I’m left to mutilate them and contemplate what to plant to hide their unsightly, naked trunks and the fence behind them.
When the innermost needles of evergreen trees and shrubs drop, there’s usually no need to panic. It’s a normal part of aging due to insufficient sunlight and diminished nutrient circulation. However, care should be taken never to prune into that bare area, as the baldness is permanent, and those bare branches will never sprout new growth.
In addition, pruning should always aim to retain a pyramidical shape, wider at the bottom than at the top, to ensure all plant parts receive sunlight for continued growth and vigor.
If you are currently experiencing pruning remorse or are reluctantly tasked with an amputation, as I am, the only way to hide the resulting atrocity would be to add an understory layer of plants. Fortunately, early fall is the ideal time to plant many of them.
Choose species that will thrive in the dappled shade cast by the evergreens towering above them, and confirm they will thrive in your horticultural zone, and with your garden’s soil pH and moisture levels.
Filling the gap can be as simple as placing large containers of vining annuals (or tender perennials) on the soil under and between the trees.
Climbing nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus), purple bell vine (Rhodochiton atrosanguineus) and black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata; avoid in Southern states, where it is considered invasive) will quickly fill the void and grow up the tree’s trunk, providing lush, almost instant, gratification for one growing season. The temporary nature of annuals will allow you to easily and economically swap them out for others in subsequent years as your whim dictates.
I’m considering something more permanent, however. And although many exotic shrubs, such as Rhododendron and Japanese plum yew, would serve the purpose, I’m focusing my search on native plants, which will require less water, fertilizer and attention, and provide food and habitat for birds, essential pollinators and other beneficial insects.
Maybe a trio of showy pink muhly grasses (Muhlenbergia capillaris), native from Massachusetts to Florida and west to Kansas through Texas and into Mexico. Or, perhaps the North American native smooth or oakleaf hydrangea.
Then there’s ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius), an eye-catching shrub native to Eastern and Central North America that boasts pink or white flowers in early summer and colorful foliage from spring through fall.
Western gardeners seeking a native option can rely on the beloved manzanita ‘Panchito’ (Arctostaphylos x coloradoensis) to fill smaller areas.
There may even be a silver lining: Understory plants could be just what my boring tree line needs.
Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice.
For more AP gardening stories, go to https://apnews.com/hub/gardening.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
PATERZELL, Germany — How do you teach a bird how, and where, to fly?
The distinctive Northern Bald Ibis, hunted essentially to extinction by the 17th century, was revived by breeding and rewilding efforts over the last two decades. But the birds — known for their distinctive black-and-iridescent green plumage, bald red head and long curved beak — don’t instinctively know which direction to fly to migrate without the guidance of wild-born elders. So a team of scientists and conservationists stepped in as foster parents and flight instructors.
“We have to teach them the migration route,” said biologist Johannes Fritz.
The Northern Bald Ibis once soared over North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and much of Europe, including southern Germany’s Bavaria. The migratory birds were also considered a delicacy and the bird, known as the Waldrapp in German, disappeared from Europe, though a few colonies elsewhere survived.
The efforts of Fritz and the Waldrappteam, a conservation and research group based in Austria, brought the Central European population from zero to almost 300 since the start of their project in 2002.
The feat moved the species from a “critically endangered” classification to “endangered” and, Fritz says, is the first attempt to reintroduce a continentally extinct migratory bird species.
But while Northern Bald Ibises still display the natural urge to migrate, they don’t know which direction to fly without the guidance of wild-born elders. The Waldrappteam’s early reintroduction attempts were largely unsuccessful because, without teaching the birds the migration route, most disappeared soon after release. Instead of returning to suitable wintering grounds such as Tuscany, Italy, they flew in different directions and ultimately died.
So the Waldrappteam stepped in as foster parents and flight instructors for the Central European population, which was made up of descendants from multiple zoo colonies and released into the wild in the hopes of creating a migratory group. This year marks the 17th journey with human-led migration guides, and the second time they’ve been forced to pilot a new route to Spain due to climate change.
To prepare them for travel, the chicks are removed from their breeding colonies when they are just a few days old. They are taken to an aviary that’s overseen by the foster parents in the hopes of “imprinting” — when the birds will bond with those humans to ultimately trust them along the migration route.
Barbara Steininger, a Waldrapp team foster mother, said she acts like “their bird mom.”
“We feed them, we clean them, we clean their nests. We take good care of them and see that they are healthy birds,” she said. “But also we interact with them.”
Steininger and the other foster parents then sit on the back of a microlight aircraft, waving and shouting encouragement through a bullhorn as it flies through the air.
It’s a bizarre scene: The aircraft looks like a flying go-kart with a giant fan on the back and a yellow parachute keeping it aloft. Still, three dozen birds follow the contraption, piloted by Fritz, as it sails over alpine meadows and foothills.
Fritz was inspired by “Father Goose” Bill Lishman, a naturalist who taught Canadian geese to fly alongside his ultra-light plane beginning in 1988. He later guided endangered whooping cranes through safe routes and founded the nonprofit “Operation Migration.” Lishman’s work prompted the 1996 movie “Fly Away Home” but features a young girl as the geese’s “mother.”
Like Lishman, Fritz and his team’s efforts have worked. The first bird independently migrated back to Bavaria in 2011 from Tuscany. More have flown the route that’s upwards of 550 kilometers (342 miles) each year, and the team hopes the Central European population will be more than 350 birds by 2028 and become self-sustaining.
But the effects of climate change mean the Waldrapp are migrating later in the season now, which forces them to cross the Alps in colder, more dangerous weather — without the aid of warm currents of air, known as thermals, that rise upward and help the birds soar without expending extra energy.
In response, the Waldrappteam piloted a new route in 2023, from Bavaria to Andalusia in southern Spain.
This year, the route is roughly 2,800 kilometers (1,740 miles) — some 300 kilometers (186 miles) longer than last year’s path. Earlier this month from an airfield in Paterzell, in upper Bavaria, the team guided 36 birds along one stage through bright blue skies and a tailwind that increased their speed.
The entire journey to Spain could take up to 50 days and end in early October. But Fritz says the effort is bigger than just the Northern Bald Ibises: It’s about paving the way for other threatened migratory species to fly.
___
Dazio reported from Berlin.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
BISMARCK, N.D. — On a remote tallgrass prairie in North Dakota, a secretive orchid pokes up from the ground. You’ll only find it if you know where to look.
The striking, bright white blooms of the western prairie fringed orchid are elusive to fans who try to catch a glimpse — and as a threatened species protected by the federal Endangered Species Act, it is also a puzzle for researchers trying to learn more about the orchid’s reproduction and role in its ecosystem.
Loss of its native prairie habitat has threatened the orchid. About 60% of native orchids in the U.S. and Canada are rapidly disappearing due to climate change, habitat loss and pollinator declines, said Julianne McGuinness, program development coordinator for the North American Orchid Conservation Center. Those showy, flowering plants beloved for their beauty can be an early indicator of decline occurring unnoticed in its environment.
“They’re sort of like the canary in the coal mine for the rest of our ecosystems,” McGuinness said.
Graduate students from North Dakota State University in Fargo are hoping to learn more about the pollinators and reproduction of the western prairie fringed orchid. Their work includes logging the GPS coordinates of orchids at 20 various sites in Minnesota, North Dakota and Manitoba, Canada, swabbing orchids for tiny amounts of genetic material from insects, and attracting pollinating insects at night with blacklights and sheets.
Years ago, Steve Travers, an associate professor at the university’s Department of Biological Sciences, was fascinated to learn about the orchid — “these big, beautiful, 2-foot tall, ginormous, gorgeous things that were pollinated at night.”
“I have a hell of a hard time finding it sometimes,” he said. “And when people see it the first time, there’s like almost this rapid intake of breath. I mean, it’s so big and it’s just spectacular.”
The orchid is a unique insight into its nearly vanished ecosystem — the tallgrass prairie — as well as for understanding connectedness with pollinators and other plants, and is a good model system for studying rarity, Travers said.
The orchid’s only known pollinators are hawkmoths, big moths that are just the right fit and size to reach the orchid’s nectar, in a long spur, while also pollinating the plant.
The western prairie fringed orchid is mostly found in reserves, such as the Sheyenne National Grassland in North Dakota and the Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve. The peak of the orchid’s bloom was roughly mid-July.
Populations can be as small as one plant or as large as 500 to 1,000, Travers said. Once located, the researchers log the individual orchids’ GPS coordinates to within 10 centimeters (4 inches) accuracy so they can return later. Finding the orchid when it isn’t flowering is like looking for a brown stick in a big, green field, Travers said.
Graduate student Josie Pickar’s work is focused on what affects the orchid’s reproductive success, including soil nutrients and pollinator service. She’s been traveling to about 20 sites, looking at subsets of orchids, to gather soil samples and moisture content, count flowers, and record plant heights and conditions, as well as monitoring the orchids via trail cameras for what might be eating them. In September, she’ll go back and count the orchids’ seed capsules, which are extremely hard to find.
To find the orchids, the researchers used rough coordinates from land-management agencies. They’ve dealt with ticks galore, crossed a beaver dam while wearing waders and seen bear tracks in the process.
“It’s been pretty wild,” Pickar said.
She’s put in days of more than 12 hours, visiting about two orchid sites per day that could be up to three hours away — her team donning gear such as long pants, long-sleeve shirts, hats and sometimes mosquito-thwarting head nets. She called the orchid “almost alienlike when you see it out on the prairie.”
