Winter and Spring flowering annuals

Fall is the real gardening season in all climates where winters are mild. Southern plains of Pakistan are no exception either. This is the reason that major gardening activity is in winter in lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and other lowers plains areas. The plants which grow in summer in cool climates of UK and Europe grows in winter of lahore. This is the reason many winter annuals grown in lahore are actually summer flowering in cool climates. There are 3 main tips for these annuals
1- Feed DAP every 2 weeks in low quantity
2- Remove early buds to get healthy plant and then allow it to flower
3- Remove spent flowers to increase flowering

Do visit this link for all the spring flowering plants http://www.lahoregardening.com/search/label/spring flowers . For sake of simplicity here i am listing most easiest to grow annuals only.

• Petunia

Easiest and longest blooming flower. Single type is very famous. Comes in various shapes like star, picotee etc.
 
Flowering: December - May
Growth Ease: Very easy
Germination: Moderate to difficult
Sun required: Full sun
Famous series: Falcon F1 is winner. Ultra series (blue star, red star etc.) is good too .
You can see other petunia flowers on this blog here http://www.lahoregardening.com/search/label/petunia

• Pansy

 Pansy grows in semi shade too. Flowers even for a child too. Long blooming period.Grows good  in pots too. Urdu name is banafsha.

Flowering: January - May
Growth Ease: Very easy
Germination: Moderate to difficult
Sun required: Full sun - Semi shade
Famous series: Magestic giants is good. Swiss giants comes on second number. My personal favorite is Mammoth.

• Gazania

 
 A very beautiful annual from south africa. Very heat tolerant. Flowers till June and more.    

Flowering: February- June
Growth Ease: Very easy
Germination: Moderate
Sun required: Full sun
Famous series: Daybreak mix is good. Daybreak 2 is also good.
You can see other gazania flowers on this blog here http://www.lahoregardening.com/search/label/gazania

• Dahlia

Both indian and pakistani dahlia are available. Pakistani is grown from seed and flower is single or semi-double. Indian one is grown from cuttings and  flowers are double and very large. Stacking is required.  Indian one needs more care than pakistani one specially in severe winter. you can buy cheap cuttings in october/november or buy small plants early in season. you can save tuber for next month while keeping it in soil. Not grown good from tubers in my experience.

Flowering: December- June
Growth Ease: Easy - Moderate
Germination: Easy
Sun required: Full sun
Famous series: In Pakistani dahlia, figoro and diablo are good. Indian ones, buy a plant with lots of side shoots.
You can see other dahlia flowers on this blog here http://www.lahoregardening.com/search/label/dahlia

• Freesia

 Freesia is super easy to grow from bulb and it is fragrant too. Check this post of mine for details http://www.lahoregardening.com/2011/03/growing-freesia-in-warm-climates.html

• Ranunculus

Ranunculus grows from both seeds and corms. Plants grown from seeds have larger flowers than corms so i prefer to buy seed grown seedling from nurseries which is cheap. For growing it from corm check this post of minehttp://www.lahoregardening.com/2009/12/growing-flowering-bulbs-in-warm_04.html Remember not to deep  plant the seedling of ranunculus in soil bed. The seedlings grow new shoots from much above the soil level. Also it needs to be protected from march rains.
 
Flowering: February- May
Growth Ease: Easy
Germination: From corm easy, From seed moderate to difficult
Sun required: Full sun
Famous series: The seed grown is asiaticus bloomingdale. Corm is probably different variety.
You can see other ranunculus flowers on this blog here http://www.lahoregardening.com/search/label/ranunculus

• Aquilegia

Although a cool climate plant, it grows very good in semi shade and shade and flower is the most beautiful flower you will ever ever ever see. It is mostly germinated in murree and brought to lahore in winters. You can get seedlings easily at cheap price in start of season in October - November.

