Dahlia
The native forms are quite simple and daisy-like, but breeding has resulted in some wonderful flower forms, including complete globes full of petals (pompoms), spiky and spidery forms (cactuses), and ones with curled tubes of petals like sea anemones.
Dahlias are native to Mexico and South America, and have the vibrant intense colours associated with that part of the world.
Availability: Main season June - October.
Varieties: Dahlias and chrysanthemums with many-petalled flowers are closely related and often hard to tell apart. Dahlias have hollow stems, with raised joints where the leaves attach. Their leaves are smooth, usually with points, whereas chrysanthemum leaves are soft, with rounded edges.
Care Tips: Dahlias are thirsty flowers, so check water levels regularly and remove leaves to reduce transpiration.
The National Collection of dahlias is held at Varfell Farm, Long Rock, Penzance, Cornwall. For a few days each September the collection is open to the public, when over 10,000 dahlias can be seen in full flower, against the stunning backdrop of St. Michael's Mount. For more information please visit their website at www.wgltd.co.uk
Dahlias were first recorded by Westerners in 1615, when they were called by their Mexican name, acoctli. They disappeared from record until 1787 when a botanical expedition 'rediscovered' them, and sent seeds back to their headquarters in Europe. Their existence was kept secret for another ten years however.
Shasta Daisy
hardy perennial, forming dense colonies once established. Native to Europe, it has naturalized throughout all regions of the United States. The white petalled flowers with golden yellow centers are borne individually on single erect stems. Compared to its cousin, the Ox-Eyed Daisy, Shasta Daisies generally grow 6 to 12 inches taller and have a larger flower head diameter. Prefers full sun to partial shade in fertile soil.
Average planting success with this species: 70%
Height: 1-3 feet
Germination: 15-30 days
Optimum soil temperature for germination: 70F
Sowing depth: 1/16"
Blooming period: June-July
Average seeds per pound: 436,000
Seeding rate: 5 lbs. per acre
Suggested use: Excellent as a ground cover or border plant since the foliage is attractive and remains green all year.
Miscellaneous: An ideal cut flower, lasting up to 10 days in arrangements.
A yellow lily
Name: Lilium candidum was the most significant flower symbol for Christians and suggested purity. As a symbol of purity associated with virgins it became known as the Madonna Lily.
Origin: One of the first descriptions of the lily dates from the Chinese Middle Ages "the plant flowers until late autumn and there are three types, red, yellow and purple".
Colour: Some forms (Lilium longiflorum, L. candidum, oriental lilies) are highly perfumed but white only; others (asiatic lilies) are highly coloured but scent-free
Availability: All year.
Care Tips: Remove the pollen stamens by pinching them together and pulling them up out of the flower. This prolongs the flower's life as well. Use sellotape to remove pollen, not water which will fix the stain.
Trivia:
Facts: Lilies have been cultivated for over 3000 years. Feng Shui believers hold the lily as an emblem of summer and abundance; to the Chinese, lily means "Forever in love". The lily was the holy flower of the ancient Assyrians. Until the 16th century the Madonna lily was the only garden variety known, because of this the "lilies of the field" as mentioned in the bible are thought to be this specific lily. A lily has adorned the coat of arms of the kings of France since 1179. King Chlodwig I allegedly received this 'fleur de lys', as it is called in heraldic language, from an angel. But in actual fact his flower wasn't a lily, as the name implies, but an iris. Via Louis XI the motif made its way to the coat of arms of the Medici family, and from there on to the arms of Florence and Tuscany. Interestingly, only the Florentine 'fleur de lys' has stamens like a lily.
Mythology: In Greek poetry, the lily stood for tenderness. It was also referred to as the voice of cicadas or of the muses. There is a Greek myth that tells us how the lily was born from the milk of the goddess Hera. The lily still symbolises pure, virginal love in the Christian world.
Medicinal: In the past, various flowers were used to prepare remedies in popular medicine. In China some served as lucky charms, while others were thought to be capable of averting the evil eye. In another historical account we read that people were interested in lilies for their anti-toxic powers and their capacity of curing depressions. In Europe, too, lilies were used as a remedy against a wide range of diseases and ailments right up to the beginning of the last century
Caution: Be aware that lilies can be highly poisonous to cats. Owners should be aware of this risk and keep their pets away from them.
ROSES
Roses have a long and colorful history. They have been symbols of love, beauty, war, and politics. The rose is, according to fossil evidence, 35 million years old. In nature, the genus Rosa has some 150 species spread throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from Alaska to Mexico and including northern Africa. Garden cultivation of roses began some 5,000 years ago, probably in China. During the Roman period, roses were grown extensively in the Middle East. They were used as confetti at celebrations, for medicinal purposes, and as a source of perfume. Roman nobility established large public rose gardens in the south of Rome. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the popularity of roses seemed to rise and fall depending on gardening trends of the time.
During the fifteenth century, the rose was used as a symbol for the factions fighting to control England. The white rose symbolized York, and the red rose symbolized Lancaster, as a result, the conflict became known as the "War of the Roses."
Roses were in such high demand during the seventeenth century that royalty considered roses or rose water as legal tender, and they were often used as barter and for payments. Napoleon's wife Josephine established an extensive collection of roses at Chateau de Malmaison, an estate seven miles west of Paris in the 1800s. This garden became the setting for Pierre Joseph Redoute's work as a botanical illustrator. In 1824, he completed his watercolor collection "Les Rose," which is still considered one of the finest records of botanical illustration.
It wasn't until the late eighteenth century that cultivated roses were introduced into Europe from China. Most modern-day roses can be traced back to this ancestry. These introductions were repeat bloomers, making them unusual and of great interest to hybridizers, setting the stage for breeding work with native roses to select for hardiness and a long bloom season. Many of these early efforts by plant breeders are of great interest to today's gardeners.
Roses are once again enjoying a resurgence in popularity, specifically, shrub roses and old garden roses. Gardeners realize that these roses fit the lifestyle of today's gardeners who want roses that are not as demanding with regard to disease control, offer excellent floral quality, have excellent winter hardiness, and fit into shrub borders and perennial gardens without seeming out of place.
To be successful in growing roses in Midwest gardens, one needs to be aware of some basic considerations. Attention to plant selection, a basic knowledge of the wide array of classes available, basic culture information, and information about potential disease and insect problems will go a long way in making roses an enjoyable addition to the garden.
This short guide to rose gardening will hopefully help sort through some of the confusion about roses and entice you to include one or more of these plants in your garden.
Welcome!
Well.. my name is Gloria and I love flowers!!
This blog is going to talk about them - every kind! and I intend to post pictures and curiosities too. There are a lot of interesting topics for us to talk about... have fun!
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