Best Summer Flowers

The(left) in the photo below looks right at home climbing up a tree trunk in our Vase Garden:Once Old Man Winter comes calling, the show is over...or is it? And it doesn't flower in our zone.So why do I count it among my favorites?

The white lily represents one's desire for purity and virtue, and the pink lily expresses the yearning for wealth and prosperity. With time, the lily took on different meanings according to the culture or its usageIn Greek mythology, the conception of...

The anniversary of the day our Declaration of Independence was signed. Barbeque pits are fired up around the nation and blankets are spread on the ground at dusk to watch brilliant light shows in every community.

Petunias grow in regions where up to 210 days out of the year are above 86 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the American Horticultural Society. Petunias are relatively low-maintenance plants, but they can survive only within a specific temperature range.

Other varieties include Jaio Scarlet Eye, Peppermint Cooler and the unusual Blue Pearl, which is an F-1 hybrid with light blue blooms. After planting vinca in well-drained, slightly acidic soil, it can withstand droughts and prefers to remain fairly dry.You...

The tree blooms between February and May and flowers are reflective of the harmony and unity of the Thai people. It has also converted about 13 percent of its land and sea area into natural preserves.

It's suitable as a ground cover or bedding plant. The flowers of zinnia (Zinnia spp.) and dahlia (Dahlia spp.) are alike in many ways. Dahlias come in, and some varieties have two or more colors in the flower.

Thinning allows the remaining stems to grow strong and flower well; it also provides the air circulation needed to minimize powdery mildew problems later in the season. Trim off garden phlox's dead flower stems at their bases immediately after the plant...

That's when it finally hit me: Sunflowers could be an option for that long, grassy median. X 360 ft = a lot of grass to try to get rid of.ABOVE: Purple amaranth sets off the sunflower forest nicely.

The open wound leaves the plant vulnerable to disease.After all of the flowers have died, cut the stalk to within 2 inches of the base of the plant. Use a clean set of gardening sheers or scissors to cut the stem off as close to the main stalk as possible.

Colder climates force the plant to die back to the soil level each winter, resulting in an even more compact shrub. Other small butterfly attracting plants do quite well in containers, including lantana, pentas, zinnias and salvias.

The jasmine can get to 12 feet in height if not pruned down. Rooting hormone can be used to enhance establishment and the cutting is planted in a mostly soil-less medium. Night-blooming jasmine is a fragrant, flowering shrub.

It comes in three sizes: Tidal, the largest flower; Shock, the smaller flower; and Easy, a spreading plant.Garden experts seem to agree that the Wave petunia was developed primarily as a ground cover.

Two of these, the milliflora and the ground cover petunias, are self-cleaning and do not require the pinching.Petunias grown in containers are especially prone to forming leggy branches without the deadheading cleanup.

The moisture easily transmits disease or even something on your fingers (such as tobacco residue from cigarettes) from plant to plant. Removing the spent blossoms every day seems a chore, but prolongs the enjoyment of the plant.

You can tape the picture to the storage container or bag for quick identification.• Location: Dahlias need full sun and well-drained soil, so choose your location accordingly. A 5-20-20 or similar fertilizer is good for dahlias.• Dig the planting...

It is not a tall vine, only growing to 10 feet under optimal conditions which is rich, moist and well-drained garden soil. The flower is very similar to a snapdragon flower and some varieties of beard-tongue are easily confused with snapdragons.The snapdragon...

Emory Paul is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 10 and prefers moist, well-drained soil.Daline grande morelia, also called grande morelia, blooms in shades of lavender and attracts butterflies.

Encourage the roots to grow out into the soil by roughing up the root ball a little. Place the gravel at the bottom of the hole. Use bark chip mulch, fish emulsion fertilizer and coffee grounds for best results.Choose a gardenia variety that grows best...

Hostas have attractive foliage varying in size, shape and color. Ensure that your species is tolerant of morning sun.Pink turtlehead (Chelone lyonii) is a small, herbaceous perennial producing numerous bright, pink flowers in summer.

Use a sharp knife to remove the top 4 to 5 inches of a stem. Geraniums are also known to repel earworms, Japanese beetles and leafhoppers and make useful companion plants for vegetable gardens.Once established in your garden, geraniums are easy to propagate...

It also promotes branching, along with new bloom production. Also, snip off the growing tips of tall leafy stems to promote branching. Some dianthus are annual, some biennial and others perennial.

Semperflorens cultivars with bronzy leaves can tolerate sun.During active growth, begonias require regular fertilizing. Younger plants usually don't need pruning or pinching back. The American Begonia Society recommends using any balanced fertilizer applied...

Depending on the species, some dianthus flowers may only need to be deadheaded once or twice during the growing season, while others may need attention every week. Deadheading dianthus allows the plants to direct their energy into growing more blossoms...

Repeat the application once a week.Torenia is self-cleaning, which means you don't need to remove spent flowers. Wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and goggles when spraying neem oil because it can irritate the skin and eyes.The only pest problem you're...

With some prudence and daily watering, August is the perfect time to plant many flowers for autumn color and springtime glory.Full-grown chrysanthemum plants will bloom from September until the first hard freeze, and peonies will bloom next springPlant...

This heavy pruning early in the summer will encourage the start of another flowering session. Dip your pruning shears in a disinfectant solution that contains nine parts water to one part chlorine bleach, to avoid spreading bacteria or fungus spores between...