Flowering: February- May
Growth Ease: Easy
Germination: Difficult
Sun required:Shade - Semi shade
Famous series: N/A
You can see other aquilegia flowers on this blog here http://www.lahoregardening.com/search/label/aquilegia

• Anemone

Another easy to grow from corm. Although it is grown from seed too but i never tried it from seed. Very easy to grow and flower. Check this post of mine for details http://www.lahoregardening.com/2009/12/growing-flowering-bulbs-in-warm.html

• Hyacinth 

Hyacinth is another fragrant plant for cool climates so an annual here. You must try hyacinth in glass jar which is super easy to flower. Check this post of mine for details  http://www.lahoregardening.com/2009/12/growing-flowering-bulbs-in-warm_22.html

Other easy  to grow winter annuals include Cineraria (Good for shade), Dianthus, carnation, Salvia(Red is good for our climate), Verbena, alyssum, hollyhock, calendula, phlox etc. 

Winter lilac, Buddleja Asiatica in my garden

Winter lilac, Buddleja Asiatica is a very fragrant buddleja suitable for growing in hot climates. It flowers in spring here in lahore and possibly other warm climates. Another species of buddleja, Davidii does not like very high temperatures, thus, do not grow as good as asiatica. Although Davidii has advantage of flowering in summer off and on where as Asiatica flower only once in an year strictly once. I have this asiatica specimen in a large container garden on my terrace and honey aroma fills the air. Enjoy the pics.

You must prune it soon after flowering for good flowering next year and a neat growth habit. Unlike davidii, It flowers on an old wood. It is normally propagated from cuttings.

This post is included in Today's Flowers, do visit there to see other flowers blooming all around the world.

Flowers of sophora, ranunculus and california poppy

California poppy is favorite among bees as well. It is a drought tolerant as compared to iceland poppies. Most common color is this yellow one.

And they look great in masses.


Sophora secundiflora with synonym Calia secundiflora also called shama here. One of most fragrant flowers i have ever come across. Fragrance is just like grape sode and resembles hyacinth. Bees love it too. Fragrance wafts in the air. A slow growing plant, it takes some time to reach flowering height. The other species common in lahore is sophora tomentosa with yellow flowers but with no fragrance. This Shot is taken in lawrence gardens lahore.


Ranunculus grown from corms/tubers. Blooming right under my neem tree.


Just another bee trying to get inside this blue flower. Any help with the ID will be appreciated.


To see other flowers from around the world, visit Today's Flowers

For other macro monday posts, visit Lisa's Chaos
For other mosaic monday posts, visit little red house

To view other posts of yellow mellow monday, visit Yellow mellow monday

Hummingbird moth, stock and california poppy

This one was shot at lawrence garden lahore. I am not sure what it is but it seems to be a hummingbird moth. Though we do not have hummingbirds here but sunbirds. Lovely sight though.
update: This is some species of clearwing hummingbird moth.

 Stock is the most fragrant annual of spring. And bees love them too. This one shot at my terrace.

This bee seems to be too involved in california poppy. Again captured on my terrace.

For other flowers posts, visit Today's Flowers
For Macro monday by Lisa, visit Lisa's Chaos
For mosaic monday, visit Mosaic monday

Dahlia illumination with sun on back

For other Wordless Wednesday posts, Visit Wordless Wednesday

Flowers of Sweet pea, linum, anemone and gaillardia

Spring has just started and flowers have started to bloom all around. Weather is still not warm enough to sow morning glory seeds though. Here are some of flowers blooming in my small garden.

This is some hummingbird moth i captured in lawrence garden bagh-e-jinnah lahore. Any identification would be highly appreciated.

Anemone has started blooming in pots as well. The ones in ground are yet to bloom.

Sweet pea also blooming right now. It is called phool matar locally.And what a magnificent fragrance it is. I sowed two types this year. Heirloom miss willmott and second one the fragrant spencer types. Will show you more blooms next week.

Then comes linum grandiflorum. There is another variety of linum with culinary use but with smaller flowers. This one is grandiflora with large flowers. Seeds were gifted to me. Will save seeds for sure.


If there is any plant in lahore which can bloom year round all 12 months, it is none other than gaillardia. Sadly it does not attract much butterflies here.

To see other wonderful flowers from all around the world, visit Today's Flowers.

