Friday Flowers: Potted annuals

A young Dakota on our back deck

A couple of weeks ago, we had a few warm, sunny days and I hauled my flower pots out of the garage and put them on the back deck. Our home is built on sandy soil, which allows for excellent drainage, but it is not the best soil for flower gardens. We tend to have hot, humid summers, often with little rain, and our municipality has strict watering restrictions for lawns and gardens. I have planted low maintenance and native perennial plants in the flower beds such as echinacea, sedum, lavender, bee balm, evening primrose, hostas, trilliums, ferns and lilies to name a few. I have a variety of blooms throughout the season and do not plant any annuals except in my flower pots.

I like to have plenty of colour on the deck and plant geraniums, hybiscus, miniature roses, wave petunias, as well as various herbs. To start the season, I often plant ice pansies as they tolerate frost and snow and thrive in cooler temperatures.

I am anticipating the spring weather that must be just around the corner. With the slow start to the season, I thought this prayer would be most appropriate for gardeners everywhere.

Gardener's Prayer

O Lord, grant that in some way
it may rain every day,
Say from about midnight until three o'clock
in the morning,
But, You see, it must be gentle and warm
so that it can soak in;
Grant that at the same time it would not rain on
campion, alyssum, helianthus, lavendar, and others which
You in Your infinite wisdom know
are drought-loving plants-
I will write their names on a bit of paper
if you like-
And grant that the sun may shine
the whole day long,
But not everywhere (not, for instance, on the
gentian, plantain lily, and rhododendron)
and not too much;
That there may be plenty of dew and little wind,
enough worms, no lice and snails, or mildew,
and that once a week thin liquid manure and guano
may fall from heaven.
Amen.

Karel Capel


What are your favourite flowering plants for pots and planters?