Gardening has become a worthwhile hobby, especially during this unprecedented time due to lockdown and quarantine restrictions. Green thumbs and plant lovers must love this time as it could be the chance to stay home and grow as many plants to their liking.
For house beautification, avid plant fans’ go-to are flowering plants. However, once you are in the garden section of your favorite warehouse or your local plant store, choosing the flowers to grow in your garden or even keep indoors might feel like an intimidating and confusing task.
Don’t worry, here are five of the best flowers that are easy to grow at home, with tips on how to give them tender, loving care:
Azalea
Home gardeners have loved azaleas for a long time, and why wouldn’t it be? Known for bringing a bright splash of colors and impressive foliage, it is no wonder azaleas have become a crowd favorite.
There are numerous varieties to pick from when it comes to this type of flowers: from deciduous varieties that bloom from down North to “weeping azaleas,” which cascade down like a pretty waterfall, donning a color of yellow, pink, orange, red, white and purple.
They are relatively forgiving for azalea plant care, not prone to pests, and are relatively low maintenance. They are commonly grown in flower beds or outdoor gardens, but azelas can be grown in pots. This makes them ideal plants to grow and beautify your patios and balconies.
Sweet Pea
A flowering plant native to Southern Europe, particularly Sicily and southwest Italy, sweet pea is known among growers as an ornamental plant. It is considered a fast-growing plant that could climb and spread across surfaces like walls and tree trunks and withstand different settings and habitats.
Sweet peas are also known for their sweet-smelling and succulent scent, making them the perfect flower to grow during the springtime. The flowers are also loved for their bright colors and resemble butterflies’ shape. If you wish for something that reminds you of summers spent at your grandparents’ cottage, sweet peas will take you on a trip back in time.
However, it is essential to note that unlike most of its flowering counterparts, it is infamous for being toxic and should be kept away from pets and humans alike.
Sunflower
Who doesn’t know AND love sunflowers? These big, yellow, and bright flowers bring warmth and a little piece of sunshine into every garden and room it is brought and grown in.
Sunflowers are heliotropic – this means that they tend to face and follow where the sun moves, which is quite a unique and exciting feature of this flowering plant. True to its name, sunflowers thrive under the sun and are heat-tolerant. They are also not prone to pests and are very attractive to bees and birds.
When growing sunflowers, they can be planted outdoors directly on a flower bed or kept in a container. They are not picky, particularly with the kind of soil they will grow in; however, it is good to keep in mind that it shouldn’t be too compact and should have space for roots to grow.
Aside from being pretty ornamental plants, sunflowers are also known to provide edible seeds that can be grounded and used as flour. Oil can also be extracted from sunflower seeds and be used for cooking and personal care. The fiber retrieved from its stems can also make rope and cords.
Indeed, the sunflower is an all-rounder plant that would bring not only beauty into your home but also practical usage for your household needs.
California Poppy
Known as California’s state flower, the California poppy is grown widely across the United States and has adorned roadsides, but still make excellent staples for home growing. It is well-loved for its bright blooms, ranging from yellow, orange, and red. It is a very reliable houseplant and can provide color to your garden year-round.
California poppies thrive in rich and moist but fast-draining soil, adequate watering, and lots of sunlight. However, they are also known to survive harsh conditions and tolerate being planted in poor soil and during the drought season. These flowering plants, like their counterparts, are not pest-prone.
Marigold
Certainly a kids’ favorite as it is easy to grow and sports bright-cheery colors that appeal to the childish side in you, marigolds should definitely be included in this list.
Typically grown as garden ornamentals, marigolds are distinct for their strong-scented leaves, at the same time carrying an attractive splash of colors from yellow, orange, and red. They have daisy/ carnation-like features that make a pretty bouquet when gathered as cuttings, or if you prefer, just singly given with its flower still attached to the stem.
For plant care, marigolds love and thrive in sunshine and are an excellent starter plant for children who wish to become green thumbs. Best grown during the spring up until the midsummer, they do well in rich and well-drained soil and do not need that much fertilizer for their flowers to bloom quickly and lusciously.
Takeaway
True enough, flowers bring color and life to every household, and beautiful memories can be built around growing them with your loved ones or even by yourself. Hopefully, these tips will help you grow the flower garden, greenhouse, or home of your dreams.
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