Club Care Inc.

How To Choose The Right Flowers For Your Home Here are a few items to keep in mind when choosing flowers for your home. Below is a brief outline of what I consider to be the most important ones. Ie: Right plant right place Light Conditions Soil/Water Conditions Maintenance Requirements Aesthetics

I. Light Conditions It is very important to take note of what kind of light conditions you are working with before you choose your flowers. This will make a huge difference when it comes to the performance of the plant. Full Sun Partial Sun Full Shade Begonia Odorata ‘Alba’ thrives in partial sun to full shade

II. Soil/ Water Conditions Irrigation can be the culprit when plants don’t perform well. It is important to check the coverage your annual beds are getting and how well they drain prior to planting. A good soil base should help rectify your drainage problems. SOIL AMMENDMENT!!! Bronze Leaf Red & Rose Begonia’s. Shade tolerant and drought tolerant.

III. Maintenance Requirements Some plants are more labor intensive than others. For example, some require dead-heading or cleaning while others might require frost protection and be more prone to disease. Geraniums – Frost Tolerant; Dead-Heading Required Vinca – Huge Display of Color; Not Frost Tolerant; Requires Fungicide Sprays

IV. Aesthetics Decide upon a “theme/ color scheme” for your home. This is an easy place to start and certainly doesn’t require you to stick with one particular plant. Tips To Making Interesting Annual Beds: Varying Textures (don’t be afraid to use plants that give color from foliage only in combination) Varying Heights (make sure to keep your taller items in the back) Tone on Tone Color Combinations or blocks of color (i.e. different shades of pinks or purples )

Spring Flowers vs. Fall Flowers There are two distinct seasons of flowers for Southwest Florida. Spring/Summer – Late April – Beginning of October Fall/Winter – Late October – April There are some flowers that can crossover from summer to winter, but very few that are winter annuals that crossover to summer

Spring Flowers vs. Fall Flowers Summer Flowers Heat Moisture/Humidity Day Length Winter Annuals Cooler temps Less Moisture/Irrigation more important Day Length

Summer Flower Examples Angelonia – Summer Snapdragon Angelonia prefer full sun, periodic removal of spent blooms can increase color. Long days

Summer Flower Examples Caladiums Caladiums prefer partial sun to full shade, They handle high levels of moisture and are heavy feeders. Bulb – return year after year

Summer Flower Examples Pentas Caladiums prefer full sun to partial shade, They preform best with lower levels of moisture. Butterfly series and dwarf series, Butterfly attractant. Use for long periods of time.

Summer Flower Examples Vinca Vinca prefer full sun to partial shade, They preform best with lower levels of moisture. They are susceptible to aerial Phytophthora. Mulching installed flower beds can reduce risk of fungus

Winter Flower Examples Begonias Green Leaf – Shade Bronze Leaf – Sun Begonia Big – Partial sun to sun Drier conditions preferred

Winter Flower Examples Geraniums Geraniums prefer drier conditions and full sun light conditions. They require deadheading spent blooms. Handle cold temperatures

Winter Flower Examples Petunias Petunias prefer drier conditions and full sun light conditions. Handle cold temperatures. Great for containers.

Winter Flower Examples Sunpatiens Sunpatiens prefer more water than most winter annuals. Showiest flower display. Many color varieties avaiable. Not cold tolerant. Full sun to shade tolerance.

Color Bowls – Front door or top of pillars Custom Hanging Baskets