| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Blue Wild Flowers for Your Garden
Planting wild flowers in your garden, or simply scattering wild flower seeds around an area of your yard are both ways to take advantage of Mother Nature's treasured gifts. Wild flowers are carefree, colorful, and tend to attract bees, butterflys and birds. So planting wild flowers not only gives you an easy maintenance flower garden... it also promises to be a constant source of interesting activity throughout the year. The following wild flowers are blue to purple in color, and some say this is a favorite color of bees. VIRGINIA or COMMON DAY-FLOWER (Commelina Virginica) - Spiderwort family The Day Flower has blue, one inch wide or smaller flowers which tend to be irregular. The flowers are grouped at the end of the stem, and are upheld by long leaf-like bracts. The leaves are lance-shaped and 3-5 inches long. The upper leaves form like a hood of sorts about the flower. These wild flowers prefer moist, shady ground and flower from June through September. The day flower tends to open in the morning and looking somewhat "alert". In the afternoon, or after the bees have visited and fertilized it, the petals roll up and quickly wilt into a wet, shapeless mass which will leave a sticky blue fluid on your fingers if you touch it. SPIDERWORT; WIDOW'S or JOB'S TEARS (Tradescantia Virginiana) - Spiderwort family The Spiderwort's flowers are purplish blue in color but on rare occasion they can be white. There's usually several flowers about 1-2 inches wide, and usually contain clusters of drooping buds between long, blade-like bracts at the end. This one can grow from 8-36 inches tall, and has long blade-like leaves. It prefers rich, moist woods, thickets or garden space, and it flowers from May through August. Like its relative the dayflower, the spiderwort opens for part of a day only. In the morning it is wide awake and pert; early in the afternoon its petals have begun to retreat and wither away. New blooms appear each day throughout the season though. WILD HYACINTH, SCILLA or SQUILL. QUAMASH (Quamasia kyacinthina; Scilla Fraseri of Gray) - Lily family The Wild Hyacinth tends to produce many pale violet blue flowers, though once in awhile they can be white. There tend to be equal groups of 6 flowers on long, oblong-shaped branches. The plant tends to grow 1-2 feet tall, and has grass-like, short leaves. These wild flowers prefer meadows, prairies and stream banks, and they bloom from April to May. These wild flowers tend to be low maintenance, and they propogate on their own, without being invasive. In addition to attracting bees, the Wild Hyacinth also tends to attract ants, wasps, flies, butterflies, and beetles. Whether you prefer to start your flowers from seeds or potted starter plants, wild flowers are a wonderful addition to any type of garden. Creating a stand alone wild flower garden is also a fantastic way to make a great, naturalized impression in large or unused areas of your landscape. Watch for future articles where I'll introduce you to many other wild flowers in a variety of other colors too! © 2005, Kathy Burns-Millyard, The Garden Source Network - http://www.garden-source.com - A premier online publication featuring gardening articles, tips, advice, resources, shopping and supplies. This article may be freely published on any website, as long as the author, copyright, website address and link, and this notice are left intact.
MORE RESOURCES:
landscaping gardening - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Introduction to Botany Botanists are individuals who conduct extensive study on plant biology - from the simple to the most complex plant organisms; studying all aspect of an individual plant or an entire ecology. Many botanists are involved in a broad range of activities including academic, both teaching and researching (Including field and laboratory studies). How to Rid that Lawn of Thatch! You know that brown patchy debris in a lawn that accumulates on top of the soil but below the grass line? That's thatch.Thatch consist of grass clippings, grass stems, roots, and other debris that either decomposes or accumulates on a lawn over time. A Look at Fall Flower Bulbs Most people would think of fall as a season when trees are changing colors and dying. For many, the autumn leaves are our last dance with color before the dark, gray winter sets in. How to Grow Snow Peas Snow peas may have been named because in bright sunlight their light green pods look as if they might be tinged with frost. One of the oldest vegetables, the earliest recorded pea was grown in 9750 BC on the Thai-Burma border. Using Push Reel Mowers If you're not familiar with push reel mowers or if you haven't used one since "back in the day", there are a few points you should be aware of before using a push reel mower:Don't expect to cut tall weeds or dandelions. You notice how your gas-powered mowers get a little "overwhelmed" when cutting weeds or very tall grass? Those issues are a bit worse with reel mowers because they become harder to push and they are limited in the height of what they can cut. Composting and Composters: A Basic Introduction Why Compost?Recent studies show that an average family throws away approximately 200 pounds of organic kitchen waste every year. Combine this with all the leaves, grass clippings and other organic garden waste accumulated over time and that's a lot of household waste being added to the already mountainous waste disposal problem. Garlic: The Stinking Rose Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used for centuries for both cooking and medicinal purposes. Known as the 'stinking rose' and Russian penicillin, its medicinal purposes have been documented for centuries and have always been a popular remedy for colds, coughs, and sore throats. The Rich History of Wild Roses Wild roses, of the genus Rosa, are those naturally occurring natives found in Northern Hemispheres around the globe. Wild Roses can be found in forests, canyons, logged wastelands and thickets. 7 Factors Needed for a Compost Pile Compost, made from decomposed grass clippings, leaves, twigs, and branches, becomes a dark, crumbly mixture of organic matter.Learn how composting works. Grow the BEST Tasting Tomatoes Tired of tomatoes that are rock hard and taste like cardboard? Stupid question! Use these tips to grow your own tomatoes bursting with flavour.Tomatoes are the most popular home garden vegetable grown for good reason. Teak Furniture - A Cut Above The Rest As you shop around for outdoor furniture, you will notice that much of the higher quality pieces are made from teak wood, and for good reason. Teak furniture is not just sturdy and durable, but also very beautiful with rich warm tones. Composting the Easy Way Having an ample supply of good rich compost is the gardeners dream. It has many uses, and all of those uses will result in nicer plants. Gardening for Birds Part 2 We've had some well needed rain this past week, though it makes it a bit difficult to get chores done outside.We're past the last frost date for my area so now I can get some planting done. Landscape Wallpaper Landscape wallpaper can be a great addition to your computer's desktop. Since most of us always have our PCs running, it is refreshing to see a beautiful masterpiece on the display when the computer is not in use. Ladybugs, Ladybugs, Come to My Garden Ladybugs, also called lady beetles or ladybirds, can be a gardener's best friend. The ladybug's bright coloring brings welcomed cheer to the garden, as well as helping with pest control. Gardening and Flowers Gardening is one of life's pleasures whether you grow flowers, vegetables or herbs; we look forward to the planting season. But whether you are new or seasoned gardener, it's important to remember a few basic things. Come With Me To The Casbah! A ripe persimmon is a thing of beauty - sweet, succulent and an amazing shade of orange-red. Orange and red continue to be popular colors in decorating this year but 2004's shades are softer and more vibrant, like ripe persimmons and pomegranates. Growing Palms Palms Everybody recognises palm trees, they are the universal symbol for the tropics but many are hardy enough for our temperate climate gardens. Until recently New Zealand gardeners have had only a very limited range of palms to choose from. Choosing the Right Roses for your Garden There are literally hundreds of types of roses that you can grow in your garden. With such a selection to choose from, it can be extremely difficult to choose the rose that's right for you. Pond Filter A pond filter is one of the most important components for your pond, without one your pond water would get really mucky. The kind you need depends on its size and whether or not you have any fish.
|
