Alliums belong to the Liliaceae or Lily family. These bulbs produce a gorgeous flower that resembles a globe. There approximately 1200 species in the Alliums family and most of them are in the northern hemisphere.

This unique plant produces a cluster of flowers at the top of a leafless stalk. The Alliums bulb is also known as an onion and members of the genus include vegetables such as onions, shallots, leeks and chives. It has been said that Alliums species are found in most regions of the world except the tropics, New Zealand and Australia. Don’t know why.

Alliums add beauty to your garden when in full bloom and the flowers can be dried for use as winter decorations. These are hardy perennials that have true bulbs, are easy to grow and require little care once the plant is established.

You can mix Alliums with other perennials around your garden for a gorgeous look. It will add lots of color and interesting shapes to your garden. Most Alliums are in full bloom during the spring and early summer so the time to plant the bulbs is now. Here are a few of my favorite Alliums.

Allium ‘Globemaster’ – Botanical name is the same
Wow! Globemaster has fluffy violet blooms as big as soccer balls that shoot up from 3 foot stalks. Early summer these huge stems are topped by gigantic violet-pink cluster of flowers that are 8 inches wide. It is a Dutch hybrid that blooms for up to 3 weeks and thrives in zones 4-8.

 

Allium Karataviense ‘Ivory Queen’ – Botanical name is the same
Considered a dwarf Allium because it only grows 6 to 9 inches high. Ivory Queen is ideal as a border plant. Masses of fragrant white globe like florets appear early summer and Ivory Queen will look gorgeous in front of taller perennial beds. You can also plant it in a container or a window box. It thrives in zones 4-8.

 

Allium Atropurpureum – Botanical name is the same
This is a unique Allium in that the colors deepen with age. Atropurpureum is an heirloom dating back to 1800 and it is considered one of the most dramatic members of the Allium family. It produces masses of outstretched stars in a round 2 inch flower head. Each white-red bloom has a round green center and tiny green pads on the tip of each petal. The plant grows up to 3 feet tall and thrives in zones 4-9.

 

To your gardening success,
Diana

Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!

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Daffodils are a much loved flower by many gardeners around the world because they are probably one of the easiest and most dependable flowers to grow. Plant the bulbs now and you will have beautiful Daffodils in the spring. Daffodils are in the Amaryllis family and they are often called Narcissus which is the Latin or botanical name for all Daffodils.

Depending on where you live, Daffodils will bloom from six weeks to six months. After the blooming season, let the Daffodil plant rebuild its bulb for the next year. The leaves stay green while this rebuilding process is taking place. When you see the leaves turning yellow, then go ahead and cut the leaves off. Otherwise, leave them alone.

According to the American Daffodil Society, there are between 50 and 100 species of Daffodils. However, when you talk to different botanists, they claim that there are between 40 to 200 different Daffodil species.

And, get this, the Daffodil is the national flower of Wales and it is a tradition to wear a Daffodil on Saint David’s Day which is March 1st. In some countries the yellow Daffodil is associated with Easter. It is also a common decoration during the Chinese New Year. There is a Daffodil Festival in Nantucket, MA in April every year. It is a celebration of spring and hundreds of antique cars are adorned with thousands of Daffodils. Awesome!

To get you started with your Daffodil gardening, here are a few of my favorites. As I mentioned above, the botanical name for all Daffodils is Narcissus.

Daffodil ‘Rose of May’
This one is a real beauty and quite different than most Daffodils. It has double flowers and blooms in late spring. The flowers are a soft shade of ivory-white with hints of pale yellow at the center. Rose of May stands up well to wind and rain and thrives in zones 3-9.

 

Daffodil ‘Curly’
Here is a delightful little Daffodil that grows just 12 to 14 inches high. It produces masses of very short, curled dark yellow petals surrounding a yellow center. Clear white petals form on the outside for a very unique and beautiful look. It is just the right size that will survive wind and rain and thrives in zones 3-9.

 

Daffodil ‘Fidelity’
Take a look at the unusual color combination of this Daffodil which was introduced 20 years ago. The ring of petals around the base of the bloom is light yellow and the long trumpet is apricot-pink with the petal tips rolled and flared. Fidelity blooms in mid spring and thrives in zones 4-9.

 

Daffodil ‘Avalon’
Wow! This Daffodil has bi-color trumpet and bi-color petals. Although Avalon is not officially a trumpet Daffodil, it has a large cup that is almost 4 inches wide. The blooms arise on 16 to 18 inch stems and blooms mid-season. It is recommended that you plant about 5 bulbs per square foot, and Avalon thrives in zones 4-8.

 

Enjoy,
Diana

Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!

BBC - Chelsea Flower Show 2011 - List of show gardens with awards
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Technorati Tags: Daffodils, Flower Gardening, Gardening

Get rid of those winter blues by planting some Helleborus. Helleborus is a perennial flowering plant that blooms from late winter to mid-spring. It is commonly known as Hellebores and belongs to the Ranunculaceae family.