For Macro Monday Visit Lisa's Chaos
For Mosaic Monday Visit Mosaic Monday

Spring blooms of dahlia, yellow jasmine and clerodendrum

To view flowers blooming from all around the world, visit Today's Flowers

For Macro Monday Visit Lisa's Chaos
For Mosaic Monday Visit Mosaic Monday

Larkspur, petunia and calendula flowers

It is Spring knocking at our doors here in zone 10. Here is what is blooming right now.

Larkspur botanic name delphinium consolida. Easy to grow from seed. The one i got required staking. I am also growing perennial variety of delphinium (perennial in hilly areas only and not in plains) delphinium elatum and grandiflora but not in bloom yet. Growing them in 10 inches clay pots.

Then comes calendula officinalis locally called Gul-e-Ashrafi one of the earliest spring bloomers along with dahlia.

And last but not least, the lime petunia.

To see other flowers from around the world, visit Today's flowers
For Macro Monday Visit Lisa's Chaos
For Mosaic Monday Visit Mosaic Monday

Annual Spring Flower Show Lahore - Part 2

This is the second and last part of annual spring flower show coverage. The star of the show were my all time favorite plant aquilegia or Granny's Bonnet and another name is columbine.

The blue one above is the prettiest of the lot. Although this red one is very pretty. Sadly they are cool climate plants and do not tolerate the summer heat of lahore. I am yet to find a species of aquilegia suitable for lahore as perennial.There are many hybird varieties of columbine and some are fragrant as well. Probably the other flower which dominated the show was godetia. Botanical name Clarkia amoena,  they almost beat the aquilegia with masses of their beautiful display. They are very tolerant of poor soil although they dislike poor drainage. Isn't it sad that these flower, though grow very good in lahore, are ignored by many nurseries and seeds shops. would surely get my hands on these beautiful plants soon. Keep your eyes on my blog and you will see this plant in my terrace this winter.

Now this was a surprise. A flamingo flower. Another plant very tolerant of lahore weather but ignored by commercial growers. Botanically called Anthurium andraeanum, the common color is this one the red. Although other colors exist for this beautiful flower as well. As expected, it was sold at unreasonable high price.
Amaryllis was also displayed as being forced inside a small plastic pot. It was also high prices although it is very easy to make it bloom in spring in hot climates like ours. you can force it in water and in soil as well. Blooms readily. Many colors available. The local bulbs have rather small flower as compared to those imported ones. although local ones perform better in beds as heat tolerant.
Can you believe that this year in lahore, no seed shop tried to get bulbs of Ornithogalum? i mean such a pretty flower and in many colors and very tolerant of lahore weather and no single bulb present at seeds shops? unbelievable. Now this was probably last years plants or the bulbs were not commercially available. Very pretty flowers and look gorgeous in masses.And yes they are also called chincherinchee.
This was some unknown plant having strange looking flowers. Being sold at sky high price. About 5 feet tall.
Coco bricks were also sold. These bricks are soaked in water and then used. Coco peat is mostly used as mulch or soil amendment. Also used as seed cover for germinating the seed. I use lots of them as summer mulch as they retain moisture to a great extent.
Indian dahias were also exhibited. The indian ones are grown from large thich tubers. And another cheaper alternate is to buy the cuttings of these plants which exhibit same result or even better. The pakistani dahlis is grown mostly from seeds and have single or semi double flower. The local ones have more heat tolerance once again.
Last but not least, gypsophila. Once again a plant being ignored. People probably do not give it much attention because of its small flowers although it has very delicate pretty flowers.

Sparaxis, Freesia, gazania in my garden

It is a pleasure to be part of another Booming friday hosted by Katarina at roses and stuff. There are lots of blooms in my garden, Spring at the peak. First comes this beautiful freesia. I planted lots of freesias this year as they are sure to bloom in our weather and adapt very well to our hot climate. I have never seen such lovely color before. And do i need to tell you the fragrance is just outstanding.

I also planted sparaxis bulbs but not all of them showed the blooms. This one did send up some awesome blossoms. A treat to watch if you have planted them in masses. Another warm climate bulb from south africa. so here goes the Harlequin Flower.

Here comes another heat tolerant dazzling bloomer, gazania. Even in this 90F temperature, they will endure drought. What a tough plant it is. And what a splash of colors they provide.

Pink ranunculus blooming in clay container. I grew them from the corms/tubers.