Graduate student Trinity Atkins, who was out from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., is looking at the orchid’s pollination networks: the pollinators that visit the orchid and what other plants they visit, too.
She swabs the orchids at all her sites, collects moths to see where they are going and uses a molecular technique called eDNA metabarcoding to see which pollinators visited the orchid, she said. Environmental DNA is genetic material left behind from, for instance, a butterfly visiting a flower. Some studies indicate daytime pollinators might be at work, she said.
Studying the orchid’s pollinators requires work at all hours of the day.
In the morning, Atkins would swab orchids for eDNA before it degrades. In the afternoon, she would survey for other nearby plants that could be attracting pollinators. And at night, she would be blacklighting at prairie sites, collecting moths and taking measurements.
Travers said the research is important in terms of biodiversity, of which rare species are an integral component for their contributions to their ecosystem.
While orchids are found all over the world, the western prairie fringed orchid is specifically adapted to the tallgrass prairie, he said.
“I kind of find that really interesting that you get all this variety in the genus and then, boom, it comes here and it turns into this huge, nocturnally pollinated thing, and I’d love to know why. Why did that happen? But that’s a whole other question,” Travers said.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
Prepare to actually want to have spiders in your living room. The spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is a delicate-looking houseplant with thin leaves that resemble spider legs. We reached out to four plant care experts to learn all there is to know about keeping the creepy crawler happy and vibrant.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
Would you like to perk up your garden this winter? This guide to the best winter plants for pots has lots of gorgeous plant suggestions to inspire you.
This post covers twenty five plants for winter pots that will give you a fabulous floral display or provide foliage and interest throughout the coldest months. There are also lots of tips on planting and caring for your winter containers so they really put on a show for you, plus a guide to the best tools for container gardening to help you get organised.
Winter is a time of year when we tend to use our gardens less. The days are shorter, winter weather can be uninviting, and lots of plants shut down until spring arrives again.
Having said that, we’re all much more used to using our outdoor spaces regardless of the weather these days. As a result, you’re probably keener than ever to give your garden year-round interest. Your garden can make up a significant proportion of your home’s available space; when you think about it from this angle, it makes no sense to stop using it just because the season has changed!
If your winter garden is in need of a lift, growing winter flowering plants in pots is a simple and relatively low-cost way to create colour and interest. Growing plants in containers has many other benefits too.
For starters, gardening in containers can be very low maintenance. Looking after a plant in a pot is quicker and easier than dealing with an entire border. This is a particularly useful aspect of container gardening in winter, when you might prefer not to linger outdoors. If you’re short on time, focusing your efforts on container plants can allow you to quickly create a beautiful display that doesn’t take hours to look after.
If you don’t have much gardening experience, starting as a container gardener is an ideal way to ease yourself in. Growing plants in pots allows you to work on a small scale, then move onto bigger displays as you gain confidence and learn more.
That small scale gardening is also perfect if you don’t have much outdoor space. You can use pots and hanging baskets to create wow factor in the tiniest of spaces. You don’t even need a garden. You can squeeze a pot onto a window ledge, balcony, or doorway, and use hanging pots or stacking planters to create a vertical display.
When it comes to beginner gardening for kids, containers are ideal here too. Again, the smaller scale makes things easier, and it’s fun to give them their very own pot to look after. The container itself has lots of potential for nature play as well. Kids can personalise it with paints or chalk, make their own plant markers, or upcycle household objects to create unique decorations.
Another big plus for gardening in pots is their portability. If your plants aren’t thriving or you’d like to rearrange your display, you can easily move containers around. And if you rent your property or are planning on moving, you can take them with you!
You might be wondering whether it’s OK to grow plants in containers in winter when temperatures can get pretty low. The key to creating a beautiful winter container display is to choose hardy outdoor plants for pots, and get the location right for those specific plants. This last element is often referred to as ‘right plant, right place’.
The concept of ‘right plant, right place’ is very simple. If you embrace it, you stand a better chance of growing happy, healthy plants. The knock-on effect of this is a gorgeous garden that you can enjoy at any time of year.
All plants have specific conditions that they will grow well in. This is true whether you grow them in the ground, or in a pot. If you put your winter container somewhere that provides the ideal conditions for the plants, you take a big step towards making sure those plants thrive.
Conversely, if you put your winter plants in a spot that provides conditions they don’t like, you will limit their ability to do well.
Some plants enjoy full sun, some prefer full shade, and some are happy with partial shade. Your plants might prefer a sheltered spot, or be fine with weathering the elements. You may need to provide soil with good drainage, or water frequently. All of these things will vary according to the type of plant you’re growing.
To work out the ideal conditions for a particular plant, start by checking the care label. If there isn’t one, or it doesn’t have much information on it, you can use a plant identification app or look it up online.
Once you know how to make your plant happy, you’re ready to work out the perfect spot in the garden for your winter container.
Before you buy any outdoor plants for pots, it’s worth understanding the difference between annual vs. perennial plants.
Annual plants will grow, flower and die in one growing season (or year). This means you have to replace them regularly.
Perennial plants continue to grow year on year, so you won’t need to replace them very often. Some varieties of perennial plant die back in winter and have a dormant phase before emerging again in spring, while others are hardy evergreen perennials.
It’s absolutely fine to grow annual and perennial plants in pots. You can also combine the two in the same pot.
Most plants sold for container planting are annual plants. You will probably see them referred to as ‘bedding plants’ in garden centres and online. As you can imagine, relying on annual plants for your containers can quickly work out more expensive than using perennials.
A good approach is to go for a combination of annual and perennial plants in your containers. This allows you to keep costs down, but still refresh your display of outdoor plants in pots with seasonal plants.
The best time to plant winter bedding plants is late autumn and early winter. Planting containers at this point will give your plants time to become established, and give a natural progression from your late summer and early autumn flowering plants.
If you’re reading this later in winter, don’t worry. You can plant winter bedding plants throughout the winter months, and into early spring too. Obviously the later you plant, the longer it will take your plants to grow bigger and get established.
Ready to get started on your winter flower pots? Here are some fantastic winter plants for containers and hanging baskets that will help you create a show-stopping display.
There are sections for flowering plants, bulbs, foliage plants and shrubs for pots, with twenty five gorgeous varieties to inspire you.
When it comes to winter flowering plants for pots, there are a lot of great options to choose from. Here are some perfect flowering plants to grow in winter containers and winter hanging baskets.
You can’t have a list of favourite winter plants for outdoor pots without pansies and violas! They’re inexpensive, and readily available in a wide range of colours. These tough little plants are a great option for bulking out your displays and adding a shot of cheery colour right through winter. Deadhead them regularly for best results (scroll down to find out how to do this).
Another must-have for a winter pot, hardy cyclamen will cope admirably with winter conditions and bloom from autumn right through to spring. Some cyclamen varieties need to be grown indoors, so make sure you go for Cyclamen hederifolium or Cyclamen coum for your outdoor pots.
When you decide to refresh your containers, you can transfer your cyclamen plants to a shady spot in the garden. They look particularly good alongside ferns and other woodland plants.
If you’re wondering ‘What can I plant now for winter colour?’, then primroses could be the plant for you.
Pay a visit to any garden centre in winter, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to find a big display of primroses. They’re often available in strong colours, so if you like the idea of a powerful display they make a good, low-cost filler for your pots. If you’re gardening with kids, those bright colours are always a big hit too.
Heather plants will give your winter pots lots of texture. Choose from a subtle white or cream variety, or go for a big hit of colour with shades of pink and purple. Winter heather is a good choice if you want to garden for wildlife too, and will provide a source of nectar and pollen for pollinating insects at a time of year when other plants haven’t really got going. As such, it’s a fantastic plant for a bee friendly garden.
Heathers prefer to grow in acidic soil, so to give them the best conditions you should aim to plant them in *ericaceous compost.
Ornamental kale and ornamental cabbages may look similar to their edible cousins, but they don’t taste great! They do however look wonderful when combined with other winter plants. Use them to add a modern, unusual twist to a pot display.
If you’re looking to plant a winter container that’s thrifty and low-effort, but that also looks amazing, you should definitely include some flower bulbs.
Lots of flowering bulbs really put on a show in spring, but some varieties get going in late winter. These early bloomers are a fantastic way to keep your containers looking good until the spring flowers take over.
If you’re not very confident about growing bulbs, I’ve got a whole blog post on planting bulbs that will help you get it right.
Here are some suggestions for ideal bulbs to grow with winter plants in pots.
These compact varieties of Iris are one of the first bulbs to flower in late winter, making them a fantastic choice if you’d like to keep your winter planters going right into spring. Popular varieties include Pauline, Harmony and Frozen Planet (icy white).
Irises look gorgeous planted on their own in a pot, or you can mix them in with winter bedding plants to create extra impact. You can also ‘force’ iris bulbs to flower early indoors; my post on forcing bulbs indoors shows you how to do it.
Another great bulb for a winter display, *winter aconites will create a cheery clump of sunny yellow winter flowers for pots. Pollinating insects love them too.
Early flowering and really low maintenance plants, crocus are a great option for winter potted plants. You’re spoilt for choice with varieties; there are shades of purple, cream, yellow and white, plus a range of heights to suit your pot.
*Crocus bulbs work well in a bulb lasagne too, this is a clever way to layer up bulbs in a pot and top them with bedding plants to create a display that lasts beyond the end of the season. My post on planting a bulb lasagne shows you how to do it.