Helleborus is native to Europe from western Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, and eastward across the Mediterranean region. The flowers have five petals and are surrounded by a ring of small, cup like petals that hold nectar. The interesting thing about this plant is that the petals do not fall as other petals do, but remain on the plant lasting for many months.

It has been said that the Helleborus flower resembles a rose and it is sometimes called wild roses, Christmas rose or Lenten rose. However, Helleborus do not belong to the rose family at all. Helleborus are grown in gardens for decoration. But the main reason Helleborus are planted is that these are valued by gardeners for their winter into spring flowering period and the plants are extremely frost resistant.

Helleborus also has medicinal qualities. In ancient history and the early days of medicine, Hippocrates used Helleborus as a purgative. Back then, Helleborus was also used to treat paralysis, gout, insanity and other diseases. Also, some historians believe that Alexander the Great died because of an overdose of Helleborus. Regardless of the history, Helleborus is a beautiful flower and here are some that I am familiar with.

Helleborus Winter Jewels Cherry Blossom – Botanical name is the same
This is a gorgeous flower that has a maroon collar at the center of each bloom. The blooms look almost translucent with a pale green, cream and white base lightly freckled and veined in raspberry. The flower is then accented with a light green stripe up the center of each petal. The blooms measure 3 inches and the plant grows 20 inches high and 24 inches wide. It thrives in zones 4-8.

 

Helleborus Winter Jewels Purple Pink Edge – Botanical name is the same
Here is an American bred Helleborus that took 15 years to breed. Each purple bloom on this plant is edged in pink creating a two-tone effect. The blooms open from dark fuchsia buds which turn into purple as they mature. This Helleborus grows to 20 inches high and 24 inches wide and thrives in zones 4-8.

 

Helleborus Winter Jewels Red – Botanical name is the same
Most Helleborus flowers are in the burgundy and maroon color family. From what I understand, there has never been a true red Helleborus before and this one took 15 years in the breeding process. The petals are a deep red and shade to almost black at the base for a very unique look. The plant grows 20 inches high and 24 inches wide and thrives in zones 4-8.

 

Helleborus Winter Jewels Slate – Botanical name is the same
Here is a very unique Helleborus. It has charcoal color blooms that stem from pure black buds. When the flower opens, it is charcoal grey color with a red vein and a frilly white and yellow center. Truly beautiful! Plant these amongst some red ones for a striking look in your garden. The plant grows 20 inches tall and 24 inches wide and thrives in zones 4-8.

 

To your gardening success,
Diana

Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!

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Technorati Tags: Helleborus, Winter Flower

I have written before about the beauty of Amaryllis and some of the history behind this gorgeous flower, but I came across some new bulbs for the fall season and wanted to give you that information.

As stated before, Amaryllis is a winter bulb that you can plant at home in the fall and have beautiful flowers during the gloomy winter months. It is real easy to plant the bulbs and any container will do. But, if you want to impress your family and friends, do buy a nice container to display the stunning Amaryllis flowers.

Here are some new Amaryllis bulbs this year.

Amaryllis Alfresco – Botanical name is Hippeastrum Alfresco
Wow! This Amaryllis blooms in only 30 days from planting. It is considered one of the most beautiful white Amaryllis in the market. I am sure you will agree when you see the picture below. It has large 6-inch blooms with a soft chartreuse center. The blooms are borne on strong 14-inch stems and last for several days. The plant produces 5-8 large blooms.

 

Amaryllis Amico – Botanical name is Hippeastrum Amico
Here is an Amaryllis that produces up to 12 blooms per bulb. Awesome! This Amaryllis is considered a miniature because the stems are just 12 inches tall but you can expect at least 12 4-inch blooms from each bulb. The blooms displays bold white stripes that begin at the throat of the flower lining the center of each red petal somehow fading as they reach the petal tips. For a gorgeous look, plant multiple bulbs in the same container and 26 days later you will have beautiful flowers in your home.

 

Amaryllis Jade Serpent – Botanical name is Hippeastrum Jade Serpent
This unusual miniature Amaryllis produces up to 8 soft green blooms in just 34 days from planting. This Amaryllis looks very different than most traditional ones in that it is a rarely seen color for Amaryllis. Jade Serpent offers 3-inch blooms on stems that are only 10 inches tall and produces up to 8 blooms per plant.

 

Amaryllis Molto Bello – Botanical name is Hippeastrum Molto Bello
This is a truly elegant Amaryllis as it displays beautiful white blooms which are perfect for any occasion. Molto Bello is considered a miniature Amaryllis as the flowers measure 3 inches across and the stem is only 10 inches tall. The pure white flowers have curving petals and a soft green center. For a stunning look, plant a Molto Bello bulb and pair it with an Amico bulb and you will get red and white contrast. Wow!

 

Enjoy,
Diana

Here are some other flower gardening sites that I found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Best Flower Gardening!

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Technorati Tags: Amaryllis, Autumn Bulbs, Bulbs