oneworldtalk

orange blossom · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 1162 Location: Australia

Cannas remind me of a poem/nursery rhyme we learnt in school years ago : "canna yellow, canna red ..."

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t166/fruit3s/Garden/IMG_1122-1.jpg

Nostalgic!

Secret to a successful garden : cool water, good soil, nutrients, sunshine and TLC (tender loving care).

By the way, this is not my garden ... just aspiring to have one like that.

smalltok · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 264 Location: USA

Flowers do add color to the garden, no matter what kinds or varieties. Canna, if I remember, does not have any sweet smell perhaps none at all. I would add jasmine, magnolias and roses for varieties and fragrance.

orange blossom · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 1162 Location: Australia

Jasmine is good for hedging. There are many varieties to choose from. They usually have small white and light pink flowers, like the wild jasmine and night jasmine. Jasmine is used for making tea and essential oils.

http://coffeeworks.blogs.com/bytheway/images/jasmine_buds_2.jpg

http://mchristi.wso.net/night_jasmine_flowers.jpg

The Brazilian jasmine climber has bright fuscia pink and larger flowers. It thrives in sunny position and is moderately drought reistant. They are not as fragrant as the smaller white species.

http://www.bestgarden.net/Images/AllImages/HighRes/WebImages/3-077-013-W.jpg

http://www.anandaapothecary.com/aromatherapy-essential-oils/jasmine-essential-oil.html

My favourite is the Camellia that has bright beautiful blooms from late autumn to spring and scented. bright coloured flowers usually have faint or negligible perfume.

There are many species of Camellia -- japonica, sasanqua and reticulata (that has the largest flowers). The camellia sinensis bush has green, glossy leaves and young new shoots are plucked and processed into tea leaves.

http://www.cuyamaca.net/OH170/Plant_TNails1A/Camellia_Flower_Form_Camparision_2.JPG

http://www.cuyamaca.net/OH170/Plant_TNails/Camellia_japonica_-_Bloom2_1-31-00.jpg

http://www.cuyamaca.net/OH170/Plant_TNails_2/Camellia_Flower_Form_Comparison.JPG

http://www.cuyamaca.net/OH170/Plant_TNails/Camellia_japonica_-_Bloom1-31-00.jpg

Roses are pretty fussy and needs lots of TLC. Pruning after flowering, slow release fertilisers, sufficient water, space and good drainage.

Gardenia flower which looks like a white rose is fragrant. However, it tarnishes into a rusty colour within days after blooming.

Isn't Magnolia a tree? I notice their flowering season is rather short. They are mostly cream or pink?

http://www.ncsu.edu/jcraulstonarboretum/calendar/2002/events/04-18-P0000934-500-pixels.jpg

Sang Nila · Joined: 21 Mar 2007 Posts: 69 Location: Australia

I love flowers, fruit trees, but I just don't have green fingers. Lucky are those that have a nice garden and luckier still are those who can enjoy the garden without doing the hard work.