April showers bring May flowers
The month of April is traditionally rainy and this year was no exception. “We’re all hoping that May will bring an abundance of flowers and color into our gardens. So it’s up to us garden enthusiasts to decide what to plant. The right plant for each location will ultimately determine the success of your garden. At Clear Creek Gardener we offer an abundance of seasonal flowers in annuals and perennials,” states the press release.
Annuals are plants that complete their life cycle in one growing season or tropical plants that cannot withstand cold winters. These annuals come in a range of bright colors and will bloom all season long. They are easy to grow and inexpensive to plant. Annuals do great in prepared garden beds, borders and containers. “A favorite annual of mine are marigolds. Marigolds are cheerfully bright yellow and bloom continuously. They attract beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, parasitic wasps and bees. My flock of heritage chickens enjoy eating the marigold petals and that makes for some beautiful orange yolks in our farm fresh eggs.”
Callibrachoa, or Million Bells, will have hundreds of bell shaped flowers that look like baby petunias and are available in many colors. It has a trailing habit, which makes it great for pots and garden borders. Begonias are another easy annual that performs all season with little care. Clear Creek Gardener has some with interesting foliage and double flower petals.
Perennials are plants that come back each year from their root stock that goes dormant in the winter. “I find that perennials offer some of the most beautiful and interesting flowers. In my garden, I use perennials to attract butterflies, hummingirds, songbirds and bees. My favorite perennial right now would be the Pincushion flower, because it’s in full bloom in my garden. I cut the old blooms off the plant when they’ve withered to promote reblooming.”
Another show-stopping perennial is blue-eyed grass. They look like a small ornamental grass with miniature purple iris flowers clustered around it. They are prettiest in the afternoon when it’s basking in full sun. Baptisia ,or False Indigo, is another tough perennial that is gaining in popularity because it is deer resistant and its bright indigo blue flowers attract butterflies.
Anyone who wants to plant trees and shrubs needs to act now while it is cool and wet. “Come and see us at Clear Creek Gardener and let us help you pick the perfect plant for your garden. We’d love to help you and answer any questions you may have. Remember, a garden is a friend you can visit anytime.”
Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. For more information, call 501-463-9531 or visit http://www.clearcreekgardener.com to see pictures of demonstration gardens and landscaping we’ve done for others. Get some ideas from our website and drop by for a talk and to smell the flowers. We are located on beautiful Clear Creek at 1923 Mountain Pine Road.