Snowdrops are often the first flowers we see in the garden towards the end of winter, and as such they can bring a taste of the spring to come when you plant them in winter pots.
*Snowdrop bulbs are usually planted in autumn, but you can also buy them as plants in late winter. This is often called buying them ‘in the green’.
Hyacinths really deliver on flowers and fragrance, making them a great addition to a winter flowering container.
Like irises, you can ‘force’ *hyacinths for early indoor blooms. However you plant them, make sure you wear gloves while handling the bulbs, as they can cause skin irritation.
Foliage plants are an important part of a winter container display. They can provide texture, height and structure to your arrangement, and if you choose the right plants they can be a showstopper in their own right too.
Here are my favourite foliage plants for winter pots.
Heucheras (also known as coral bells) are fantastic foliage plants for a winter container garden. They flower in the summer, but it’s their leaves that we’re really interested in for winter.
You can get hold of *heuchera plants in a range of colours, which makes it easy to complement your planting scheme with these foliage stunners.
If you’re looking for trailing winter plants for pots, ivy is a great choice. Ivys are great plants for hanging pots too.
Ivy can be a bit of a thug in the garden, crowding out other plants and generally taking over. Growing it in a container avoids all of this, allowing you to enjoy it’s beautiful leaves without the hassle. Ivy is a fabulous winter source of food and shelter for pollinating insects and local wildlife too.
The trailing habit of ivy is particularly useful for softening the edges of a container or hanging basket. It’s also a clever way to create a bigger container display from the same size of pot.
This is one of my favourite foliage plant for pots outdoors – my garden is full of it! Cineraria has silver-white foliage with a soft tactile surface, and it provides a beautiful textured backdrop for your winter-flowering plants. In my experience it’s a tough little plant too, so if you trim it back regularly you might find that it’s an element of your containers that you don’t need to replace.
I love using this foliage plant in containers too. It’s super-tough, but the silvery stems look delicate and frothy; it always makes me think of coral. A great plant for contrasting with deep purple flowers or foliage.
An ornamental grass is an excellent choice for a pot display, and if you choose an evergreen variety you can enjoy it as part of your winter planters.
*Festuca glauca has slim, blue-green blades and forms a neat, compact dome of foliage. I think it works particularly well in contemporary container planters.
This upright grass is ideal for giving a pot structure and height. There’s a range of colours to choose from, including varieties that incorporate yellows, pinks, and deep burgundy.
While *Phormiums are pretty tough plants, it’s a good idea to grow them in a sheltered spot in winter.
Don’t ignore shrubs when it comes to your pots. There are lots of lovely compact varieties that will provide you with flowers, structure or interest in winter. Here are some great varieties to try.
This one isn’t strictly a flowering plant, but the berries more than make up for that. With its glossy evergreen leaves and bright red berries, Japanese skimmia is a brilliant plant to liven up a winter pot.
To guarantee those lovely berries, you need to buy a female plant (such as ‘Nymans’, ‘Temptation’ or ‘Kew White’), and also have a male plant (such as ‘Rubella’ or ‘Kew Green’) nearby.
If you need a smaller berried plant, *Wintergreen (also known as partridge berry, checkerberry and Gaultheria procumbens) is perfect. It’s dainty and low-growing, and will give your pots a festive feel.
Another perfect candidate for low maintenance outdoor potted plants in winter. This lovely perennial plant will flower from midwinter onwards, providing delicate but impressive blooms at a time when most other plants are still dormant.
*Hellebores are available in shades of white, pink, purple and even apricot, and are perfectly capable of dealing with a cold season, frost, and snowy conditions. Combine them with other plants, or stick to a hellebore-only container for a simple but stunning effect.
If you’d like to grow a climbing plant in a pot for a winter display, take a look at winter flowering clematis. Great varieties are *Clematis cirrhosa ‘Freckles’ and *Clematis urophylla ‘Winter Beauty’.
Winter clematis will benefit from some shelter. Try to grow them close to the house or against a house wall, where they will enjoy the slightly warmer temperatures.
Winter honeysuckles are another option for climbing plants for pots. Lonicera fragrantissima or Lonicera x purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’ both have creamy white flowers and that incredible honeysuckle fragrance.
To get the best out of climbing shrubs for pots, make sure the container has access to an *obelisk, trellis or other type of plant support.
Camellias make fantastic low maintenance evergreen plants for pots. You can choose from shades of red, white, pink and cream, all with shiny green leaves and stunning flowers.
You need to grow camellias in acidic soil, so go for *ericaceous compost to keep them happy. If you can use rainwater to water them, they will be even more content. Camellias also enjoy a more sheltered location; an easy way to provide this is to position them near the house.
If you’re planting a large winter container, this evergreen shrub will make a great addition. It will put on a show with bright red leaves that change to deep green as they mature. In spring you get white flowers too.
Another good option for large containers, *sweet box (Sarcococca confusa) has dense evergreen foliage and produces an abundance of delicate white flowers from midwinter onwards. The flowers are highly fragranced too, so make sure you position it somewhere that you walk past regularly to make the most of the gorgeous scent.
Still on the fragrant flowers theme, the flowers on *Daphne Odora ‘Aureomarginata’ are pale pink and deliver a huge hit of fragrance. It needs a larger container as it can reach heights of 1.5 metres, but it will definitely earn its space.
Unless you’re buying a ready-made container display, you should always repot your plants after you’ve bought them.
The plants will most likely have reached the limits of their pots, and will benefit from a bigger container and access to more compost.
Take the pot off the plant, and you’ll probably see that the roots are filling up the space. If the roots have grown out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, this is another sign that the plant is ready to move on!
When it comes to tools, gardening in containers is pretty low-tech. However, there are some basic tools that you should consider getting hold of to make things easier and help your plants do well.
A *hand trowel will come in handy for planting, re-potting and weeding.
If you’d prefer to protect your hands, *gardening gloves are a must. There are lots of different sizes and materials out there, but for me the most important thing is to find a pair that allows your hands to move well while you’re wearing them.
A pair of *secateurs are ideal for pruning your plants and removing dead flower heads. If you’ve chosen smaller plants for small pots you might prefer a pair of *snips – these are fantastic for deadheading too.
And finally, a *watering can is pretty essential. Go for one that has a ‘rose’ head attachment, this will prevent you accidentally flooding your pots. A *mini watering can is a good option for smaller containers – and you can use it on your houseplants as well.
Don’t forget your pots and hanging baskets too!
When you’re choosing your pots, stick to these two rules.
The rest of the decision-making process is absolutely up to you. There’s a huge amount of choice out there and you can easily find a colour, shape, style and material to suit your own tastes and the look of your outdoor space.
It’s also well worth considering a spot of upcycling here; so many household items make great plant pots. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
If you’re growing plants in pots, it’s really important to give them good compost. Our best compost for pots guide covers this in detail, but here’s a quick overview.
Plants that grow in the ground can easily access the nutrients they need in the soil around them. Plants grown in containers however are restricted by the pot, and as a result they will eventually exhaust the nutrients available. When this happens, your plants will start to look less healthy and may struggle to grow.
To avoid the problem of starved winter container plants, always use a good quality *peat-free compost.
You should be fine to use general-purpose compost for the majority of your container plants, but some plants do need a particular type of compost in order to grow well. The plant label should tell you if this is the case.
There is also compost available that has been specifically designed to support plants grown in pots and baskets. This type of compost is usually enriched with slow-release fertiliser and water-retaining crystals. As well as helping your plants to thrive, it’s a good option if you’re keen to keep the plant maintenance to a minimum, or you’re not very confident about taking care of your pots.
Once you’ve got your plants, your pots, and your tools, you’re ready to create some beautiful seasonal displays. Here’s a quick guide to planting outdoor pots for winter.
Caring for your beautiful winter plants display is pretty low-effort. Focus on these key areas, and you’ll be giving your plants the best chance of doing well.
As I’ve already mentioned, a container plant will eventually use up all the nutrients in the compost. To stop this being a problem, you can feed your plants regularly with a general-purpose plant food.
You can choose the format of your plant food to suit your own preference. A *concentrated liquid needs to be diluted before you use it (the packaging will tell you how to do this), so you will need a watering can for this option. Plant food is also available in *granule form which you add to your compost when planting, and *ready-to-use liquid feed which you simply pour into your pot. If you’re nervous about getting the feeding right, the last option is definitely the easiest way to do it, but bear in mind it’s probably also the most expensive and least eco-friendly way to feed your plants.
If you’re keen on sustainable gardening or are gardening on a budget, you can have a go at making your own plant feed from nettle or comfrey leaves. This is a particularly good option if you like to garden organically. This video shows you how to make natural plant food:
Plants grown in containers will dry out faster than plants grown in the ground, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there’s a limit to how much water that the compost can retain. Plus, the sides of the pot get exposed to warmer temperatures than the ground, this heats up the compost which in turn causes more evaporation.
You might not need to water your container plants at all during winter, but it’s still a good idea to check the soil regularly. To do this, simply poke your finger into the soil surface; if it feels dry, you need to water your plants. Moist soil doesn’t need to be watered.
While it’s important to make sure your plants aren’t too dry, it’s also crucial to prevent your pots from getting too damp.
The majority of plants really dislike having their roots in a puddle of water. Soggy roots can quickly rot, and root rot will kill your plant. This is particularly relevant in colder months, when water is much less likely to evaporate and the weather is generally more wet. In addition, excess water can freeze, which is also really bad news for plant roots.
