|
| Flower of Summer
Flowers |
| |
 Summer
Flowers add brilliant color and beauty to the landscape through
the heat of summer and until frost, with only minimum care.
Summer
is a time of beauty and abundance with Summer Flowers in the garden.
Though, many Summer Flowering Plants are likely to suffer winter
injury and need the tender care of spring, the magnificence, color
and fragrance of Summer Flowers are a valuable addition to any garden.
Summer time is a time of brilliance and beauty with Summer Flowers
in the garden. The season requires special care and attention for
the maintanance of Summer Flower plants. For flower lovers, hearts
beat faster in summertime. Summer is also peak season for buying
bunches of cut summer flowers.
It is best to plant containers in
early summer.Summer Flowers and in patio pots, window boxes, and
hanging baskets are breathtakingly beautiful. The containers can
be placed outdoors but should be fed well as the summer progresses.
There are a great number of plants that bloom with Summer Flowers
from late June into September through several light frosts. Listed
below are some of the Summer flowers of the season to help you prioritize
your flower and act accordingly. |
|
|
|
 Amaranthus
is a showy and exotic plant, ideal for beds and borders. Amaranthus
serve best as accent plants, especially in dried flower arrangements.
Long, rope like Amaranthus flowers cascade to the ground from
tall, erect branching stems.
Amaranthus flowers are breathtaking tassels of the darkest
red or green .
Amaranthus is also called as Amaranth, Tampala,
Tassel Flower, Flaming Fountain, Fountain Plant, Joeseph's
Coat, Love-lies-bleeding, Molten Flower, Prince's Feather
and Summer Poinsettia. Amarathus is a broad genus of about
60 species of short-lived herbs, that breed mostly in the
temperate and tropical regions. Amaranthus also includes the
pigweeds, Amaranthus hybridus. |
|
|
 Asters
are beautiful perennials that are found wild in North America
and southern Europe.
The genus Aster includes some 600 species
of widely distributed flowering plants in the family Asteraceae.
Asters are also called as Starworts, Michaelmas Daisies, or
Frost Flowers.
Asters are found chiefly in North America,
with some species extending into South America; others are
distributed throughout Europe and Asia.
The word Aster is
of Greek derivation and refers to the Starlike flowers that
can be white, red, pink, purple, lavender and blue, mostly
with yellow centers.
The genus Aster is now generally restricted to the old world
species, with Aster amellus being the type species of the
genus (and of the family Asteraceae). An Aster flower is actually
a collection of very tiny tubular flowers, grouped together
in a central disk, and surrounded by so-called ray flowers
or petals, eg., Sunflower.
The central disk of flowers on
the Asters is surrounded by the ring of ray flowers.
In many
cases the disk flowers are a different color than the petals
so that the entire flower head looks like a single flower
with a central disk surrounded by differently colored petals.
The ray flowers on the Asters are never yellow. |
|
 Carnations
(Dianthus caryophyllus) are one of the most popular florists'
flowers. As long lasting flowers, Carnations are very popular
as boutonnieres, in corsages, bouquets, and in a wide range
of floral arrangements.
Carnations are popularly favored on
special occasions, especially Mother's Day and weddings.
Carnations
are also commonly referred to by their scientific name, "Dianthus",
the name given by the Greek botanist Theopharastus. Carnations
got the name Dianthus from two Greek Words - "dios",
referring to the god Zeus, and "anthos", meaning
flower. Carnations are thus "The Flowers of God".
The single flowers of the Carnations species, Dianthus caryophyllus
have 5 petals and vary from white to pink to purple in color.
Border Carnation cultivars may have double flowers with as
many as 40 petals.
When grown in gardens, Carnations grow
to between 6 and 8.5 cm in diameter. Petals on Carnations
are generally clawed or serrated.
Carnations are bisexual
flowers and bloom simply or in a branched or forked cluster.
The stamens on Carnations can occur in one or two whorls,
in equal number or twice the number of the petals. |
|
 Chrysanthemum
was named by Carolus Linnaeus from two Greek prefixes, 'Chrys',
which means golden (the color of the original flowers), and
'anthemon', meaning flower.
Chrysanthemum flowers bloom in various forms, and can be daisy-like,
decorative, pompons or buttons.
Chrysanthemum blooms come
in a huge variety of shapes and sizes.
Chrysanthemums come
in wide range of colors. In addition to the traditional yellow,
other popular colors are white, purple, and red.
They are
very poupular in floral bouquets and flower arrangements.
Gift chrysanthemum flower arrangements to your beloved to
tell them how much they mean to you.
Each Chrysanthemum flower head is actually a cluster of many
flowers, composed of a central group of short disk flowers
surrounded by rings of longer ray flowers.
Chrysanthemums
are classified into nine categories according to the type
and arrangement of disk and ray flowers - Incurved, Reflexed,
Intermediate, Late Flowering Anemones, Singles, Pompons, Sprays,
Spiders/Spoons/Quills, Charms and Cascades. For example, the
'reflexed' Chrysanthemum consists of ray flowers that curve
downward into an umbrella shape; the 'quill' has tubular ray
flowers that radiate from the center of the head.
|
|
 Cockscomb
flowers are also known as Wool Flowers or Brain Celosia, suggestive
of a highly colored brain. The flowers belong to the amaranth
family, Amaranthaceae.
