DENVER — The Colorado sun is intense.
Greenhouse-grown plants can easily burn when exposed to it. To avoid this, "harden off" your purchases by exposing them to full sun gradually.
Start with a few hours of morning sun or filtered light beneath trees. Gradually extend their exposure.
Many of us are still dealing with the aftermath of the snowstorm last week. I'm cleaning up broken limbs and trimming where needed. I'm relieved that my beauty bush (Kolkwitzia amabilis) wasn't damaged and the flowers survived. This Chinese shrub is disease-free, pest-free and drought tolerant. It even survives snow storms! In spring, the beauty bush is a thing of cotton candy pink glory.
As you design your container displays, it helps to pick a color scheme. I'm basing mine on a variety of geranium called 'Rocky Mountain Salmon.' It's a vivid shade of salmon pink. So I'm adding red, orange and purple flowers to the mix. It seems I'm partial to sunset colors.
As you design, consider great foliage along with the flowers. Silver, bronze and chartreuse leaves can contrast beautifully with flowers. Try out different combinations with foliage plants such as coleus, New Zealand flax and sweet potato vine. If you select fancy-leaf geraniums with bright variegated leaves, you get great foliage and flowers at the same time.
More Proctor's Garden:
- How to save water and have a beautiful garden
- Proctor's Garden: Put manure to good use
- What you can plant safely now
- Despite the wind, it's time to plant and fertilize
- The quick and simple way to make your own geraniums
- Start your garden prep now with seed catalogs
- Indoor and outdoor plants
- How to grow your own salad
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