The way to avoid this problem is to do everything you can to allow excess water to drain out of your containers and provide your plants with well-drained soil.
Those drainage holes I keep going on about play a big role here – so choose your containers for your winter displays carefully.
Putting crocks or stones in the bottom of your container will also help with drainage.
You can also improve the drainage of your compost by adding materials such as grit or *perlite. This creates a more open soil structure which allows water to drain more effectively, resulting in better drained soil.
Another simple way to avoid soggy containers is to use *pot feet or bricks to lift your pots off the ground. Leaving your pots on the ground makes them more likely to become waterlogged in winter. Raising them up an inch or two will help water to drain away more easily.
Would you like to get as many flowers as possible from your winter plants? Of course you would!
Deadheading is a brilliant way to make sure your winter plants in pots give you a long-lasting display of flowers. The added bonus is it’s really quick and easy to do.
Deadheading is all about removing flowers that are dead, drooping, or forming seed heads. Taking these off the plant prevents it from setting seed, which in turn stimulates it to grow more flowers.
To remove old flowers, just pinch them off with your fingers, or use *secateurs or *snips to make the job even easier.
You should aim to deadhead your plants regularly, this will help to create a steady supply of blooms. It’s the kind of gardening job you can tackle whenever you’ve got a couple of spare minutes, so it’s not hard to fit it in.
By choosing plants that are happy to grow outdoors in winter, you will go a long way towards keeping your potted plants healthy.
One of the key things to pay attention to is drainage, which we’ve already covered. Getting the water levels right in your containers is really important in winter, so make sure you stay on top of this by checking your pots on a regular basis.
If your plants look like they’re struggling, you can try moving the pot to a more sheltered spot such as near a house wall or away from wind.
If you’ve chosen winter hardy container plants, they should be OK outside in winter. If, however, you have tender plants in pots, it’s a good idea to move them to a more sheltered location until the weather warms up again. My post on protecting plants from frost and cold weather covers this in more detail and talks about plants that can survive winter outside.
And that’s it! Everything you need to know about the best outdoor winter plants for pots, and how to take proper care of them. I hope this guide has inspired you to create some fabulous winter plant displays – tell me what plants are on your wish list in the comments 🙂
If you’d like some more ideas for container gardening and plant inspiration, I’ve got you covered.
I’ve got posts on fall flowers for pots and the best plants for winter hanging baskets that will help you to grow a stunning hanging container display. You might also like my guide to growing wow factor hanging flower baskets. And if you’re keen to keep your containers looking good in spring or summer, you need my posts on spring flowers for pots and hanging baskets and great summer plants for pots.
My post on low maintenance plants for outdoor pots has lots of suggestions for the best plants for pots to get show stopping displays with minimal effort. You will probably find my lists of trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots, perennial plants for pots, climbing plants for pots, and outdoor plants for shallow pots useful too.
If you like the idea of growing edible plants in containers, check out my post on easy vegetables to grow in pots.
My guide to dealing with ants in plant pots will come in handy if these little guys decide to move in.
If planting seeds is your thing, you might like my post on easy flowers to grow from seed.
And finally, my series on gardening jobs for each month is a great way to keep yourself organised!
🌻 Click here to buy me a virtual coffee.
🌻 Click here to sign up to my newsletters and get regular updates straight to your inbox.
🌻 Follow me on social media: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
🌻 Share this post with your friends via the buttons below.
[ad_2]
Catherine
Source link
[ad_1]
Welcome to a fun guide to flowers that start with the letter “M”. This list features a gorgeous array of blooms, from the majestic Magnolia to the vibrant Marigold.
Perhaps you need some ideas on flowers starting with M for baby names, floral designs, or your own plant knowledge. Or maybe you just want to enjoy some lovely flower images. Whatever your motivation, you’ll find lots of lovely flower inspiration here.
For each of the 35 flowers beginning with M on this list we’ve included some key facts, an image, common names and associated symbolism (our guide to birth month flowers has more flower symbolism).
The dainty little flowers of Madder are really small – less than 5mm – and appear in summer. This climbing plant can reach 1.5m tall.
Madder flowers symbolise tranquility.
A hugely popular garden tree, Magnolia produces stunning flowers in a spring garden. The flowers are usually white, pink, or purple.
Magnolia trees symbolise nobility, love of nature, and dignity.
This summer-flowering ornamental plant that produces pink, white or purple flowers.
Mallow flowers are associated with love, fertility and protection.
If you like the idea of tropical flowers that begin with M, the trumpet-shaped blooms of Mandevilla is a great option. This flowering tropical plant is native to Central and South America, and produces large blossoms in shades of pink, white, and red.
Mandevillas symbolise resilience and strength.
Mandrake plants have a rich history of association with magic and pagan traditions. More recently, their inclusion in the Harry Potter books has caused renewed interest in this flowering plant. The flowers appear in spring and can be shades of purple, green, or yellow.
Mandrakes symbolise magic, love and good luck.
Also well-known as acer plants, maples are a large group of ornamental trees and shrubs that are mostly native to Asia.
Maples are best-known for their stunning foliage, but some different species also produce flowers in late winter and early spring.
Maples are associated with endurance and strength.
A cheerful flower that starts with M, Marguerites are evergreen, bushy shrubs that produce masses of daisy-like blooms in summer. These popular flowers are available in white, pink and yellow, and you might even find double varieties on sale.
Marguerites symbolise joy, happiness, and innocence.
For flowers that pack a punch, you can’t go wrong with marigolds. Their bold orange or bright yellow flowers really stand out in the garden, and they will flower from late spring right through to autumn.
Marigold flowers symbolise joy, power, and warmth.
This perennial herb isn’t just grown for it’s culinary uses; it also has pretty clusters of flowers that are a big hit with bees and butterflies.
Marjoram is associated with love and happiness.
Marsh Mallow is a tall plant that produces impressive clusters of white or pale pink flowers in later summer. The flowers have a delicate, sweet smell – not surprising, given the common name!
Marshmallow flowers symbolise love, romance, and passion.
These cheerful flowers are bright yellow and look a bit like buttercups. They love damp conditions.
Marsh Marigolds symbolise fresh starts and renewal.
Meadowsweet is a perennial plant that blooms from late spring into summer. Its frothy flowers are white or cream and produce a strong fragrance.
The flowers of meadowsweet are associated with love, happiness and peace.
If you need height and bold colour in your flowers, Mexican sunflowers are perfect. They can reach 2m tall and produce lots of bright orange or yellow flowers in summer and autumn.
These fiery flowers symbolise passion, faith, and loyalty.
These are probably the most popular flowers that start with M. Valued for their ability to add colour and interest to the garden in late summer, their daisy-like flowers are available in pastel shades of pink, purple, blue, and white.
Michaelmas daisies signify a departure or farewell.
How about an aquatic flower that starts with M? Milfoil grows underwater, but the clusters of pink flowers grow on stems that reach above the surface. A great plant for a garden pond.
Milfoil symbolises everlasting love.
Milkwort flowers can be blue, pink, white or purple. They grow on long stems and look a bit like sweet pea flowers.
Milkwort is associated with healing, grace, and endurance.
The Mimosa tree has an abundance of fluffy yellow flowers in spring.
Mimosa flowers symbolise victory, solidarity, and strength.
You probably know mistletoe for its white berries and green leaves, but this parasitic plant also produces small white flowers.
Mistletoe symbolises love, peace, and goodwill.
These lovely white flowers are in full bloom in late spring and early summer. As the name suggests, the fragrant flowers are orange-scented and popular with pollinating insects.
Mock orange flowers signify purity and innocence.
You may know these flowers by their other name: Bergamot. They grow on tall stems and have a really striking shape. You’ve got a variety of colours to choose from, and they’re a great plant to make your garden more wildlife-friendly too.
Monarda is associated with protection, prosperity, and health.
This unusual orchid has flowers that resemble a monkey’s face!
Monkey orchid’s have been associated with adaptability, but also with evil.
If you’d like a splash of colour in the garden, Montbretia will deliver. It has long, thin leaves and produces fiery orange, yellow or red flowers along arching stems in summer.
Montbretias symbolise confidence and love.
The impressive white flowers of this climbing plant open at night and close in the morning, hence the name. Enjoy the flowers on these fast-growing vines from midsummer to early autumn.
Moonflowers are often associated with mystery, femininity, and romance.
The more well-known variety of Ipomoea has purple flowers that open in the morning.
Morning Glories symbolise unrequited love, sympathy, and resilience.
With their bright colours, trailing habit and long flowering season, Moss Roses are a good choice for low maintenance gardens.
Moss roses are associated with love.
Belonging the the mint family, motherwort has interestingly-shaped leaves and small pink or lilac flowers with a tactile, furry texture.
Motherworts symbolise hidden love.
A hugely popular indoor orchid, Moth Orchids have stunning flowers and enjoy humid environments.
Phalaenopsis signify prosperity, elegance, and purity.
If you need your flowers to cope with the cold, consider Mountain Phlox. These plants grow on mountainsides so they’re used to low temperatures.
Mountain Phlox is associated with friendship and togetherness.
This cute white flower isn’t what gives this plant it’s common name. The leaves are actually what look like a mouse’s ears!
A perennial flowering plant, mugwort has fragrant leaves and cream flowers. It has been used for many medicinal purposes and herbal remedies, from digestive aid to insomnia.
