It’s that time again, spring is in the air, and we’re bringing you much ado about blossoms and blooms, identifying them, planting tips and care, and yes—eating them too! Bring your garden and kitchen to life this season.
There is power in making flowers a part of your everyday life. Not only does it elevate your garden and home, but it nourishes your spirit and senses. Maybe you always see the same flowers in your garden or neighbourhood, but don’t give them much thought beyond their beauty, or perhaps you would like to know more about how to start planting some in your garden. What flowers do you choose and how can you identify them? We asked two of our local garden nurseries, Blackwood’s Home of Gardening, with branches in Pietermaritzburg, Hilton, Howick, Assagay, Richards Bay; and the Midlands Garden Centre in Nottingham Road, for their expert knowledge of these questions and more!
Among some of the indigenous flowers you can expect to see during spring/summer are gazanias, Felicia amelloides (blue daisies), golden daisy bush (or Euryops pectinatus), certain pelargoniums, clivias, osteospermum, nemesia, and more. The more exotic, non-indigenous flowers will include petunias, verbenas, marigolds, impatiens, brachyscome, pansies, columbine, iris, cherry blossoms, and more. Shrubs include azaleas, roses, English honeysuckle, hydrangeas, and brunfelsia.
What Flower is That?
If you want to start identifying some of these in and around your garden or neighbourhood, Blackwood’s suggests using apps like PlantSnap, iNaturalist, or PictureThis. Simply take a snapshot of the flower and it will show you the relevant information. Google Lens is another option if you’re not a fan of using phone apps. You can also identify them the old-fashioned way by looking at the plant’s physical/visual qualities. The Midlands Garden Centre suggests a few ways you can do this; notice the shape and size of the leaves. What are the flowers’ colours, and do they have a scent? Does the plant have hard or soft wood stems? Does it have thorns? Does it produce fruit and what does it look like?
Before You Plant, Keep These Tips in Mind
Consider the climate in your area, its rainfall patterns and temperature ranges. Would you want annuals or perennials? While annuals provide continuous blooms throughout the season, they do need to be replanted each season, and often require regular maintenance. Perennials return year after year and won’t need to be replanted. Most perennials have lower maintenance requirements than annuals, but generally take longer to establish, and often have shorter blooming periods. Choosing a combination of both can offer a more balanced approach, ensuring the immediate short-term annual blossoms and the more long-term structure offered by perennials. It will also depend on your preferences and gardening goals!
Keeping the Blooms Going All Season
To keep your gardens bright and colourful, choose long-blooming annuals like marigolds, begonias, impatiens, and zinnias, and perennials such as pelargoniums, petunias, salvia, daylilies or coneflowers. Succession planting will give you a consistent yield from early, mid, to late-blooming flowers. Prune your plants regularly for a fresh look. Deadhead flowers, in other words, remove old blooms, and clear away weeds. Ensure effective pest control and that you have all the correct gardening tools.
Maintaining a Healthy Diet
The best nutrients are essential to keep your flowers looking fabulous. Blackwood’s recommends applying a water-soluble fertiliser every two to four weeks during the growing season to boost your flowers’ growth. Most plants require well-draining soil to prevent waterlogging, which can lead to root rot. Adding mulch around your flowering plants will conserve moisture and reduces the growth of weeds. The Midlands Garden Centre recommends a good-quality organic fertiliser with a higher percentage of phosphorus, which assists flower growth. Decomposed kraal manure is recommended for garden beds, but may not be suitable for very acidic-loving plants or young seedlings. Always mix it into the soil well and allow it to age before applying to certain plants.
If you want more from your flowers, why not eat them? You can plant varieties of edible flowers and make your meals colourful and nutritious. Some examples include nasturtiums, which have a peppery flavour; calendula, which is mild and tangy; roses, which are sweeter; and chive blossoms, which have a mild onion flavour. Just remember to identify them properly, and that they are clean and free from any pesticides before you consume them. We hope this will inspire you to add a few more flowers into your life, whether in your garden or home or simply to just stop and smell the roses! We leave you with a beautiful quote by the beloved Audrey Hepburn who said, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow”.