Berwick Water-wise Potted Colour
Episode: #2 17/03/07
Presenter: Melissa King
Drier conditions do not have to mean a lack of colour in the garden. Many of our most beautiful plants come to life in the heat. What better way to highlight these beauties than by growing them in pots and containers.
Geraniums (Pelargonium Hybrid Cultivar) are old fashioned plants that are worth re-discovering. They have fabulous flowers in shades of red, pink and creamy white, they are very garden worthy. For a start Geraniums are drought and heat tolerant, flower profusely without much attention and look lush and leafy for much of the year. They also look great in big traditional terracotta pots and add a Mediterranean air to the garden.
Vinca’s (Catharanthus roseus cv.) are one of the most vibrant bedding plants for hot seasonal colour, and they are great performers when standing up to heat, humidity and drought.
They display masses of intensely coloured blooms right through summer and autumn, and are perfect for pots and containers. Once established they need very little water. Vinca Cooler varieties are stunning with extra large flowers in every shade from apricot to strawberry, grape, raspberry and coconut – good enough to eat!
Don’t be fooled by their delicate appearance, Cyclamen (Cyclamen Hybrid Cultivar) are surprisingly robust and brilliant in containers. The larger florist types come in a gorgeous range of flower colours. Plus there is double forms, those with frilly petals – even scented varieties for indoor fragrance. Cyclamen are native to the Meditteranean, so tolerate tough conditions provided the soil is free-draining. They make showy long lasting pot plants.
When it comes to hardy, beautiful plants, this one fits the bill perfectly, Purslane (Portulaca grandiflora ‘RioTM’). For a start they are extremely heat and dry tolerant and very colourful.
They have a low spreading habit, so make a great groundcover or massed display in containers. Thesebrightly coloured flowers are produced freely throughout the warmer months.
Now this is a sensational performer in pots, Perennial Petunia (Calibrachoa Hybrid Cultivar ‘Cabernet’), it has literally hundreds of flowers and it just keeps on going throughout the warmer months. It has a lovely mounded trailing habit so it sits beautifully in hanging baskets and containers. There is a whole series of them in all white and all the berry shades.
So dry or not, there is proof that there is no shortage of potted colour this season. And if you want more inspiration on gardening in your local area, then don’t forget to log onto our online club, because if you join during the month of March, you have a chance of winning one of fifty pairs of Ironclad gloves.
For more tips and information on how to get your garden waterwise visit the Our Water Our Future website: www.ourwater.vic.gov.au
Presenter: Melissa King
Drier conditions do not have to mean a lack of colour in the garden. Many of our most beautiful plants come to life in the heat. What better way to highlight these beauties than by growing them in pots and containers.
Geraniums (Pelargonium Hybrid Cultivar) are old fashioned plants that are worth re-discovering. They have fabulous flowers in shades of red, pink and creamy white, they are very garden worthy. For a start Geraniums are drought and heat tolerant, flower profusely without much attention and look lush and leafy for much of the year. They also look great in big traditional terracotta pots and add a Mediterranean air to the garden.
Vinca’s (Catharanthus roseus cv.) are one of the most vibrant bedding plants for hot seasonal colour, and they are great performers when standing up to heat, humidity and drought.
They display masses of intensely coloured blooms right through summer and autumn, and are perfect for pots and containers. Once established they need very little water. Vinca Cooler varieties are stunning with extra large flowers in every shade from apricot to strawberry, grape, raspberry and coconut – good enough to eat!
Don’t be fooled by their delicate appearance, Cyclamen (Cyclamen Hybrid Cultivar) are surprisingly robust and brilliant in containers. The larger florist types come in a gorgeous range of flower colours. Plus there is double forms, those with frilly petals – even scented varieties for indoor fragrance. Cyclamen are native to the Meditteranean, so tolerate tough conditions provided the soil is free-draining. They make showy long lasting pot plants.
When it comes to hardy, beautiful plants, this one fits the bill perfectly, Purslane (Portulaca grandiflora ‘RioTM’). For a start they are extremely heat and dry tolerant and very colourful.
They have a low spreading habit, so make a great groundcover or massed display in containers. Thesebrightly coloured flowers are produced freely throughout the warmer months.
Now this is a sensational performer in pots, Perennial Petunia (Calibrachoa Hybrid Cultivar ‘Cabernet’), it has literally hundreds of flowers and it just keeps on going throughout the warmer months. It has a lovely mounded trailing habit so it sits beautifully in hanging baskets and containers. There is a whole series of them in all white and all the berry shades.
So dry or not, there is proof that there is no shortage of potted colour this season. And if you want more inspiration on gardening in your local area, then don’t forget to log onto our online club, because if you join during the month of March, you have a chance of winning one of fifty pairs of Ironclad gloves.
For more tips and information on how to get your garden waterwise visit the Our Water Our Future website: www.ourwater.vic.gov.au
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