Plant pots and containers are a perfect way to add a touch of colour to your garden this spring, and African daisies are the perfect planting choice. The best part is they can move around and sit in the areas of your garden that need a little pick-me-up.
There is a wide variety of flowers that thrive in containers and make for a simple gardening job. It’s important to note the best conditions for your flowers to thrive, and gardening experts have shared just the trick. African Daisies, also known as Osteospermum, grow in all kinds of glorious colours, from pinks and whites to bright purples and yellows.
Not to mention, there’s a large selection of patterns and petal shapes to take your pick from.
Although these types of flowers are extra-sensitive to frost, it’s vital you keep an extra eye on them, as they require full sun to bloom to their full potential.
In order to ensure they bloom their best, they also need to be evenly moist while avoiding overwatering.
Greenhouse manager and horticulturist at the Lyman Estate, Lynn Ackerman, suggests keeping them deadheaded for a longer bloom period. According to them, when you do this simple task, “they put on a good show”.
By deadheading or removing spent flowers, you are encouraging the African daisy to focus further on producing new blooms instead of developing seeds, plant enthusiasts at Greg suggest.
They said: “Timing is everything. Deadhead your African daisies regularly, ideally when you first notice the flowers wilting. This proactive approach keeps your plant looking sharp and maximises the blooming period.
“Don’t wait for a full-blown fade. Act swiftly when blooms start to look tired, and you’ll likely see a new flush of flowers in no time.”
Other flowers that make perfect plants for containers, according to Martha Stewart, are dianthus and heather.
Typically growing pink and white flowers, heather often blooms heavily from spring right through until autumn.
They are often popular for their cottage feel, as this plant tends to grow over the edges and spill out of the pot.
Heather also has evergreen foliage, which looks lovely when other flowers are yet to bloom and require time to get dry in between watering.
Dianthus, on the other hand, also act as fantastic pollinators, attracting both bees and butterflies. Not only this, but they can handle long periods of cold weather and are loved by gardeners for their many spicy fragrances.
Other plants perfect for planting in pots are the bright and beautiful violas. They bloom in early spring and make for a great companion to tulips thanks to their tendency to grow to a smaller size. Also mentioned are English daisies, snapdragons and ranunculus.