Cockscomb bloom with a compacted crested
head 2-5 inches across, on leafy stems that are 12-28 inches
long. The flower's name is suggestive of a rooster's comb.
Cockscomb Flower blooms from late summer through late fall.
The Celosia plant is an annual dicotyledon.
- The exact origins of Cockscomb
in the wild are unknown, though some assign the geographical
origins to the dry slopes of Africa and India as well as the
dry rocky regions of both North and South America.
- Celosia comes from the Greek
word 'kelos', meaning burned; apparently referring to the
look of the brightly colored flowers in some species.
- Standing on long stiff stems,
Cockscomb make excellent fresh as well as a dried cutflowers.
- Cockscomb Flower is seen in
vibrant yellows, pinks, reds, gold Colors. Cockscomb has no fragrance.
- Cockscomb Flower has 5-14
days of vase life.
- Cockscomb flowers are said
to resemble rooster combs or convoluted brains, Celosia argentea
(Cristata group)
- Celosia cristata is a common
garden ornamental plant in China and other places.
|
|
 Freesia
is a genus of about 14 species. Freesia bulbs are usually
grown for use asCut Flowers. All the 14 species of Freesia
are African in origin.
The 14 Freesia species, 12 are native
to Cape Province, South Africa, the remaining two to tropical
Africa, with one these species extending north of the equator
to Sudan. Freesia flowers are
very fragrant, typically white or yellow, and are borne in
spikelike racemes. This blooming beauty captures
your heart and is a springtime favorite.
Freesia plants grow from a corm (a solid bulb, as in Gladiolus).
The Freesia orm sends up a tuft of long narrow leaves and
a slightly branched stem. Freesia Flowers are borne as loose
one-sided spikes of narrowly funnel-shaped flowers along a
side few leaves.
Some excellent Freesia varieties (old-fashioned)
for fragrance include: Athene, Allure, Demeter, Excelsior,
Golden Wave, Mirabel, Pink Westlind, Snowdon, and Welkin.
- Freesia bloom was named by
Dr. Freese (1785-1876) , a native of Kiel, Germany.
- The flowers come in a great
variety of colors - white, golden yellow, orange, red, pink,
mauve, lavender, purple and bicolors.
- Freesia perfume has a light,
sweet, soap-like floral scent - trendy in soaps, lotions and
so forth.
- Freesia flower bouquets are
also used for gifting on special occassions.Freesia flowers
are symbolic of innocence.
- Freesia are very poularly used
in the perfume, scented oils and baths and other related industries.
|
|
 Gingers
are one of the most beautiful and colorful flowers in the
world of flowers.
Botanically, Ginger is a rhizome of the
perennial herb which is indigenous to the South west coast
of India and the Malabar coast of the state of Kerala.
Gingers,
a multifaceted herb,enjoy a special position in the botanical
kingdom with their elegance in form, texture, sparkling color,
and amazing symmetry.
The word ginger conjures up images of
an exotic oriental food flavoring; however, edible ginger
- Zingiber officinale, is only one of approximately 1,300
species of the very diverse Zingiberaceae family.
- The English word ginger is
derived from Dravidian - akin to Tamil.Ginger has been cultivated for so long that its exact origin
is unclear. Gingers are cultivated for millennia in both China
and India, it reached the West at least two thousand years
ago.
- Ginger is grown throughout
the tropical areas of the world. The most expensive and highest
quality varieties generally come from Australia.
- Fingerroot - Boesenbergia rotunda,
also known as Chinese ginger, is a medicinal and culinary
herb from China and Southeast Asia.
|
|
 Gladiolus
is also commonly referred to by the name of its genus - Gladiolus,
the plural form of which is either Gladiole, Gladioluses or
Gladioli. Gladiolus is also known as the Sword Lily, due to
its sword shaped leaves, or Corn Lily.
- An ancient name for the gladiolus
was xiphium, from the Greek word xiphos, also meaning sword.
- African Gladioli were imported
in large quantities to Europe from South Africa during the
18th century.
- Most of the more than 10,000
named Gladioli cultivars probably were derived from just seven
species native to South Africa and first brought to
- European
gardens in the late 17 th century.
- The Mediterranean and British
Gladiolus flowers were used to treat physical ailments.
- The Gladiolus flower signifies
remembrance. It also expresses infatuation, telling the receiver
that he or she pierces the heart.Some parts of Gladiolus plant are poisonous, if ingested,
and handling some species may cause skin irritation or allergic
reactions.
- The English used the gladiolus
flower's stem base (corms) as a poultice and for drawing out
thorns and splinters; powdered corms mixed with goat's milk
was commonly used to soothe the symptoms of colic.
