Charming Flowers

Cuckooflower has a rosette of leaves at its base and an upright stem that bears the delicate, small, pale pink or mauve flowers. A sure sign that spring has arrived, the Cuckooflower blooms from April. Look out for its delicate, pale pink flowers in damp meadows and ditches, and on riverbanks. The Cuckoo Flower produces loose clusters of white flowers,…

Acacias are graceful trees that grow in warm climates such as Hawaii, Mexico, and the southwestern United States. The foliage is typically bright green or bluish green and the small blooms may be creamy white, pale yellow, or bright yellow. Acacia may be evergreen or deciduous. Most acacia tree types are fast growers, but they usually live only 20 to…

Most varieties of this plant grow 4-5 feet tall. Their bloom ranches from almost 10 inches big to 2-inch pompoms. They come in virtually all shades of the rainbow. Grow dahlias for gorgeous, colorful flowers that bloom from midsummer through autumn, when many plants are past their best! The tubers are planted in the ground in late spring. In colder zones,…

If you’re looking for a showy annual bloom in the sunny garden or the container, something you can just plant and forget about, try growing Gazanias. Gazania is excellent flower plant to grow in winter. If you plant one Gazania in the garden soon it will multiply into many plants. When growing Gazanias, expect the plant to reach 6 to…

When grown in gardens, Carnations grow to between 6 and 8.5 cm in diameter. Petals on Carnations are generally clawed or serrated. Carnations are bisexual flowers and bloom simply or in a branched or forked cluster. The stamens on Carnations can occur in one or two whorls, in equal number or twice the number of the petals. The Carnation leaves…

Balloon flower is a clump-forming perennial flower, a member of the easy-to-grow bellflower family of plants. They are so named because puffy, balloon-like buds swell up to produce the 2- to 3-inch star-shaped flowers. Balloon flower is a very easy to grow perennial, but tall plants may need staking to keep them from flopping. Blooming all summer long, it is an…

Peace lily is a natural for filling a corner, including those with part sun as well as dark spots. Tuck it into a simple container to let glossy leaves and stately flowers steal the spotlight. A beloved houseplant, peace lilies are renowned for their easy care. All of us crave to live a life filled with peace and contentment. Peace Lilly…

Monstera deliciosa likes moderate indoor temperatures of 60 to 85 degrees. It prefers high humidity, but it will adapt fine to dry indoor conditions. If you really feel like nurturing it, you can mist it occasionally to boost humidity—but it’s not entirely necessary. The Swiss cheese plant displays the most interesting looking leaves and needs a grower to be prepared to provide…

European fan palms are frequently used to add tropical flair to temperate landscapes. They also grow well as houseplants, adapting easily to indoor conditions. These palms can grow both as a shrub with multiple trunks or as a small tree with a single trunk. The light blue-green to silver-green, fan-shaped fronds stretch roughly 2 feet long and wide and feature…

Oxalis are not only excellent houseplants because they come in a range of colors and sizes, but also because they are so prolific. They are, in fact, SO prolific that they are considered to be weeds to gardeners and greenhouse growers worldwide. Oxalis has shamrock-shaped leaves and is also commonly referred to as love plant and wood sorrel. The plant…

African violets are one of the world's most popular houseplants and for good reason. These compact, low-growing plants flower several times a year, and they are available in a multitude of leaf forms and colors. African voilets are small houseplants that produce clusters of white, blue, or purple flowers over fuzzy leaves. Here’s how to care for African violets in your home!…

Frosty ferns are very misunderstood plants, both in name and care requirements. They frequently pop up in stores and nurseries around the holidays (probably due to their wintery name) but many buyers see them fail and die soon after they come home. When growing frosty fern plants is that they need at least 70 percent humidity. This is much higher…