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

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

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

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

Technorati Tags: Bulbs, container plants, Cyclamen, cyclamen seeds, Fall Gardening, flower pots, Perennials, persian violet, primrose, shade plants, tuberous plants, window boxes, winter blooming bulbs

Brighten up those dreary winter months by planting some blooming plants that will survive the winter. While winter months can be long and cold, you don’t have to feel its effect when your garden has lots of color and looks alive. Believe me, this is a sure cure for those winter blahs.

Let’s face it, if you can have beautiful blooms in the spring and summer, why not in the winter? We spend lots of time and effort in our gardens during spring and summer so why should it die in the winter? Spend some time planning now for your winter plantings and to help you in the process, here are some winter blooming plants that I am familiar with.

Helleborus Winter Jewels Cherry Blossom – Botanical name is the same
This is a new series of colored formed Hellebores called the Winter Jewels Cherry Blossom and these are beautiful. It offers large 3-inch blooms that remain attractive for weeks or even months. The blooms are almost translucent with a pale green, cream and white base slightly freckled in raspberry which builds up to a slender raspberry edge at the edge of each petal. There is also a faint green stripe up the center of each petal but what makes this flower so beautiful is the center of the bloom which is crowned with a thick heavy ruffled raspberry and maroon collar.

Cherry Blossom flowers from late winter and goes well into the spring on plants 20 inches high and 24 inches wide. These are also great as cut flowers. This is truly a great choice of perennial for winter to spring color in your garden. It is also deer and rabbit resistant and grows well in zones 4-8.

Cyclamen ‘Something Magic – Botanical name is the same
This is the first hardy Cyclamen to have been propagated by tissue culture. It blooms heavily in late winter and early spring and it is ideal for planting under trees, shrubs or in the border of your garden. The blooms are butterfly like in deep pink to lilac and are held on 6-inch stems of maroon-red color. These will definitely stand out in any bleak winter landscape.

The foliage looks great too because it is light cream and green with a large dark green blotch in the center that almost looks like there is another leaf on top of the first one for an eye-catching appeal. Something Magic goes dormant in the summer and comes back in the winter months. You can plant this beauty in zones 5-9.

Helleborus Niger – Botanical name is the same
Niger will give you at least three months of gorgeous blooms but prefers shade. It is considered a hard to find plant but loved by many gardeners worldwide. Large almost 2-inch flowers open in white and then matures to dusty pink.

The leaves are impressive as well in that these are evergreen, leathery looking to enhance Niger’s beauty. It blooms from winter to early spring adding gorgeous color to your garden when it needs it the most. It grows up to 12 inches high and grows well in zones 3-8.

I really hope you will consider some of these winter plants to add beauty to your garden during the winter months. No, your garden will not be overflowing with flowers like during the summer months, but you can add some color to the winter landscape with a few carefully chosen blooming plants.

To your gardening success,
Diana

Technorati Tags: cherry blosom flowers, Cyclamen, fall color flowers, Fall Gardening, helleborus winter jewel, winter blooming plants, winter gardening