Changing seasons bring an array of flowers and plants to the garden

With the great winds of change upon us, dare we say the smell of spring approaches.

All your hard work during winter will soon pay off as a new season comes to reward the garden with extraordinary blooms in gorgeous hues for every mood. There’s one more month of cool-season stunners to enjoy with daisy bushes leading the pack.

Fulfilling flowers

Strikingly crazy for daisies

Colour blast your way through the wind and immerse outdoor beds in bold and brave daisy bushes. The vivid variety of daisy blooms will pop off brilliantly against the winter landscape and are simply stand out additions to the  garden.

Daisies flourish in containers, beds, and borders that receive full sun. Bushes can be sown and /or planted in autumn for a vibrant August gust of colour.

Here are seven striking inspirations:

1. Cape daisy (Osteospermum): Indigenous and water-wise in deep shades of many magical colours to choose from, flowering from spring to autumn.
2. Marguerite daisy (Argyranthemum): Blooms attract butterflies, available in pretty coloured hues for every mood that flower from spring to autumn. Single and double flowers available.
3. English daisy (Bellis perennis): A fast grower and spreader with uniquely rounded red, white, and pink flowers, blooming in masses from winter to spring.
4. Golden daisy bush (Euryops chrysanthemoides): Compact and evergreen with bright golden-yellow blooms peaking from autumn to spring.
5. Livingstone daisy (Mesembryanthemum): Dark centres blend into radiant shades of pinks, purples, orange, yellow, and crimson. Flowering begins in August, peaking in September.
6. Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum): Cheerful and quick-spreading with robust all-white petals and a yellow centre. These lovelies bloom from late spring to autumn.
7. Kingfisher daisy (Feliciaamelloides): Local and lively with masses of sky-blue petals and yellow centres. They attract butterflies and flower from spring to autumn.

 Daisy do’s: Although performing best during colder climates, daisy bushes will flower repeatedly throughout the year. If you maintain them well with regular watering, feeding, and deadheading, your garden will be rewarded with near-constant colour and frequent surprises popping up.

More mad blooms to sow: It’s wakey-wakey to winter beds with marigolds, ageratum, cosmos, lobularia, cleomes, godetias, lavateras, phlox, sunflowers, nicotiana, impatiens and begonia.

Blushing August bulbs to plant: These summer-flowering bulbs are ready for some rich soil, sun, and water: gladiolus, calla lilies, cannas, spider lilies, George lilies, tuberoses, galtonias, schizostylis, liatris, crocosmias, eucomis, storm lilies, arum lilies, gladiolus and dahlias.

Top tip: Don’t be tempted to cut off the leaves of your spring bulbs just yet. Although they have finished flowering, they need these leaves to make food for the developing bulb.

A rosy reminder: Ensure all roses have been pruned and increase watering. Spray bare stems to kill insect eggs and fungus spores. Relocation and transplanting should also be done now, followed by a good feeding.

In the grow zone

Edibles for sowing from seed packets

• In frost-free areas, sow these summer crops: runner beans, dwarf beans, maize, sweet corn, pumpkins, and squashes.
• Herbs heralding the spring sunshine: sweet basil, coriander and rocket.

Remember to harvest your root veggies : parsnips, turnips, beetroot, carrot and radish.

Edibles for growing from seedlings

• Plant out rhubarb, shallots, garlic, globe artichokes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.

Also remember to top-dress perennial crops such as asparagus.

Motivated maintenance

Lawn loving

• Begin prepping the lawn for spring with topsoil, fertiliser and compost.
• Your pre-spring treatment includes low mowing, firm raking, levelling out, and covering with lawn dressing.
• Sow seeds for shade lawn now.

Wind whirling

• The windy month has arrived. Stake all newly planted trees to prevent toppling and breakages.
• Ensure all creepers are securely supported on trellises and tie-down branches where needed.
• Mulch around your edibles to prevent wind erosion and help retain warmth.

Slug repelling

• Slugs and snails are eager to feast on soft spring plantings. Go to battle by planting barrier plants around new greens.
• Barrier plants include: mint, garlic, chives, geraniums and fennel.
• Bugs are deterred by the pungent smell and taste of these natural pest-repelling plants.

Ladybugs to the rescue: The eco-hero of the month is the ladybug. It may be pretty, but mealybugs, aphids, scale, caterpillars and thrips beware of its deadly munching crunch. These pesky critters are its favourite meals.

Some cold caution: In very cold regions, leave pruning of frost-damaged plants until next month as the affected foliage protects the plant in case of another frostbite attack.

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