The weather is getting warmer, the bees are out and the magpies are swooping. It seems it is the time to brighten up our gardens with a pop of colour or two. Below we dive right into what flowers to plant in your new-look spring garden to breathe a little life back into it after a cold winter.
Azaleas
A favourite for all green thumbs in most parts of Australia are the well-known flower, Azaleas. These flowers grow well in a range of climates from warm areas such as Brisbane to places a little more chilly such as Melbourne. A good point to remember when planting these is providing acidic soil and lots of room for great drainage.
You can begin by just planting one, or perhaps planting a sea of flowers in a garden bed to really put some pep in your step. Make sure you ask your local garden centre what mulch to use on these flowers, this allows the roots to be kept moist but not too wet! Too much water can be bad for the flowers health.
Always use compost- perhaps from your leftover fruit skins. If you prefer potted plants Azaleas also grow well in pots. You must have a hole at the bottom of the pot to allow for enough drainage, as we said before too much water. Keep on top of your liquid fertiliser application and make sure the plant is kept moist enough during high growth periods such as the spring and summer seasons.
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Lavender
Lavender is known for its gorgeous smell and beautiful purple flowers. Many use the scent of lavender to calm themselves or assist them with sleeping or anxiety. In terms of using this plant as an attractive addition to your garden, it requires well-drained soil and an optimal sunny position. Gardening organisations do recommend adding lime at the time of planting to ensure its succesful growth, this applies for all climates in Australia. Optimal time for planting is in Autumn or Spring.
To assist with poor access to drainage or to get rid of the risk of flooding the plants out, consider planting them on a raised mound of dirt. The elevation will help with run off and absorption. Slopes are the perfect growing space for lavender, or in pots and planters. Consider planting lavender in pots with a good soil of your choice if you do not have access to soil with good drainage. Not sure on the soil? Call or walk in to your local garden centre. They have all the knowledge in the world about planting options!
If you find that it rains quite a bit where you live, Lavender may become droopy or stressed. To fix this make sure you are fertilising your plants. Mulch options should be inorganic due to drainage issues with organise mulch. These include options such as crushed rock, like granite or stone.
Grevilleas
Did you know there are upwards of 300 species of Grevilleas? They come in all shapes and sizes ranging from small shrubs to bigger, more sturdier trees. They have very recognisable flowers, and are also appreciated for their fine timber. Birds, insects and animals can be attracted to these flowers as they have nectar inside them. So if you are not a fan of bees or creepy crawlies, perhaps give this flower a miss. Their flowers can open at various times, and can come in yellows, oranges and reds.
What are the best conditions to plant grevilleas in? Find a space with lots of sun with free-draining soil available. These plants are very drought tolerant, once they have grown mature! However, if you have access to water they thrive and flower amazingly with random spurts of deep watering.
Once again, it is always a great idea to have a conversation with your local garden centre when buying these for your garden. They might just let you in on some trade secrets of being professional green thumbs. These flowers also make a great addition to a home made native bouquet. Want to spoil a friend with some flowers but want to keep the cost down? Gifting them a bunch of Grevilleas is one sure fire way to make their day.