Mugwort is associated with female health.
You may know mulberry plants most for their edible berries, but they also produce clusters of yellow-green flowers in spring.
Mulberry flowers symbolise faith, wisdom, and growth.
How about an unusual flower starting with M? Mulla Mulla is an Australian plant that has lovely, feathery pink flower spikes.
Mulla Mulla is associated with protection.
Loved for their ability to add colour to a border, mums can be found in a wide range of shades. They’re also a popular potted plant gift.
Mums symbolise joy, optimism, and love.
Also known as grape hyacinths, these hyacinths in miniature are usually bright blue. They grow from bulbs, and are a fantastic addition to a spring bulb display.
Musk hyacinths symbolise confidence and power.
This evergreen shrub is covered is small white flowers from later summer into autumn.
Myrtle flowers are associated with love, prosperity, and beauty.
From the magnificent Monarda to the elegant Moth Orchid, each bloom on our list of gorgeous flower names starting with M will bring its own unique charm to a garden or floral arrangement. Will you be adding some of these beautiful flowers that start with M to your wish list?
[ad_2]
Catherine
Source link
[ad_1]
Mosquito repellent plants are garden heroes: colorful flowers and herbs with natural fragrances that chase away buzzing insects even as their perfumes soothe humans.
The first step in your plan to thwart mosquitoes? Grow plants such as lavender, basil, mint, scented geraniums, and marigolds. But unless you’re planning to plop your chair down in the middle of a flower bed, you may not enjoy the full protective benefits. So we came up with a plan to bring the full power of your anti-mosquito forces to the deck or patio: a mosquito repellent floral arrangement. (We placed ours on a side table next to our favorite reading chair.) Read on for step-by-step instructions.
Photography by Mimi Giboin for Gardenista.
Lavender’s strong scent, which comes from essential oils that can be distilled from its flowers, is often used for aromatherapy. While there is little scientific evidence to back up claims that lavender oil has health benefits, inhaling its fresh, herbal scent calms many people. But not mosquitoes.
I asked a couple of aspiring florists named Clementine and Eve to arrange the mosquito repellent plants and flowers in a few clear glass vases: a deconstructed floral arrangement. (If you don’t have vases of different heights and shapes on hand, you can just as easily arrange the flowers in mix-and-match drinking glasses or glass jars to get the same effect.).
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
The crew of a NASA mission to Mars emerged from their craft after a yearlong voyage that never left Earth.
The four volunteer crew members spent more than 12 months inside NASA’s first simulated Mars environment at Johnson Space Center in Houston, coming out of the artificial alien enviroment Saturday around 5 p.m.
Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell and Nathan Jones entered the 3D-printed habitat on June 25, 2023, as the maiden crew of the space agency’s Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog project.
Haston, the mission commander, began with a simple, “Hello.”
“It’s actually just so wonderful to be able to say ‘hello’ to you all,” she said.
Jones, a physician and the mission medical officer, said their 378 days in confinement “went by quickly.”
The quartet lived and worked inside the space of 17,000 square feet (1,579 square meters) to simulate a mission to the red planet, the fourth from the sun and a frequent focus of discussion among scientists and sci-fi fans alike concerning a possible voyage taking humans beyond our moon.
The first CHAPEA crew focused on establishing possible conditions for future Mars operations through simulated spacewalks, dubbed “Marswalks,” as well as growing and harvesting vegetables to supplement their provisions and maintaining the habitat and their equipment.
They also worked through challenges a real Mars crew would be expected to experience including limited resources, isolation and delays in communication of up to 22 minutes with their home planet on the other side of the habitat’s walls, NASA said.
Two additional CHAPEA missions are planned and crews will continue conducting simulated spacewalks and gathering data on factors related to physical and behavioral health and performance, NASA said.
Steve Koerner, deputy director of Johnson Space Center, said most of the first crew’s experimentation focused on nutrition and how that affected their performance. The work was “crucial science as we prepare to send people on to the red planet,” he said.
“They’ve been separated from their families, placed on a carefully prescribed meal plan and undergone a lot of observation,” Koerner said.
“Mars is our goal,” he said, calling the project an important step in America’s intent to be a leader in the global space exploration effort.
Emerging after a knock on the habitat’s door by Kjell Lindgren, an astronaut and the deputy director of flight operations, the four volunteers spoke of the gratitude they had for each other and those who waited patiently outside, as well as lessons learned about a prospective manned mission to Mars and life on Earth.
Brockwell, the crew’s flight engineer, said the mission showed him the importance of living sustainably for the benefit of everyone on Earth.
“I’m very grateful to have had this incredible opportunity to live for a year within the spirit of planetary adventure towards an exciting future, and I’m grateful for the chance to live the idea that we must utilise resources no faster than they can be replenished and produce waste no faster than they can be processed back into resources,” Brockwell said.
“We cannot live, dream, create or explore on any significant timeframe if we don’t live these principles, but if we do, we can achieve and sustain amazing and inspiring things like exploring other worlds,” he said.
Science officer Anca Selariu said she had been asked many times why there is a fixation on Mars.
“Why go to Mars? Because it’s possible,” she said. “Because space can unite and bring out the best in us. Because it’s one defining step that ‘Earthlings’ will take to light the way into the next centuries.”
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
OROVILLE, Calif. — Firefighters made progress Friday against a California wildfire that triggered extensive evacuation orders, but damage assessments raised the number of destroyed structures to 25, and forecasters said heat and fire risk were expanding on the West Coast.
Containment of the Thompson Fire near the Butte County city of Oroville rose overnight from 29% to 46%, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The fire was measured at just under 6 square miles (15.5 square kilometers) after only slight growth overnight.
Most evacuation orders covering about 17,000 people were lifted Thursday.
Firefighters “did a really good job yesterday” enforcing containment lines, and wind hasn’t been a factor, said Cal Fire Capt. Alejandro Cholico, a fire spokesperson.
A new blaze dubbed the French Fire erupted Thursday evening and triggered evacuations in the small Gold Rush town of Mariposa in the Sierra Nevada foothills along a highway leading to Yosemite National Park.
Bulldozers and crews built a line across the entire eastern side of Mariposa as flames spread over 1.3 square miles (3.4 square kilometers) before fire activity moderated.
“Winds have calmed which has helped firefighters make progress overnight,” a Cal Fire status report said.
In addition to structures destroyed by the Thompson Fire, six others were damaged. There was no immediate information on the types of structures, but several homes were seen ablaze after the fire broke out Tuesday morning about 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of Sacramento.
The number of reported firefighter injuries was lowered from four to two, Cholico said. The cause of the blaze remained under investigation.
The Oroville region is familiar with catastrophic events. The deadliest and most destructive wildfire in state history nearly wiped out the town of Paradise in Butte County in 2018.
Forecasters, meanwhile, warned California’s blistering heat wave will continue and spread into the Pacific Northwest and adjacent western states.
“The duration of this heat is also concerning as scorching above average temperatures are forecast to linger into next week,” the National Weather Service wrote.
Among extremes, the forecast for Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park calls for daytime highs of 129 degrees (53.89 degrees Celsius) on Sunday and then around 130 (54.44 C) through Wednesday. The official world record for hottest temperature recorded on Earth was 134 degrees (56.67 C) in Death Valley in July 1913, but some experts dispute that measurement and say the real record was 130 recorded there in July 2021.
Numerous wildfires have erupted since the late spring across California, largely feeding on abundant grasses that grew during back-to-back wet winters and have since dried.
Most have been kept small, but some have grown large. The biggest active fire is the Basin Fire in the Sierra National Forest, where nearly 22 square miles (57 square kilometers) have burned since late June. It was 46% contained Friday.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
Welcome to an exploration of flowers that start with the letter “B”. From the stunning Begonia to the vibrant Bluebell, this list covers a wide range of flowers, each with its own unique charm.
You can use this list of flowers beginning with B to inspire your baby name search, your floral arrangements, or your plant knowledge. Or you can simply enjoy the lovely flower pictures!
This article covers 30 gorgeous names of flowers that begin with B. Every flower on the list has key facts, an image, plus any common names and symbolism (we’ve got more resources on flower symbolism in our birth flowers guide).
If blue flowers are your thing, Baby Blue Eyes delivers. Its small, bright blue flowers have a paler centre and five petals. Grow it in partial shade or full sun.
Baby Blue Eyes symbolises innocence, purity, and trust.
Much loved by florists, Baby’s Breath has tiny white or pink flower clusters on delicate stems. It grows well in sunny locations and is perfect for a cottage garden planting scheme.
Baby’s Breath symbolises innocence, purity and everlasting love.
The more well-known name of this electric blue flower is cornflower. It’s easy to grow from seed and will spread itself around the garden with minimal effort from you.
Bachelor’s Button symbolises many things, including love, hope, patience, fertility, pride, and wealth.
The buds of these flowers start off balloon-shaped, transforming into star-shaped blooms when open. This ornamental plant is native to East Asia, and popular with pollinating insects.
Balloon flowers symbolise love, friendship and happiness. The five points of each flower can also represent the five senses, or the five elements in Chinese philosophy.
If you like your flowers that start with B to have a distinctive appearance, take a look at Banksia. The impressive flowers are bottlebrush-shaped and usually yellow.
Banksia flowers symbolise renewal and rebirth.
A lovely tall plant, Baptisia flowers resemble sweet peas and grow on slim stems. They also bear a resemblance to lupins. Baptisia are great perennial flowering plants for making your garden wildlife-friendly as it attracts lots of bees.
