Calendula

Calendula is one of my favourite flowers......you ask why??? Because its so beautiful to look at at it hardly needs any looking after at all. Its a rather robust plant (as far as annuals are concerned) and the mix of foliage and blooms is just so pleasing to the eyes!!!

The one thing that this plant does require is regular dead-heading. Because as the flowers are quite sturdy after they've bloomed they don't fall off or dry up as easily as other annuals. So to keep your plants producing more and more flowers you should dead-head regularly and simply enjoy the resulting blooms!!!

Freesia Surprise!!!!

Don't you just love surprises??? I know I do!!! What better surprise than to find a beautiful plant you never knew you even had!!! Doesn't it just warm your hearts!!!! :)

You see in a pot of Vinca that I had from last year, some sword like leaves started appearing and I just presumed they must be some kind of weed. But as luck would have it the past month of February we had extremely cold weather and lots and lots of rain plus I had a bout of flu. So combine all these factors and the result was that I wasn't able to 'survey' my plants as thoroughly as I usually do and that's how the sword-like leaves escaped my attention. Come better weather and lo and behold a single flower appeared and after searching on the internet I discovered it was a Freesia plant that I had and that too in such a wonderful colour. Now that's the kind of surprise I'm talking about!!!

As freesias have bulbous roots the mystery still remains as to how did it end up there in the first place but hey I'll take it either way!!!

What do you think of my surprise???

Hardiness Zones and Islamabad

Now now, this could be a whole can of worms. Whenever I go to find any information about any plant there's always the Hardiness Zone described next to it. My location Islamabad falls somewhere around 9a and/or 9b. That is all well and good because it tells you how much cold the plant will tolerate.

Now where it gets muddy is how much HEAT the plant will tolerate. Because you know it so often happens that you buy a plant in spring, it does look beautiful and seems to be thriving but come summer and you have to do a thousand things just to keep it barely alive (forget about blooms and stuff). 

Petunia

My love for petunias is rather recent (I know I can imagine your faces in utter disbelief)..... but they thats the way it was until I planted a few plants about 4 years ago and my oh my......what was I missing!!!! They have now become my favourite seasonal plants and every winter I look forward to the blooms eagerly.

Oxalis 'Purple Shamrock' ---- 'Love Plant'

Oxalis Triangularis commonly known as False Shamrock, Purple Shamrock or Love Plant is typically grown as a houseplant but can also be grown outside in USDA hardiness zones 8a-11 but preferably in light shade.

Hibiscus

One of the newest additions to my garden is this beautiful Hibiscus. Although ever since I got it I have been wondering about why on earth did I not have it before, maybe its because they seem to be around everywhere in Islamabad and is one of those plants that you just take for granted and don't really appreciate. Mine is still in a pot while I try to figure out a space for it. One of the neighbours has a yellow hibiscus growing outside his house........me thinks I need to get one too :)

Vinca Rosea

If ever I had to name my top ten plants then Vinca Rosea (Madagascar Periwinkle) would be up near the top. The reason being.........its just so easy to grow. In a climate like ours its a godsend..........my plants started flowering in early may and as you can see in this photo they're still going strong in early october. 

During june and july this year when temperatures were above 40C most of the time, these were the only plants I didn't have to worry about........the less water they got, the more they bloomed!!! Now that's my kinda plant!!!!

Okay so I have been missing in action for over a year but my garden has been giving as much pleasure as ever. Just in the past summer season we had zinnia's and vinca in full bloom, along with a few cosmos........although I never planted the cosmos this year...........they just seed themselves year after year. Now as the weather is turning and the nights are getting cooler we in Islamabad have a last chance to plant some marigolds before thinking about the coming winter season. Stay tuned for some lovely marigolds in all their glory to colour the autumn days.

Antirrhinum - 'Snapdragon'

One of my favourite flowers, these come in all sorts of colours and sizes and make a wonderful addition to any garden.

Pansies

Pansies are one of the easiest to grow flowers in Islamabad and flowers in all kinds of hues are beginning to bloom all over the city.

Pansies are not fussy plants, they will grow best in loose, rich soil. They flower best in full sun and will get spindly in deep shade. Pansies DO NOT like heat and will begin to decline as the days warm up. They do need regular watering nowadays because daytime temperatures have already climbed into high 20s (Celsius).

Aphids can be a problem with these plants but a natural soap spray usually gets rid of them quite easily.

I have to admit, this deep purple colour wasn't one of my favourites when I first started growing these flowers but after a few seasons of seeing them pop up again and again I have become quite a fan. Its such an unusual colour in flowers and I have to confess.............I think I'm falling in love :)

First flowers of 2011

Finally the wait is over, the first flower of this season has finally opened and its a beautiful blue/purple pansy.