Gardening Tip:
Bloom Time
One of your first considerations when planning a garden should be bloom time. Think about what time of year you’d like to see the most flowers. Do you look forward to springtime blooms, autumn color, or an ongoing flower show? If you choose your plants carefully, you can have color in any season – even the midst of winter.
You’ll also want to consider when you spend the most time at home. For example, if you’re away all summer, it makes sense to choose a garden that blooms in spring or fall, when you’ll be able to enjoy the blooms.
You’ll also want to think about what your plants will look like after they bloom. Even if you’re only interested in spring blooming bulbs, you may want to plant some flowers and foliage to camouflage the bulbs after they’ve bloomed.
There are several ways to extend your garden’s bloom time. Look for flowers that bloom more than once per year, or choose different cultivars that bloom at different times during the year. Planting groups of plants at two-week intervals will also extend your bloom time.
Remember that there’s more to a garden than its flowers. You can keep your garden bright and cheerful all winter by choosing plants with showy fall foliage, evergreen leaves, berries or seed pods.