Winter has arrived, albeit slowly this year. As always, gardeners like us are always mentally calculating the season and the seasonal flowers to plant.

A warm hello from The Green Owl.

 

We are heading to the last month of the year. How swiftly time has flown and how quickly the seasons have changed! Winter has arrived, albeit slowly this year. As always, gardeners like us are always mentally calculating the season and the seasonal flowers to plant. I recently came back from a good three weeks in London and my main agenda was to visit as many gardens as possible to get new ideas and learn garden patterns. It is truly amazing how well-maintained the gardens are and even more fascinating is the way the flowers are planted according to their colors and texture, blending into the landscape and making the whole area so aesthetically pleasing. 

 

 

We all love our gardens to be visually appealing. How can you ensure that it remains colorful throughout the year? Think of a color and you get bound to find an annual or a biannual flower to represent that particular color. 

 

Take a look at the color wheel. Three primary colors blue, yellow, and red are the basis of the color wheel. When you blend these colors you get secondary colors like purple, green, and orange and their shades and hues. Colors that are furthest apart in the color wheel produce the strongest contrast like purple and yellow, blue and orange. If you can plant flowers with such contrasting colors it can make your garden eye-catching and vibrant. 

 

We in Nepal are very fortunate with the weather and this is the perfect time to plant so many colorful annuals to make your garden come alive. Here is a list of colorful flowers that I have just planted in my semi-wild garden. 

 

·         Poppies

Poppies have always been grown by gardeners in a range of landscape situations. Their striking fragile blooms allow you to use their beauty in many flower beds and gardens. 

 

·         Cornflowers

Cornflowers are incredibly easy to grow and can be planted directly into the soil. They come in pink, blue, white and deep red and I just love them. I usually plant them in groups to get a better colorful effect and then I scatter some all over the garden just for fun. 

 

·         Cineraria

Cineraria, who can NOT love these gorgeous blooms? If you haven’t planted them already this is the right time to get them. You can get healthy saplings in any plant nursery all over the valley. This tender perennial produces dazzling, daisy-like flowers for up to four weeks. Do not keep them under direct sunlight as these daisies the flowers to drop. Fill up your empty pots with good draining soil and plant a row of Cineraria and see how dramatic your garden will look when they bloom. 

 

 

·         Dianthus

Dianthus, also known as ‘Pinks’ is a welcome sight in the garden as they are beautiful and low maintenance. I love them for their spicy clove-scented flowers that bloom in nearly every color, from white to almost. In most big gardens abroad I have seen them being grown as border displays or in containers. 

 

·         Geraniums

Geraniums now known as Pelargoniums are the easiest and the most dependable flower one can have in the garden throughout the year. There are more than 250 species, from the bedding variety to the trailing ivy-leaved types perfect for hanging baskets and beautiful regal geraniums which are known for their showy, ruffled flowers. I am lucky to have a few different varieties and they have been the backbone of my garden. 

 

·         Pansies

Oh these cute little faces. They come in a wide assortment of colors and bi-colors and are ideal for container gardens or mass plantings around trees or along garden walkways. They love cool weather and will add tons of color to your winter garden. 

 

·         Poinsettias

Poinsettias are a must-have in any garden if you want to feel the Christmas cheer. Now that we get them in so many colors, it truly makes your garden come alive in the cold months. Poinsettias can grow into small trees if planted in the ground and become permanent residents in your garden. 

 

·         Snap Dragons

Last but not the least, Snap Dragons. Many gardeners don't realize snapdragons are so cold hardy. Make sure they stay well-watered during cold spells and add a layer of pine straw mulch, and they can last for quite some time. For the most dramatic landscape display, grow them in bunches of a single color, and oh your borders will look so beautiful.

 

Happy gardening folks, wishing you colorful, safe winter.