Basic gardening tips - sweet peas and annuals

Like all garden lovers I love annuals, but they do require a little more effort that perennials.  Annuals as the name suggest are those plants we grow every year for that perfect splash of colour.  Depending on the season  either planting summer or winter annuals.   For winter and spring  colour this year I put in pansies and sweet peas.

 Traditionally in Australia we plant sweet peas on Saint Patrick's Day, 17th of March, and if possible facing north, for a great floral display in spring.  They are the most delightful flower with an amazing perfume, a must for any spring garden.  I choose to plant the miniature variety as they are more suited to our climate, but still will climb to about a metre tall when staked.

So why talk about plants that are about to finish flowering, well because with annuals it's all about the timing of when you get them in the ground and out again.  I've really left mine in too long but they would not stop flowering and I was getting so much pleasure from them I let them linger.  This week I finally took the step and pulled them out, not before picking the last of the flowers and planted petunias.

 This means my petunias may not give such a colourful display at Christmas because of the delay in planting then but, sometimes you just have to go with the flow.






Happy gardening



Bronwyn