The Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon, also called Althaea, is a large hibis-cus shrub with lovely rose, purple, white, or blue flowers about 3 inches (8 centimeters) wide. The flowers bloom from midsummer to early fall. The rose of Sharo grows about 12 feet (3.7 meters) high and has large, three-lobed leaves. It is hardy and does well under unfavorable conditions/ either in the city or in the country. It is native to Eastern Asia and grows in many North American gardens. Gardeners have developed several forms of the shrub. The rose of Sharon may be grown in pots and later transplanted outdoors.
Scientific classification. The rose of Sharon is in the mal-low family, Malvaceae. Its scientific name is Hibiscus syriacus.

Rose of Sharon Basic Growing Needs:

Do well in Zones 10 to 5 which means they can tolerate winter cold from 40° F (4.4 ° C) down to -20° F (-29° C)

Prefers full sun and heat, and tolerates some drought. If in a very hot area, afternoon shade may be a benefit

Likes moist, well-drained soil with regular water but not too much. They don’t like soggy or wet soil, and can have yellowing leaves and leaf drop if soil is a heavy clay or doesn’t drain well. In that case, allow plants to dry out a bit in between waterings

Try not to fertilize after July. You don’t want to encourage lots of soft growth that will be harmed by frost in the fall

Where winters drop to -10° F (-23° C) or colder, protect plants with winter mulch

Growth Habit:

A deciduous shrub (but can be an evergreen in warmer climates)

Grows to 12 feet (3.5 m) tall with a spread of 3 to 6 feet (1 to 1.8 m)

Flowers all summer long into early fall (until frost) in shades of white, pink, soft red, mauve, and violet blue

Flowers attract hummingbirds

The Daisy Flower

Daisies belong to the Daisy Family of Compositae, now known as Asteraceae in flowering plants. Daisies are native to north and central Europe.

The origin of the word Daisy is Anglo Saxon “daes eage” literally meaning “day’s eye”. It was called this because daisies open at dawn as the day is just beginning

A Daisy symbolizes innocence and purity. It can also symbolize new beginnings. The flower meaning of daisy is “loyal love”, “I will never tell”.

Some Interesting Facts About Daisies

· Daisy is a perennial whose evergreen leaves form a basal tuft or rosette.

· Daisy flower plant has a prostrate or spreading growing habit.

· Daisies can be propagated by division in spring or sowing seeds in spring or late autumn.

· English Daisy is a serious weed in the northwest United States.

· The Daisy flowers open at dawn and are visited by many small insects.

· Daisies are used by children to make daisy chains.

· Daisy leaves are edible and can be used in salads.

About Daisy Flower and Plant

A Daisy flower is composed of white petals and yellow centers, although the flowers are sometimes a pink or rose color.

Daisies are not one flower. A Daisy is made up of two types of flowers - disk florets and petal-like white ray florets. The Disk florets are at the center and the ray florets are at the periphery. But these are arranged to give the impression of being a single flower. This arrangement on Daisies is a type of inflorescence known as a capitulum.

Stems of Daisies are smooth and leafless and support a single flower. Daisy plants have 3 - 4 inch flower stalks. The Daisy leaf texture varies and may be smooth or hairy, narrow at the base and slightly lobed. The Daisy flower stalks are generally longer than the leaves.

Daisies Care

· Generally Daisies are not bothered by insects and disease.

· If bothered by insects and disease, then treat Daisies with an insecticidal soap and or a fungicide.

· Just before the blooming, use a fertilizer high in Phosphorous as it helps to promote big, bright blooms.

· In cold weather regions, provide a thick layer of mulch for winter protection.

The Tulip Flower

The is one of the world's most easily recognized and loved flowers. The meanings of tulips coupled with the immediately identifiable shape of their colorful blooms make them a comfortable flower choice. They are not too elegant, too romantic, too big, too small, or too bright; the tulip is always just right. They are like a favorite pair of jeans or your mom's fresh-baked cookies in that the meanings of tulips express genuine coziness and comfort in all of the right ways.

Facts about Tulips

· There are now over 3,000 different registered varieties of cultivated Tulips.

· Every year billions of Tulips are cultivated, a majority of which are grown and exported from Holland.

· Historically, Europe considered Tulips as the symbol of the Ottoman Empire.

· Tulips grow wild over a great territory from Asia Minor through Siberia to China.

· Tulips were first cultivated and hybridized by the Turks of the Ottoman Empire.

· Tulips symbolise imagination, dreaminess, perfect lover, and a declaration of love.

· Fresh out of onions? Use your Tulip bulbs instead! Tulip bulbs are a good replacement for onions in cooking.

Classification of Tulips

The following classification of Tulips is based on the time of bloom. Tulips can be divided into early, mid, and late season flowering Tulips.

· Early Flowering Tulips:-These Tulips bloom in March and early April. Early Flowering Tulips are Species Tulips, Kaufmanniana (eg., Waterlily), Fosteriana (eg.,Red Emperor), Single Early(eg., Apricot Beauty ), Double Early, Greigii Tulips etc.

· Midseason Flowering Tulips:- These bloom in April and early may. Eg., Triumph, Swan Wings Tulip, Darwin Hybrids, Parrot Tulips.

· Late Flowering Tulips:- These Tulips bloom in May. Eg., Single Late, Double Late, Viridiflora Tulips, Lily-Flowered, Fringed Tulips, Rembrandt Tulips, Multi Flowering Tulips.

How to grow Tulips

Tulips are very easy to grow. Many people design an artistic, colorful layout for the Tulip blooms.

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Select the location for planting.

· Prepare the soil by working it well, removing rocks, and weeds.

· Mix in plenty of organic material and fertilizer.

· Special bulb formulas and bone meal work best.

· The Tulips will bloom in almost any soil, with a good drainage.

· When buying Tulip bulbs, select only the finest quality bulbs. In general the bigger the bulb, the bigger the bloom.

· Follow the directions from the supplier for spacing and depth. If no directions are included, plant the bulbs 6-8" apart, and at a depth twice the diameter of the bulb.

· After the Tulips bloom, let the plant continue to grow until it dies off. During the post bloom period, the plant sends energy to the bulb to store for use next spring.

· Tulips require a period of cold while they are dormant and resting between shows.