April Showers Bring May Flowers
May is a dependable month for blooming flowers here in southern California as the temperatures rise, days get longer, and plants are thriving from essential nutrients provided by April rains. It’s the ideal time to enjoy color in your property’s landscape, with a little planning in late winter and early spring. And the best news is, because of our moderate climate and range of options in plant material, a colorful spring landscape palette doesn’t have to require a lot more maintenance and water…efficient AND picturesque, our favorite combination!
Here are 5 popular color options to liven up your landscape this spring:
Impatiens
A better choice for shaded areas, impatiens are colorful and fairly easy to grow and maintain. They’re a great option for potted planters and focal areas. Impatiens require a moderate amount of water – about 2 inches a week – in temperatures up to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and routine fertilizing. A standout feature of impatiens is their ability to self-clean spent blooms, making them ideal flowers all season long. Sometimes, even pinching back the long shoots can help them fill out more and extend their life a bit longer, too.
Sunpatiens
Sunpatiens are impatien hybrid flowers that perform better in full sun and warm weather, making them more versatile than classic impatiens, that bloom from spring through fall – providing long-lasting color to your landscape. They are low-maintenance and grow well in both containers and planter areas, with options that are compact, spreading, and vigorous – depending on the space they will fill. Once established, their water requirements are moderate.
Gaillardias
Because of the long season of color they offer, gaillardias are a popular perennial to incorporate into a property’s landscape. Also known as blanket flowers, gaillardias grow easily, thrive in sun, are heat and drought-tolerant, so therefore do not require copious amounts of water. With a wide range of varieties, there are colors and combinations to suit any aesthetic – from vibrant to deep reds, bright yellows to peachy oranges. They bloom from late spring to early summer through fall.
Zinnias
Unlike gaillardias, zinnias are annuals, meaning they will have to be removed or replanted after their growing season is over. They’re a beautiful way to enhance high-traffic areas such as property or building entrances, along walkways, around monuments or other focal points, and in pots and planters. As a bonus, they attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Zinnias are bright flowers that add amazing pops of color, flourish in sunlight, are available in a multitude of petal formations – from single row petals to double and semi-double – and come in varying shapes and heights.
Petunias
One of the most popular annuals, petunias are bright and fragrant, easy to grow, and bloom throughout most of the year, with the exception of colder months. There are hundreds of varieties of petunias – ranging from miniature to large, slow to fast growers, and endless color options. They require minimal water (excluding “spreading” types of petunias), are tolerant to varying soil types and heat, but require adequate light to thrive (5 to 6 hours a day minimum).
Looking to add some low-maintenance color to your landscape this Spring and Summer? Reach out to your account manager directly to discuss options, or contact us now. We can help you navigate through elements like placement, budget, and maintenance, to determine the ideal solution for the properties you manage.