Baptisia symbolism includes protection, purification, and hope.
These lovely perennials are covered in sunny yellow flowers during spring – hence the name. It’s a great option for a sunny spot where the colour can really sing out.
Basket of Gold can symbolise abundance.
These flowers are real stunners. The inner and outer petals combine with small hairs to create the beard effect. A great plant for a sunny border.
Bearded Iris symbolises wisdom, bravery, and power.
Penstemons are a lovely plant to have in your garden. They flower for months, bees love them, and they’re happy in sun or semi-shade. They work particularly well in cottage garden designs.
Penstemon symbolise courage, resilience, and strength.
Also known as Bergamot, Bee Balm produces striking flowers with lots of texture on tall stems. There’s a range of different colours to choose from, and the flowers are a magnet for bees and pollinators.
Bee Balm symbolises health, prosperity, and protection.
These gorgeous flowers are big and long-lasting, with bags of scent. The foliage is attractive too. Grow them in a shady spot where they will provide a shot of colour.
Begonias symbolise caution.
Named after the bell-shaped flowers, these beautiful flowers are available in purple, blue and white. They’re unfussy plants and are a much-loved element of many cottage garden planting schemes.
Bellflowers symbolise humility, gratitude, and love.
The common daisy is well-known for its habit of growing in grass and providing material for daisy chains. It’s a member of the sunflower plant family, and it’s cute little white flowers bloom in late spring and early summer
Symbolic associations for Bellis include purity, innocence, and modesty.
Bergenia is a popular perennial plant and is often used for ground cover. Its big, leathery leaves resemble an elephant’s ears, and it produces bright pink, bell-shaped flowers in early spring.
Bergenia symbolises resilience, love, and kindness.
A truly stunning flower, Bird of Paradise is native to South Africa and produces impressive blooms that are shaped like a colourful bird. These showy flowers need tropical conditions to thrive and is often grown as an indoor plant.
Bird of Paradise symbolises freedom, joy, and grace.
Belonging to the pea plant family, Bird’s Foot Trefoil is a wildflower with bright yellow blooms and seed pods that resemble a bird’s feet. It’s a low-growing plant, so it’s good for ground cover.
Bird’s Foot Trefoil symbolises love and friendship, but also revenge.
With their bold flowers and contrasting centres, black-eyed susans can really make an impact in the garden. They enjoy full sun and well-drained soil, and they’re low maintenance plants. They will also be popular with beneficial insects.
Black-eyed Susan flowers symbolise motivation, encouragement, and justice.
Blanket Flower is a perennial plant that produces flowers similar to daisies. The ‘blanket’ element of the name comes from its habit of spreading over an area of ground. Gaillardia are available in shades of orange, red, and yellow.
Blanket Flower symbolises bravery, strength, and joy.
The flowers of Blazing Star are impressive; the tall spikes of frothy pinky-purple blooms resemble blazing stars and stand above sword-shaped foliage. This sun loving plant likes lots of light and free-draining soil.
Blazing Star flowers symbolise joy and happiness.
With its highly unusual heart shaped flowers, Dicentra is a great plant for making a statement. The pink flowers hang from slender stems and are native to east Asia.
As you might guess, bleeding heart flowers symbolise strong emotion, unconditional love, and heartbreak.
Named after the red sap in its stems, bloodroot has pretty white flowers and grey-blue foliage. It’s native to North America and works well in a woodland planting scheme.
Bloodroot symbolises love and romance.
Synonymous with spring woodland, bluebells thrive in sun or shade and forest-like conditions. As the name suggests, the flowers a bright blue in colour and bell-shaped. They’re sometimes referred to as fairy flowers, because they’re the perfect shape for a fairy’s hat.
Bluebells symbolise gratitude, humility, and kindness.
Borage is mostly grown for its herbal uses, but it also has lovely blue flowers that will attract lots of bees to your garden.
Borage symbolises courage and bravery.
Bougainvillea plants produce stunning flowers and are suited to warmer climates. They can be used to brighten up a trellis or garden wall, and they’re also drought tolerant plants.
Bougainvillea flowers symbolise protection and passion.
Bouvardia is native to South America, and loves warm conditions. It produces trumpet-shaped, scented flowers in a range of shades. As the common name suggests, Bouvardia is popular with hummingbirds, but it also attracts butterflies and bees to the garden.
Bouvardia symbolises enthusiasm.
These stunning tropical plants produce exotic flower-like leaves. They need warm, humid conditions, so they’re often grown as houseplants.
Bromeliads are symbolic of success, wealth, affection, and happiness.
This is a flower with real talking-point potential. Brugmansia is native to South America and has fragrant flowers that are shaped like trumpets and attract pollinating moths. They may look lovely, but the plant is highly toxic.
Angel’s Trumpet symbolises health and vivacity.
A haven for butterflies and pollinators, buddleia produces big spikes of tiny, honey-scented flowers. For best results it needs to be grown in full sun.
Buddleia symbolises new beginnings, resurrection, and rebirth.
A popular plant for containers, Busy Lizzie flowers for months on end and is available in a range of bright colours.
Busy Lizzie symbolises love, specifically motherly love.
You probably associate these delicate flowers with the ritual of holding them under your chin to see their golden glow reflected. In folklore this means you like butter, but there’s no scientific evidence to back it up! The bright yellow flowers of buttercups acts as a beacon to pollinators.
Buttercups are associated with youth, happiness, friendship, and humility.
From the charming Bee Balm to the graceful Bellflower, the world of flowers starting with B showcase a remarkable variety of beauty and elegance. Will some of these flowers that start with B get added to your plant wish list?
[ad_2]
Catherine
Source link
[ad_1]
LAS VEGAS — The strange monolith looks like it could have come from another world.
Jutting out of the rocks in a remote mountain range near Las Vegas, the glimmering rectangular prism’s reflective surface imitates the vast desert landscape surrounding the mountain peak where it has been erected.
But where did the object come from, and is it still there? That’s a mystery the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it was trying to solve after learning about it Monday through a social media post.
Las Vegas police said on the social platform X that members of its search and rescue unit found the otherworldly object over the weekend near Gass Peak, part of the vast Desert National Wildlife Refuge where bighorn sheep and desert tortoises can be found roaming. At 6,937 feet (2,114 meters), it is among the highest peaks in the area north of Las Vegas.
“We see a lot of weird things when people go hiking like not being prepared for the weather, not bringing enough water,” the police department wrote. “But check this out!”
Photos accompanying the department’s post show the strange structure standing tall against a bright blue sky, with distant views of the Las Vegas valley. It evokes the object that appears in the Stanley Kubrick movie “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Neither the police department nor its search and rescue unit immediately responded Monday to requests for more information about their discovery — the latest in a series of mysterious shiny columns popping up around the globe since at least 2020.
In November of that year, a similar metal monolith was found deep in the Mars-like landscape of Utah’s red-rock desert. Then came sightings in Romania, central California and on the famed Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas.
All of them disappeared as quickly as they popped up.
The Utah structure, which captured the world’s imagination during the pandemic, is believed to be the first in the series. It stood at about 12 feet (3.6 meters) and had been embedded in the rock in an area so remote that officials didn’t immediately reveal its location for fear of people getting lost or stranded while trying to find it.
Hordes of curious tourists still managed to find it, and along the way flattened plants with their cars and left behind human waste in the bathroom-free backcountry. Two men known for extreme sports in Utah’s sweeping outdoor landscapes say it was that kind of damage that made them step in late at night and tear it down.
Now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it is worried the same level of damage could happen at the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, which was established to protect bighorn sheep and is home to rare plants. It is the largest wildlife refuge outside of Alaska and can cover the state of Rhode Island twice.
“People might come looking for it and be coming with inappropriate vehicles or driving where they shouldn’t, trampling plants,” said Christa Weise, the refuge’s acting manager.
The Utah and Nevada structures were illegally installed on federal land.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
MILAN — Amid ongoing wars, hardening political divides and accelerating climate change, Milan designers made a play for escapism on the second day Saturday of Milan Fashion Week, mostly menswear previews for Spring-Summer 2025.
Many took inspiration from decades that now seem more reassuring, when the future brimmed with possibility. That future is now, and reality has hit. The message of climate change has penetrated the style studios: Men are offered thigh-baring shorts, open-weave tops and shoes, and inventive construction that permits ventilation on demand. Despite the seriousness of it all, fashion houses seemed to be saying: “Have fun.” The missing ingredient: exuberance.
Dolce & Gabbana’s collection for next summer was as smooth as a saxophone solo on the runway soundtrack. Loose silhouettes and artisanal weaving spelled summer ease.
Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana created looks for the toniest Italian seaside destinations, from the Amalfi Coast to the Venetian Lido and Liguria’s Portofino. The designers said in notes they took inspiration from “Italy’s golden period,” of the 1950s, epitomized by Marcello Mastroianni.
The runway star this season were the weaves: woven raffia jackets, shirts and tunics in summer shades of tan-and-black, echoed in the footwear and bags, that played well against pretty scalloped crocheted knitwear and leather weaves. The silhouette had a strong supporting role, harkening to a bygone era with ample pleated trousers rolled to a casual cuff. Boxy tops balanced with shorter shorts. Bold diagonal stripes hit a nostalgic chord.