- Scab, Fusarium Rot and Yellows,
Penicillium Storage Rot, Leaf Spots and Blights, Stromatinia
Corm Dry Rot, Virus and Phytoplasma Disease are the Common
Gladioli diseases.
|
|
 Heather
(Calluna vulgaris) Scotch Heather/Ling Heather, is an evergreen
branching shrub. Heather flowers bloom in late summer.
Wild
species of Heather flowers are usually in purple or mauve
shades.The flower's variuos cultivars come in colors ranging
from white, through pink, a wide range of purples, and reds.
Different varieties of Heather Flowers bloom from late July
to November in the northern hemisphere.
- The scietntific name, Calluna
vulgaris, in general, came from Calluna from the Greek Kallune
- to clean or brush, as the twigs were used for making brooms
and vulgaris from Latin, meaning common.
- Heather flowers are a traditional
remedy in Swedish herbal medicine.
- The Heather plant is sometimes
also referred to as Ling derived either from the old Norse
Lyng or from the Anglo Saxon Lig meaning fire and referring to use as a fuel.
- Heather flowers are seen in
pink, lavender, white, magenta, amethyst, purple and red.
- Heather flower also comes in
beautiful and varied colors of copper, pink, gold, silvery
gray and almost infinite shades of green.
- Heather, the name most commonly
used for the plant, is of Scottish origin, presumably derived
from the Scots word Haeddre.
- Heather is one of Scotland's
most prolific and abundant plants.
- There are a number of reasons
why heathers are so abundant with such a wide distribution.
Firstly, the plant's reproductive capacity is high with seeds
produced in very large numbers.
- Heather forms dense stands
that shade and out-compete low-growing vegetation, making
it an unsuitable environment for native flora and fauna.
|
|
 Did
you know? Hydrangea Day is celebrated on the 5th of January
every year.
"Of all the plants... the Endless Summer (Hydrangea macrophylla)
has generated the most volcanic enthusiasm" - Michael
Dirr, the author of 'Manual of Woody Landscape Plants'.dHydrangeas
are one of the most beautiful flowers. Inflorescence in the
genus Hydrangea comes in groups.
- Hydrangea has long been a popular
flowering shrub. The flowers are considered by many as Grandmother's
old-time flower.
- Hydrangeas are one of very
few plants that accumulate aluminium. Aluminium is released
from acidic soils, and forms complexes in the hydrangea flower
giving them their blue color.
- Hydrangeas produce their main
flower clusters from the tips of shoots formed from the previous
season.
- If the terminal buds of these
shoots are destroyed, the plant usually fails to bloom. The
chief causes of destruction of the terminal buds are excessive
winter cold and uninformed pruning.
- Hydrangeas are also widely
used as dried flowers, especially the blue Hydrangeas.
- The Japanese refer to these
Hydrangea plants as "Mountain Hydrangeas" because
they originate in the mountainous areas on the islands of
Japan.
- These hydrangeas are
smaller in stature and have smaller leaves and delicate lacecap
flowers.
- Although most Hydrangeas bloom
in summer and fall, a few Hydrangeas have developed the ability
to set new bloom buds in the spring after the old ones have
been pruned off or damaged.
- Endless Summer is just such
a hydrangea. This trait is referred to as being "remontant".
|
| |
 Irises
are wonderful garden plants. As the word Iris means rainbow,
irises come in so many colors: blues and purples, whites and
yellows, pinks and oranges, browns and reds, and even blacks.
The genus Iris has about 200 species and is native of North
Temperate regions of the world. Irises come in many forms,
shapes, colors and sizes and the sword-like foliage is attractive
when the plant is not in bloom.
- Iris are among the best-known
and loved among garden plants. Iris are hardy herbaceous perennials.
- The genus Iris is a large genus
of bulbous and rhizomatous perennials.
- The Iris was named after the
Goddess of the rainbow because of it's many colours.
- A flower on the Sphinx is considered
to be an Iris, and another appears on a bas-relief of the
time of the 18th Egyptian dynasty.
- Pliny also knew the Iris and
praised its medicinal virtues.
- The Iris was also a favourite
flower of the Moslems, who took it to Spain after their conquest
in the 8th century.
|
|
 Lisianthus
(Eustoma Grandiflorum) is a genus of 3 species in the family
Gentianaceae.
Lisianthus are found in warm regions of the
Southern United States, Mexico, Caribbean and northern South
America. Lisianthus is popular in horticulture, as an ornamental,
a potted indoor plant, and as a cut flower.
Lisianthus plants are herbaceous annuals, growing to 15 -
60 cms in height. Lisianthus plants have bluish green, slightly
succulent leaves, and large funnel shaped flowers growing
on long straight stems. Lisianthus are mostly found growing
in grasslands and areas of disturbed ground.
Lisianthus are large gentian-like bell-shaped flowers with
flaring pale purple petal-like lobes. Lisianthus bloom in
summer from the upper leaf axils.
Lisianthus are long-lasting
flowers with four wide ruffled, delicate petals and oval leaves.
Colors of Lisianthus include white, various shades of pink,
lavender, deep purple, and bicolors such as blue-violet. Double-
and single
Lisianthus flower varieties exist |
| |
|
|
|