Colouring Your Garden in Winter
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane
Episode: #16 04/08/07
Winter is not as bad a time of the year as many people make out in the garden, it is absolutely brilliant on a warm crystal clear winters day. Although some times gardens can be a little bit drab and have not enough colour but it doesn’t have to be like that. There are some sensational plants to add brilliant spots of colour through out the garden.
One examples is the Poinsettia ( Euphorbia pulcherrima cv) the colour seen on the poinsettia is commonly called a bract, it surrounds the real flowers which are often quite insignificant.
The flowering is triggered by the shortening day light hours, which occurs naturally during winter. So in the northern hemisphere this happens around Christmas, so they become a great table decoration. In the southern hemisphere nurserymen have to manipulate nature. They are a bit sneaky and use black plastic to shorten the number of daylight hours progressively over a 6 to 8 week period. This triggers beautiful flowering.
The poinsettia got its name from America’s first ambassador to Mexico, where they originate from. His name is Joel Robert Poincet, thus the name poinsettia. Joel Robert Poincet’s other claim to fame was that he founded the Smithsonian institute, one of the worlds greatest brains trust.
Federation Daisies (Argyranthemum Hybrid Cultivar ‘Summer Pink’) also known as marguerite daisies, originate in the Canary Islands, these flowers were bred specifically in Australia. The native forms were scraggly and woody old plants that grew every where from the coast to volcanic mountains. But the new hybrid such as “Summer Pink” is compact, bushy and smothered in blooms. Ideal for any garden!
Spring Flowering Bulbs are one of the ultimate colour plants, and also one of the most waterwise plants. Putting on a spectacular display during winter then dying down and going dormant during the summer months thus requiring no water at all. Perfect to brighten a winter’s day.
Annual Colour is not your only option; brighten up your drab winter.
Episode: #16 04/08/07
Winter is not as bad a time of the year as many people make out in the garden, it is absolutely brilliant on a warm crystal clear winters day. Although some times gardens can be a little bit drab and have not enough colour but it doesn’t have to be like that. There are some sensational plants to add brilliant spots of colour through out the garden.
One examples is the Poinsettia ( Euphorbia pulcherrima cv) the colour seen on the poinsettia is commonly called a bract, it surrounds the real flowers which are often quite insignificant.
The flowering is triggered by the shortening day light hours, which occurs naturally during winter. So in the northern hemisphere this happens around Christmas, so they become a great table decoration. In the southern hemisphere nurserymen have to manipulate nature. They are a bit sneaky and use black plastic to shorten the number of daylight hours progressively over a 6 to 8 week period. This triggers beautiful flowering.
The poinsettia got its name from America’s first ambassador to Mexico, where they originate from. His name is Joel Robert Poincet, thus the name poinsettia. Joel Robert Poincet’s other claim to fame was that he founded the Smithsonian institute, one of the worlds greatest brains trust.
Federation Daisies (Argyranthemum Hybrid Cultivar ‘Summer Pink’) also known as marguerite daisies, originate in the Canary Islands, these flowers were bred specifically in Australia. The native forms were scraggly and woody old plants that grew every where from the coast to volcanic mountains. But the new hybrid such as “Summer Pink” is compact, bushy and smothered in blooms. Ideal for any garden!
Spring Flowering Bulbs are one of the ultimate colour plants, and also one of the most waterwise plants. Putting on a spectacular display during winter then dying down and going dormant during the summer months thus requiring no water at all. Perfect to brighten a winter’s day.
Annual Colour is not your only option; brighten up your drab winter.
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