Clean linens and suedes maintained the collection’s quiet tones, broken up by occasional bursts of coral beading and sequins. The nature-inspired color palette included soothing juxtapositions of eggplant and wine, forest green and olive.
Models strolled through a path created by six spinning mirrored pillars offering a kaleidoscopic view of a Fendi’s menswear collection that waxed nostalgic with mixed plaids, stripes and geometric prints.
The menswear silhouette by artistic director Silvia Venturini Fendi spoke to a yesteryear when shirts-and-ties were de rigueur, but not only. The bygone staples were updated with oversized shirts sticking out beneath light-weight bombers, paired with straight trousers or Bermuda shorts. Garment architectures gave an inventive edge, in asymmetric knitwear that buttoned down the shoulder for a peek-a-boo effect, or sleeves that slashed open at the elbow to convert from long to short, warm to cool.
Broad diagonal stripes on plaid recalled the 1970s, while a new, invented Fendi crest repeated for a geometric print. The soothing color palette of khaki, lime and sand, with pops of peach, provided monochrome palate cleansers from the busy patterns. Leather slip-on footwear or paneled sneakers finished the looks, accessorized with soft shoppers or a tidy patchwork bag made from leather cutoffs from Fendi workshops.
The runway show this season moved from the brand’s intimate showroom to a new 7,000-square-meter (75,000-square-foot) space that show notes say has been recognized for its energy and environmental design. Despite the change in locale, hundreds of screaming, eager K-pop fans managed the trek to greet artists like Stray Kids’ Bang Chan.
Wild horses galloped on a video playing above the Emporio Armani runway, for a Spring-Summer 2025 collection meant to convey freedom.
Everything about the collection was organic: the colors, the soft silhouette and the natural stone necklaces worn against bare chests. Pleated trousers gave movement to the looks, worn with silky blousons open to the waist, net tops or belted suit jackets. Woven cowboy hats completed the mood, along with sure-footed moccasins or boots.
“This collection takes the Emporio Armani man out of his usual metropolitan habitat,” the show notes said, “leading him on horseback across sunny rises, expanses of lavender and wheat fields stretching into the distance, pervaded by a sense of overwhelming independence.”
Shades of sage, wheat, mustard and ochre fade into the landscape. Only at the end do vibrant colors emerge: lavender and bougainvillea pink, worn against forest green. To close the show, Armani sent out bare-chested models in leather shorts carrying sacks of fragrant lavender, accompanied by well-heeled women in big brim hats and flowing chiffon or silk dresses. The crowd erupted in applause.
Armani, who turns 90 next month, took a bow flanked by his long-time partner Leo Dell’Orco and his niece Silvana Armani.
MSGM brand founder Massimo Giorgetti woke up the fashion crowd with loud bursts of paintballs splattering colors on glass walls, his way of spreading positive energy.
As his brand celebrates 15 years, Giorgetti said the new collection — Spring-Summer 2025 for men, Resort 2025 for women —aims “to ask everyone to reflect on now and look to a new horizon, hoping that it will be better than today.”
The collection projects optimism with bold stripes, big collars, daisy prints, intarsia knitwear and playful illustrations by British artist Luke Edward Hall. The looks are youthful, with full short skirts and mariner T-shirts for her, or a knit vest with a sun sail and sea motifs worn with khakis for him. But there is also a sophistication, for example, in a long knit dress accented by a yellow wave down the side, or a bright red suit made youthful with a peek of colorful boxer waistband.
“It is not an easy moment,’’ Giorgetti said. “I really hope this collection is an escape.”
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
Too often pathway gaps are neglected and become a home for weeds. But where some may see awkward spaces between stepping stones, I see potential. Plants between pavers can soften hard lines, adding a lush, living element to a design.
It’s relatively simple to fill the cracks between pavers with creeping plants that will stay low, won’t mind being squashed a bit, and may even be fragrant. Ground cover can triumph over weeds, too. Read on for everything you need to know:
As a landscaper, I routinely feel like a boss on the plant employee search, hunting for highly qualified plant candidates for the position of ground cover. Listed below is my required criteria:
Height: A plant should be low growing, raging in height from basically flat to 2 inches tall. Anything taller could be trip pedestrians and make the pavers look as if they are sinking, even drowning. Rule of thumb: the larger the scale of the pavers, the taller the filler plants can be.
Foliage: The ground cover should be vigorous (but not invasive) and dense like a carpet to smother competing weeds and cooperatively traverse the spaces for continuity.
Hardiness: A plant that grows between pavers should be tough and durable to withstand occasional trampling by foot or paw.
No-Fuss: Ground cover plants for pavers must require as little maintenance as possible. A total given.
Design: The ground cover needs to meet the design needs of foliage color, texture, and form. The choice also should complement the colors and textures of the pathway material rather than compete with it, and be congruent with the current landscape theme.
The options below are by no means the only ones, just some of the popular ones, and you have different options depending on whether your path basks in sun or hides in shade.
Creeping thyme (Thymus spp): Considered one of the finest ground covers for filling in between flagstones. It meets all of the criteria of a good plant employee. This petite herb comes in many varieties, all with tiny, rounded fragrant leaves in shades of dark green, lime green, and even yellow with a white edging. Elfin or woolly thyme are especially good varieties that will grow in difficult soils, stay flat and are frighteningly easy to grow.
Dymondia (Dymondia margaretae) is a good alternative. Its phenomenally flat, tidy appearance bears slender leaves that are green on top and gray underneath. A slight upward curl on each leaf edge provides a frosted, two-tone look and it occasionally bears small yellow daisy flowers.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
To get a sense of how sustainable your vitamin D supplement is, you’ll have to turn the bottle around and take a close look at the label. “Look at the Supplement Facts panel box and the product page for details on your vitamin D3 ingredient source. Lanolin is a quality animal-derived source, but if you’re seeking a plant-derived, sustainable option, organic algae is where it’s at,” Ferira concludes.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
Too bad soil isn’t dazzling like dahlias or sweetly fragrant like freesias, because gardeners then would be gushing over this dirty stuff instead of overlooking its importance. A successful garden starts with healthy soil. Good news is that you can easily buy quality soil at your local nursery or home improvement store; bad news is that even though it comes pre-mixed and bagged, you may find it difficult to figure out exactly which type your garden needs.
To determine which soil is best for your garden, you need to first understand that different plants thrive with different types of soil. Another factor to consider is how you plan to grow the plants—say, in a raised bed versus in a pot. Below, we walk you through some common growing scenarios and the type of soil most appropriate for each:
Featured photograph by Britt Willoughby Dyer for Gardenista, from Walled Gardens: An Organic and Picturesque Plot at Old-Lands in Wales.
Use potting soil. This light and airy mix is specifically formulated for container gardening to ensure adequate drainage and space for roots to grow. Simply add potting soil to pots and then plant your annuals, flowers, small trees and shrubs directly into it. Tip: ideally, replace potting soil annually.
Use a soilless mix. These super light blends are perfect for starting delicate seeds and are usually a combination of peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite, and like the name implies, does not contain organic matter (soil) that could harm tender seedlings. A great peat-free option is Plentiful Organic Potting Mix, made from recycled paper, by PittMoss.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
HOUSTON — As the Houston area works to clean up and restore power to thousands after deadly storms that left at least seven people dead, it will do so Saturday under a smog warning and as all of southern Texas starts to feel the heat.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said three people died during the storm, including an 85-year-old woman whose home caught fire after being struck by lightning and a 60-year-old man who had tried to use his vehicle to power his oxygen tank.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire previously said at least four people were killed in the city when the storms swept through Harris County, which includes Houston.
The National Weather Service issued flood advisories and watches for parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
The National Weather Service in Houston warned that with temperatures hitting around 90 degrees (32.2 C) this weekend, people should know the symptoms of heat exhaustion. ”Don’t overdo yourself during the cleanup process,” it said in a post on the social platform X.
The balmy weather is a concern in a region where more than a half-million homes and businesses remained without electricity Saturday morning — down from nearly 1 million, according to PowerOutage.us.
Fierce storms Thursday with winds of up to 100 mph (161 kph) blew out windows downtown, while a tornado touched down near the the northwest Houston suburb of Cypress.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said Friday that it could take weeks for power to be restored in some areas.
With multiple transmission towers down, Hidalgo urged patience. Another 21,000 customers were without power in Louisiana, where strong winds and a suspected tornado hit, down from a peak of 215,000.
The Houston Health Department said it would distribute 400 free portable air conditioners to area seniors, people with disabilities and caregivers of disabled children.
The widespread destruction brought much of Houston to a standstill. Trees, debris and shattered glass littered the streets. One building’s brick wall was ripped off.
School districts in the Houston area canceled classes Friday for more than 400,000 students and government offices were closed. City officials urged people to avoid downtown and stay off roads, many of which were flooded or lined with downed power lines and malfunctioning traffic lights.
Mayor Whitmire warned that police were out in force, including state troopers sent to the area to prevent looting. He said the speed and intensity of the storm caught many off guard.
“Most Houstonians didn’t have time to place themselves out of harm’s way,” Whitmire said at a news conference.
Noelle Delgado pulled up Thursday night to Houston Pets Alive, the animal rescue organization where she is executive director to find the dogs and cats — more than 30 in all — were uninjured, but the awning had been ripped off, the sign was mangled and water was leaking inside. She hoped to find foster homes for the animals.
“I could definitely tell that this storm was a little different,” she said. “It felt terrifying.”
