GARDENS Annuals for hot climates

Annuals add splashes of colour to your garden all year long, but you must choose plants that are suited to your climate in order to have lush thriving flowers. Annuals for hot climates

Many gardeners, that have a hot and dry climate to deal with, often shy away from colourful annuals, as they think they will not do well without constant watering, and will require too much maintenance. There are, however, many annuals that love just such a climate. The table below shows a sample of annuals that can take the heat. A combination of the varieties of annuals, listed in the second table to the right, can be a great choice for those people living in hot, dry climates. These heat and drought tolerant annuals provide a wide variety of colours, sizes, shapes and textures, enough to meet the needs of any gardener. Even with annuals that like a hot, dry climate, gardening in such conditions can be challenging. Water restrictions can thwart efforts to provide adequate moisture to your plants so you need to be cognitive of the usual restrictions in your area. No matter what your climate, matching the types of flowers you plant, to the climate in which they will be growing, is one of the best ways to ensure a healthy garden and a healthy environment. Annuals provide season long colour to your garden, and can be started from seed, or purchased pre-grown from your local garden centre. Most types of annuals can be started from seed, by using seed boxes. Start your seeds indoors, in well drained soil, and make sure they have plenty of light, as well as enough water. After the seedlings have had a good start indoors, they are then replanted outside in the garden. For those who do not want to grow their annuals from seed, seedlings can be bought and transplanted immediately. This approach is generally more expensive, but after planting your flowers, you get to enjoy them sooner. When it comes to putting your annuals in the garden, make sure they are planted with the tops of the roots just below the soil surface. If you have bought pre-grown plants, make sure that the entire container is removed, along with any paper or plastic. If your seedlings are in peat pots, then remove the top edge of the pot before planting. If the seedlings have any buds or flowers on them, they should be pinched off when the seedlings are planted. This will promote greater branching, and help the plant grow stronger. After the seedlings have been transplanted, the plants should be given a good watering. It is particularly important to provide lots of water in the first few weeks, since the plants are still developing their root structure during this time. It is essential to provide adequate moisture to get the plants off to a good start. Even after planting, most annuals require from 2.5 to 4 cm of water every week to thrive. Even more water may be needed in very hot climates. Annuals need to establish a deep root system, and they can only do this, if they receive a sufficient amount of water. Deep root growth comes from thorough and deep watering and will produce lush thriving plants. The best methods for achieving this deep and thorough watering, are soaker hoses and drip irrigation. In addition, these methods of watering avoid water splashes on the foliage, which can serve as pathways to fungal infections. Another important aspect to healthy annuals is proper mulching. Mulch the bed before you put the plants in with 5 to 7.5 cm of pine bark or pine straw. Mulching serves to conserve the moisture contained in the soil and to reduce the growth of weeds. A good layer of mulch will shade the seeds of weeds and prevent them from sprouting. Mulch provides a natural form of weed control and thereby eliminates the need for hand weeding or harsh chemicals to control the growth of weeds. Different annuals have different fertilization needs. When you buy your seeds or plants, find out what those are and make note. Then, during the growing season, make sure you provide the fertilization that is necessary for each type of plant. One of my favourite plants to grow in a hot climate is the African daisy, which is the name commonly used to describe a group of different bedding plants. All those which come from South Africa, sport a mass of daisylike flowers (unsurprisingly!), and require similar conditions to grow successfully. Daisy flowers, typical of the Asteraceae botanical family, create a clear mood and design direction. They appear out of place in lush, tropical settings, typified by plants with massive leaves and large garish flowers. They are more suited in my view to the sparser, restrained style of a Mediterranean, dry climate garden. At least three genera answer to the name of African daisy, with a number of species and varieties belonging to each genus. These are

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Arctotis, Osteospernum, and Dimorphotheca. All are hardy to light frosts, are fairly pest resistant, and must be grown in well-drained soil. While requiring regular water through the long hot summer, they do best, especially in heavy soils, with deep, occasional irrigation. Therefore, in their cultural needs, as well as in design terms, they associate better with Mediterranean type plants, than with tropical or sub tropical ones. All need full sun to flower.

Arctotis hybrids

The most common Arctotis found in gardens are hybrids that grow 30cm (1ft) high and wide. The foliage varies according to the variety from a dull green, to bluish-grey. The leaves are slightly rough and hairy. The symmetrical flowers are some 7cm (3in) wide, in shades of white, pink, yellow, orange, and red. Arctotis is most effective when massed as a ground cover, but is not to be relied on in cold-winter areas or boggy soil. The plants tend to become bare and leggy, so regular clipping is essential. My suggestion is to prune away the flowers even when about 25% remain on the plant.

Osteospernum fruticosum

This is a trailing plant, about 25cm (10 inches) tall, covering about a meter in width. It is somewhat course and untidy in appearance, and so is unsuitable for small, intimate niches. It can be excellent, though, in spaces where a sprawling look is in order. The flowers are very similar in shape and size as those of Arctotis, coming in purple or white. To maintain bushiness, regular clipping is important, as is the occasional cutting-back to growing points towards the woody base of the plant. This should only be carried out during the growing season. A taller version of this African daisy is Osteospernum ecklonis. There are a number of varieties of this species available, most notably the relatively compact “Passion”. This variety has pink, purple, or white flowers, with sky blue centres.

Dimorphotheca sinuata

This African daisy, sometimes known as cape marigold, is a fine annual for warm summer, and mild winter climates, creating a lovely floral display in white, pink or purple at the end of the winter and the spring. It could however, become invasive in certain areas. African daisy plants associate best in the flowerbed with plants belonging to the same botanical family; the similar flower shapes creating unity in the garden composition. Excellent companions for them amongst others are Felicia, Bidens, Chrysanthemums, Gazania, and Brachycome. Now, I hope this helps with some ideas for you to create that extra piece of colour in your garden. But please remember, don’t be afraid to try any of these annuals in your flower beds, because with the right plants your garden will have a bright vibrant feel all summer long.