- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- home style today articles
- home style today q&a
- traveling today articles
- traveling today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Heirloom and Heritage in the Garden
Growing Old-Fashioned Annuals By Teri Brown
of Grandmother's garden in many of us. Some varieties can create a ground cover effect if allowed to meander through the garden. Their dainty and colorful blossoms often have a heady scent that can permeate through the entire garden.
Unfortunately, over the years many annuals have been bred for larger blossoms, longer stems, more compact growth or disease resistance, and, sadly, a lot of them have lost their true original fragrance. This is especially true for sweet peas.
"There are still those out there, like me, that make the room for one of the most exquisite late summer treats in the garden: the overwhelming fragrance of the old-fashioned sweet peas," says Dawson. "Cupani is one of the originals and is named for Father Francis Cupani, the Italian monk who discovered wild sweet peas in Sicily. This eye-catching variety, introduced in 1699, has flowers with a deep maroon upper petal and violet lower petal. Its intoxicating scent can perfume an entire garden."
Since annuals complete their life cycle in one growing season and in some climates the growing season is limited, sowing seeds directly into the garden makes it too late to start many of these plants outside. That's why buying bedding plants at your local nursery or starting your own plants inside six to eight weeks ahead of planting time makes sense.
When choosing your bedding plants, don't get ones that are too mature or leggy. They tend to be root bound and don't transplant as well. When you get ready to transplant your annuals outside, remember to "harden" them or get them used to conditions outside. Set your plants outdoors for an hour or so the first day and then increase the time every day for about a week before planting.
Annuals have a lot to do in one short growing season and need adequate amounts of water and feeding. Annuals, like other plants, enjoy a good mulching as well. Mulching keeps the weeds down and helps keep the soil warm and moist. Some mulching materials to choose from include straw, peat moss, sawdust, dry anure and bark chips.
Plants go to seed once their blooms are finished. By deadheading – pinching off the blooms when they begin to wither – you will encourage your plant to continue to bloom instead of spending its energy creating seed.