Yesenia Guzmán worried whether she would get paid with the power still out at the restaurant where she works in the Houston suburb of Katy.
“We don’t really know what’s going to happen,” she said.
Whitmire signed a disaster declaration, which paves the way for state and federal storm recovery assistance. President Joe Biden also issued a disaster declaration for seven counties in Texas, including Harris, over severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding since April 26. His action makes federal funding available to people affected by the storms.
Emergency officials in neighboring Montgomery County described the damage to transmission lines as “catastrophic.”
High-voltage transmission towers that were torn apart and downed power lines pose a twofold challenge for the utility company because the damage affected transmission and distribution systems, according to Alexandria von Meier, a power and energy expert who called that a rare thing. Damage to just the distribution system is more typical, von Meier said.
How quickly repairs are made will depend on a variety of factors, including the time it takes to assess the damage, equipment replacement, roadwork access issues and workforce availability. Centerpoint Energy deployed 1,000 employees on Friday and had requested 5,000 more line workers and vegetation professionals.
___
Associated Press reporters Ken Miller in Oklahoma City; Jamie Stengle in Dallas; Valerie Gonzalez in McAllen, Texas; and Lisa Baumann in Bellingham, Washington, contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
[ad_1]
Welcome to a fascinating journey through the world of flowers that start with O. From the elegant Orchid to the charming Oxeye Daisy, this collection showcases a diverse array of blooms, each with its own unique beauty and characteristics.
Whether you’re searching for baby name inspiration, planning a floral arrangement, doing some botanical research, or just keen to immerse yourself in the world of flowers, we’ve got you covered.
This article explores the many beautiful flowers beginning with O. For each flower we’ve included some key facts and an image, plus common names and any associated symbolism (you can find out more about flower symbolism here).
A member of the mint family, Obedient plant is native to North America and has upright flower spikes with white, pink or lilac blooms. The name Obedient plant comes from the fact that the flower heads will stay in position when you move them.
Obedient plant is quite invasive and will spread quickly if you give it the chance.
Obregonia cacti produce beautiful pale pink flowers with yellow centres. The stem resembles an artichoke, hence the common name.
Artichoke Cactus symbolises resilience, persistence, and endurance.
Evening Primrose plants are tall and produce bright yellow flowers from late summer into autumn. The lovely blooms have a strong fragrance, and the plant is used in a range of cosmetics and traditional medicines. Evening primrose is also a great option for cut flowers.
Oenothera symbolises youth or new beginnings, protection, and love.
You probably associate the okra plant with its edible pods, but it also produces beautiful blooms. This plant belongs to the hibiscus family, and its cream showy flowers certainly have a resemblance.
In some cultures, okra flowers are thought to symbolise prosperity and good fortune.
This UK native plant scrambles over hedgerows and produces scented white flowers that turn feathery as they age. It’s loved by wildlife, but considered to have an invasive habit.
Unsurprisingly, Old Man’s Beard symbolises longevity and wisdom.
Oleander is an evergreen Mediterranean shrub with funnel shaped flowers. The blooms can be pink, red, purple, white, or yellow. It’s a vigorous plant and is also highly toxic to animals and humans.
Oleander symbolises love, destiny, and resilience, but it can also symbolise caution – most likely due to its poisonous nature.
This evergreen shrub is covered in an abundance of daisy-like flowers in late summer. It’s often used as hedging and in coastal gardens as it can cope with salty air and winds.
This sweet little ground cover plant boasts heart-shaped leaves and dainty blue or white spring flowers. It’s ideal for a shady spot or a woodland garden, and provides an early source of nectar for bees and other pollinating insects.
Omphalodes symbolised the Virgin Mary and, by association, purity in medieval times, resulting in its common name of Blue-Eyed Mary.
Probably the tallest flower that starts with O, Scotch Thistles can reach 8ft. The flowers are blue-purple and hugely popular with bees.
Onopordum acanthium is the national emblem of Scotland, representing resilience and longevity.
This ornamental grass is usually grown for its striking black foliage, however it also produces dainty, pale pink blooms in summer.
The name of this grass comes from the Greek ‘ophis’ (snake) and ‘pogon’ (beard).
The yellow flowers of Sweet Myrrh are famous for their fragrance, and are used in many perfumes. This heat-loving plant likes full sun and well-drained soil.
We haven’t found a specific symbolism for Sweet Myrrh, but when used as an essential oil it is thought to balance and purify the body and mind.
For a drought tolerant flower beginning with O, consider the Prickly Pear. This cactus produces distinctive pink, yellow and orange flowers.
Opuntia symbolises endurance, hope, and protection.
As the name suggests, orange blossom is the orange tree flower. These dainty white flowers have a beautiful fragrance and are often used in perfume.
Orange blossom symbolises of purity, good luck, and fertility. With these associations it’s not hard to see why it’s a popular choice in wedding flowers.
Probably the most well-known flowers that begin with O, orchids are a firm favourite with many indoor gardeners. This large plant family contains over 25,000 different species, with all manner of flower colour, pattern, and size. Orchids are commonly thought of as ornamental plants, but some species are believed to have medicinal properties too.
Orchid flowers symbolise beauty, love, and grace. There are colour-specific meanings too: white for purity, red for passion, yellow for joy, orange for energy, pink for femininity, and blue for calmness.
If you’re an orchid plant parent, you might like to take a look at our orchid care tips which will help you keep your plants in tip-top condition.
For a cactus with a difference, look no further than Epiphyllum cacti. These plants have trailing stems and produce showstopping scented flowers that bloom at night. They love humid, shady environments and are suited to hanging baskets.
Orchid Cactus symbolises patience, love, and beauty.
This Mediterranean herb thrives in sunny locations and produces a mass of tiny pink flowers alongside fragrant green leaves.
As well as being a pretty flower that starts with O, oregano is a useful herb for cooking and has also been used in traditional medicine due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Oregano symbolises happiness and joy. The word ‘oregano’ means ‘mountain of happiness’ in Greek).
Mahonias are evergreen shrubs with glossy leaves that produce bright yellow, scented spikes of flowers in winter and early spring, and edible berries in autumn. It’s a great plant for adding interest to a garden when most other plants are dormant.
A firm favourite in the garden and in bouquets, oriental poppies are delicate flowers with soft petals, dark centres, and slender stems. The most well-known colour is red, but you can find oriental poppies in many other colours, including pinks, white, and orange.
The most famous symbolism of poppies is remembrance, due to the association of red poppies with fallen soldiers. However, poppies also symbolise love, beauty, eternal life, and peace.
With their impressive globes of tiny flowers, ornamental onions can be a real showstopper in the garden or in a floral arrangement. Many varieties produce purple flower heads, but you can also choose from pink and white varieties.
Alliums are loved by pollinating insects, and as they belong to the onion family their scent is also good at repelling unwanted garden pests.
Alliums symbolise prosperity and good luck.
These white, star-like flowers grow from bulbs and are popular in cut flower bouquets. It’s well-suited to rockeries and also a good option for pots.
Orthinogalum symbolises purity, hope, and forgiveness.
Osbeckia is a herbaceous perennial plant that produces interesting purple flowers with tactile petals. This low-growing plant has a drooping habit and is often used for ground cover in tropical climates.
Osmanthus are evergreen shrubs that produce white, highly fragrant flowers in late spring. Osmanthus tea is popular in China and believed to have cleansing properties.
Symbolism associated with Osmanthus includes joy, love, and serenity.
Osteospermum plants, native to Africa, thrive in warm climates. Throughout summer, this popular ornamental plant boasts an array of daisy-like blooms, flourishing in both pots and garden beds. With a wide range of vibrant colours available, there’s ample choice to suit any garden style.
African Daisies symbolise innocence, purity, and happiness.
This pink and purple annual takes its name from the unique shapes of its flowers, which resemble an owl’s face. It’s brush-like flower spikes bloom in spring and are loved by pollinators.
With their clover-shaped leaves and dainty flowers, oxalis have a lot to offer. The flower colours available include yellow, pink, white, and lilac. Some species of oxalis can be grown as houseplants, while others are better suited to the garden. Oxalis has a bit of a reputation for being weed-like, due to the fact that some varieties will quickly spread around the garden.
Oxalis symbolises hope and good luck – probably due to those clover-like leaves.
Oxeye Daisies are perennial wildflowers. You will most likely be very familiar with this low-maintenance plant, which grows in meadows and grassland. It can provide a rich source of pollen and nectar for birds, bees and other pollinating insects, so if you’d like to make your garden more wildlife-friendly they’re an excellent choice.
Oxeye daisies symbolise cheerfulness, purity, and new beginnings. They have also been associated with divination.
As the common name suggests, Oxypetalum has blue flowers and milky sap. It’s native to North Africa and is sometimes found in flower arrangements.
Oxypetalum symbolises hope, peace, and purity.
This tough plant can cope with subarctic temperatures, so it makes a great option for a challenging garden location. The flower spikes can be blue, purple, or white.
Oyster plants are mostly grown for their lovely foliage, but they also produce clusters of white flowers. Also known as Moses-in-the-cradle, they are usually grown as indoor plants.
Oyster plants symbolise rebirth and protection.
From the elegant Oriental Poppy to the vibrant Osteospermum, each of these flowers starting with O carries its own unique beauty and symbolism. Whether adorning bouquets or brightening gardens, these flowers enrich our lives with their charm and grace. Will you be using any flowers that start with O to inspire your floral adventures?
[ad_2]
Catherine
Source link
