Late summer or early fall is a wonderful time for buying annual and perennial flowers.

photo credit: SearchNetMedia

I spent $10 today and came home with an entire car full of plants. I picked up 17 different varieties of annuals and several annuals can be over-wintered. I also have 6 varieties of perennials and 8 varieties of herbs.

Annual flowers are almost out of season so garden centers offer discount prices. The flowers may be stunted from being in a pot that have prohibited root growth but if the plant looks healthy you can pick up flowers to make new container gardens or add more color to your backyard or gardens areas.

I will take off any bad leaves or broken stems and re-pot the plants into containers. This way I can set the flowers up in an area that is protected form the colder weather I will soon have in my Zone 5 area. I can also move the containers indoors or onto the patio  in case of frost in late fall. This will extend my flowers.

One of my favorite annual plants to pick up at a reasonable price at this time of year is the Geranium. I will cut the plant down and start new plants from the cutting from the original plant. Geraniums can also be over-wintered using a brown bad technique or they can be grown indoors.
photo credit: byrdiegyrl

To grow a geranium indoors you need to make sure the plant has “dry feet”, plenty of sun and warmth and soil that is fungal free. I once had a geranium I kept for about 5 years. I would move it outdoors in the summer and back indoors for the winter.

Other plants I try to pick up late in the summer or fall are Dusty Millers, Calendula, Zinnias, Mums and any herb. I also look for perennials to plant for the following year.

Perennials that are bought late in the season may be small if they have been grown  in pots the entire season so I put them in a special raised bed garden for plants that need a little tender loving care. This bed is close to the house, has rich soil and a cover for shade or protection from wind or cold nights.

I find that fall container gardens are perfect for plants that are bought late in the season.  This about.com link will direct you to ideas for container gardening and plants that will grow well in cooler weather. Fall container gardening ideas and tips.

photo credit: kinez

By buying plants late in the season I have added to my perennial collection and have a beautiful colorful garden well into late fall.

Technorati Tags: annual flowers, frugal gardening, perennial flowers, save money on plants

Gladiolus flowers, which are grown from a corm bulb, have an elegance that will add to any backyard flower garden. They also make beautiful floral displays.
photo credit: ThreadedThoughts

The original gladioli hybrids were developed from Mediterranean species. But today the African native gladioli are the popular varieties grown.

In the United States, the Gladiolus was an instant sensation on its first appearance that the American Gladiolus Society was formed in Boston. This was in 1910 and the popularity of the gladioli only continues to grow.

This flower is also called the Sword lily, corn lily or Glad. The Gladiolus symbolizes strength of character and is the flower for August.

The gladioli grow from corms, which is a bulb like root. Depending on your climate they may or may not be left in the ground over the winter. In my zone 5 climate they must be dug up and stored.

Check your climate to know if the corms need to be removed from the ground. But a rule of thumb is, if your winters offer heavy or hard frosts dig the corms up in the fall and replant them in the spring for late spring and summer blooms.

Glads look better if planted in groups of six or more. They also look more stylish if you plant the groupings in the same color.

Some of the taller glad varieties may require some staking as the flower heads are affected by winds and the weight of the flower blossoms when in full bloom. For safely sake I always stake taller glad varieties. I usually plant these flowers near fences or shrubs for a natural wind block protection.

Gladiolus will grow well in ordinary garden soil. They need average water and sunshine. The only requirement they have is good drainage.

I have found that a pinch of bone meal when planting time will give them a boost. And later in the spring I will give them a boost with fertilizer. I prefer compost tea.

The foliage will turn brown after flowering and die back until it pulls away from the corm easily. This is a necessary step to ensure the energy will drain down to create next year’s corm.

This is not a pretty stage of the flowers growing stage. One way for this to be less noticeable is to mix the plants among other plants.

Glads range in size from the 12” tall dwarfs to the glad giants, which will reach 60”. These flowers bloom in almost every color so will fit into almost any landscaping color scheme.
photo credit: Mason2008

Glads also do well in containers so you may wish to start a few corms in the late fall and bring them in to add color to your home. I usually always have a few containers of glad growing on the patio or in the sun room.

Technorati Tags: Backyard Flower Garden, flowers

Garden trellises happen to be one of my favorite garden tools. It seems funny to consider a trellis a garden tool when it adds beauty and charm to a garden or backyard area but trellises serve many valuable purposes.
photo credit: Jellaluna

By using a trellis you can add beauty and color to an otherwise unusable area. You can also grow plants vertically to save space, add privacy and prevent plant insects and disease.

Another use for a garden trellis is that it gives you the opportunity to change the look and atmosphere of your garden in a matter of minutes depending on if you used potted plants or garden art for décor.

Garden trellises can be created from any object that can add privacy or be used for plants to grow or hang from. By shopping at garage sales or rooting through your attic you can design several unique trellises that will be a focal point in a garden, patio or balcony area.

Step Ladder Garden Trellis

An old stepladder that is no longer in use will make a great trellis or plant display area. You can leave the ladder as you found it and paint it to complement your landscape design.

You can plant vining flowers or vegetables around the base of the stepladder and allow them to climb the rungs of the ladder. This style of planting will create a flow and make the ladder part of the garden area and design. You can also add a few pots of the steps for more color but I would suggest anchoring them in place so that the wind does not blow them off.

The addition of a rectangular planted on the ground of first step also will add to this quick and easy trellis.

My favorite vine for a stepladder is the scarlet runner bean. It has such beautiful color.

Metal headboard frame trellis

Old metal headboards can be found along curbsides for free and at auctions for pennies. Choose a location for the headboard, usually along a wall or back of a garden and measure the distance between the metal posts.

Pound metal stakes into the ground and either slide the headboard over the posts if they are hollow or attach the post to the headboard with screws or plastic ties. If you want the headboard to be more sturdy, pound another metal post in between the tow other post and secure the headboard to the post.

Plants vining vegetables and flowers near the base and let them climb. In the front of the headboard add more flowers, vegetables or herbs for color and interest.

An old bedspring can also be used but I like the thicker look of an old headboard myself.

Old wrought iron fencing and posts that were popular in the later 50’s and 60’s will also work well as trellises and can often be found at junkyard and old metal scrap piles. They can be put together as trellises, gates or even arbors.
photo credit: apium

Whether you trellis is handmade or bought you can quickly change the look of your garden area by adding garden art to the trellis or placing hanging pots on the trellis that can be quickly changed for a new look in color or design.

Technorati Tags: Backyard Flower Garden, creative gardening, garden art, garden trellis, growing plants