Get beautiful color during the winter months by planting Cyclamen. It is native to the Mediterranean region from Spain to east of Iran, and also in northeast Africa. Although Cyclamen has been confused with Persian violet or primrose, it is actually in the myrsinaceae family and has nothing to do with primroses or violets.

Cyclamen are herbaceous plants with a surface or underground tuber which produces leaves and blooms during the winter months and continues to bloom until April each year. They can be propagated from seeds but usually takes between 9-18 months to reach the flowering stage. For this reason, it is best to buy the plants at a local nursery which are already established.

These garden beauties rarely do well in warm weather and they do have a dormant period during the summer months. One key feature of Cyclamen is its unusual variety of leaves and markings which range from round to oval, arrowhead shape, and ivy-leaved ones. Cyclamen is a tuberous potted plant that loves the cool weather and indirect sun light. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 55 to 65 degrees.

This gorgeous plant will give you lots of much needed color during the winter months and will continuously bloom all season long. The leaves are deep green heart-shaped with silvery marbled patterns. Cyclamen will do well if planted in the garden where winters are mild, but my advice is to plant them in containers and place them in the patio. They also do well in balconies, window boxes and large flower pots.

Caring for Cyclamen is easy as these require very little care. Just make sure that the soil if kept moist but be careful not to over water them and that they have indirect sun light. With proper light, adequate moist soil and cool temperatures, you will have beautiful color in your garden all winter long. If your garden lacks color during the long winter months, go ahead and get some Cyclamen plants and place them in your garden. To get you started, here are some Cyclamen that I am familiar with.

Hardy Cyclamen Lily Pad White – Botanical name is Cyclamen coum Lily Pad White

Photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.
This hardy Cyclamen blooms continuously from December to April with gorgeous white blooms above silvery green foliage. The blooms seem to arch above the wide rounded heart shaped foliage which looks like little frogs jumping from one lily pad to the next. The leaves usually arise in autumn and are olive green shade with silver overtones. These will tolerate frost and other inclement winter conditions and around December, white blooms will appear which will continue for up to 5 months. Lily Pad White likes the shade and thrives in zones 5-9.

Hardy Cyclamen Neapolitanum – Botanical name is the same

Photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.
Wow! This Cyclamen is hardy even in 20 degrees Fahrenheit. This dainty Cyclamen is ideal for planting under the shade of trees to add beauty and color to your garden. It offers masses of lilac flowers with rich dark eyes and petals curving upward above heart shaped foliage. It thrives in zones 5-9 and in the shade beneath trees and shrubs and can also be planted in containers or pots.

Hardy Cyclamen Lily Pad Pink – Botanical name is Cyclamen coum Lily Pad Pink

Photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.
This Cyclamen actually tolerates frost and inclement winter weather. Recommended for the shade garden, Lily Pad Pink blooms continuously from late winter to mid spring. It has lavender-pink flowers and two tone green foliage marked with silver. Plant these in containers or large pots or even beneath trees or shrubs for a stunning winter flowering garden.

To a beautiful winter garden,
Diana

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. (photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens)

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. (photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens)

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

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. (photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens)

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. (photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens)

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. (photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens)

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! (photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens)

Enjoy,
Diana

Autumn is a beautiful time of the year when trees begin to change colors in shades of yellow, orange and red. It is also a time when most gardens look dull and gray as most of the colorful annuals plants are gone. But it does not have to be this way.

Did you know that you can have a thriving flower garden in the autumn? Yes, you can! There are lots of autumn blooming bulbs that you can plant now and these will bloom next fall. Plant them this year and as other flowers begin to disappear in your garden, next year beautiful blooms will appear in the fall season.

Start visiting your local nursery or shop online for autumn blooming bulbs and get busy in your garden. Next year, you will be glad you planted your bulbs when you see the flowers come up. To help you get started, here is a short list of some autumn blooming bulbs that you can plant now.

Autumn Crocus ‘The Giant’ – Botanical name is Colchicum Speciosum ‘The Giant’

(photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)
Rose color flowers streaked with white will appear from this bulb. See the picture below. This is a very easy plant to grow. Just set the bulbs in well drained, moist soil in a sunny area of your garden. The Giant is pest resistant and grows well in zones 5-8. It blooms from early fall to mid fall.

Colchicum Cilicicum – Botanical name is the same

(photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)
A native of Turkey, if you like Colchicums this is one of the most reliable to plant in your garden. It blooms freely with about 15 flowers per bulb. The flowers are about 2 inches and the shade is a dark rosy-purple. When the flowers die, large 1 foot strap-shaped leaves will appear. Colchicum likes full sun, well drained soil, and grows well in zones 4-9. Blooms early fall to mid fall.

Autumn Crocus ‘Waterlily’ – Botanical name is Colchicum Waterlily

(photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)
Somehow, the blossoms of this colchicum resemble floating waterlilies. Large, 4 to 5 inch lavender-pink double flowers appear on leafless stems in mid-autumn. It is easy to grow, just plant the bulb in well drained soil. Colchicum likes full sun, it is pest resistant and grows well in zones 5-8. Blooms early fall to mid fall.

Hardy Cyclamen Neapolitanun – Botanical name is Cyclamen Neapolitanum

(photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)
Wow! This Cyclamen is hardy to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. It offers masses of lilac flowers with rich dark ‘eyes’. The petals curve upward above variegated, heart-shaped foliage. You can plant this bulb under trees, shrubs or pots as it likes the shade. Blooms early fall to mid fall and grows well in zones 5-9.

To your gardening success,
Diana