Hello happy gardeners!
This issue we’re going to talk about colour for shade. Just because it’s a shady spot in your garden, that doesn’t mean you cannot have colour.
Cyclamens
This time of year is particularly perfect for these little beauties. Cyclamens bring a burst of colour with their delicate flowers to the shady area of your garden or even inside your home. They are a neat and tidy compact little plant that reaches a height of 15-23cm and a width of 15-23cm. They are shade and cool weather loving, but can also handle a bit of morning sun outside or a little sunlight through a window inside. If the Cyclamen plant you have is happy you will get many seasons out of it, as it can make a great perennial.
Anthuriums
These are a favourite of ours. What's not to love? These spectacular plants not only put on a show with their naturally glossy lush foliage, but produce the most beautiful flowers ranging in an array of colours. Some of these include purple, pink, white, maroon, red and even pink and white variegated. Anthuriums grow very comfortably in the shade or indoors and can handle filtered light. In fact, they grow really well in an area with bright indirect light. These magnificent plants are perennial and can reach a height of 30-45cm and a width of 23-30cm.
Coleus
Another all-rounder and another favourite of ours. That may be because of the multitude of different colours these wonderful plants display. One plant can present four different colours. These plants are well-known for their coloured foliage and although they do flower, these flowers are insignificant. The plant will actually benefit from having these flowers snipped off. Doing this will make your coleus more bushy and create more dense foliage. Some of the beautiful bright colours these plants display include shades of pinks, reds, purples and greens. These stunners can reach a height of 30-90cm and a width of 30-90cm.
Plectranthus
Most commonly known as ‘Mona Lavender’. This gorgeous plant brings that burst of colour to a dark spot in your garden, as these are full shade lovers. There is also one called ‘Mona White’. The Mona Lavender has green and purple foliage with spikes of delicate lavender-coloured flowers. The Mona White has more of a green foliage with spikes of delicate white flowers. Both of these are just stunning and they are great for this time of year as they tend to not like the hotter months. The plant is still a perennial, but will just slow down flowering in the heat. These beauties can reach a height of 80cm and a width of 60cm.
Camelias
If we were to rank all of these plants, Camelias are up there with our most favourites. Mainly because of their prolific flowering and the range of colours and shapes of each flower. With specific focus on Camelia Sasanqua, these marvels can be grown in a partly shaded area of your garden and can tolerate morning sun. This time of year is their time to shine, they are just covered in buds and multiple flowers. Just like the Mona Lavender, they will slow down flowering when the weather gets too warm, which is also the perfect time to give them a prune to perfect their shape and produce new growth. These sensational plants can reach a height of 3m and a width of 2m.
Well, that’s all folks and thanks for reading. Any questions or queries, be sure to pop in and have a chat.
Until next time… Happy gardening, Adelle and Paul.
Locals Recipe Corner
This month's recipe focuses on the currently thriving Dill and Chives in your herb garden as some key ingredients of this fabulous snack.
Thankyou Delina from Bellara for sharing your beautiful creamy onion, chive, and dill dip. Yummo!
Ingredients
● 1 small 230ml can of reduced fat cream
● 1 small 29g packet of French onion soup mix
● Half a tablespoon of finely chopped chives
● Half a tablespoon of finely chopped dill
Method
● Set aside a small amount of chopped chives and dill for garnish.
● Mix remaining ingredients together in a bowl.
● Once mixed, put into a dish with a lid and let sit in the fridge for one hour.
● Serve on a plate as a dip with some crunchy crackers or veggie sticks.
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