Khanyi Mlaba
Mass these garden stalwarts in a sunny spot for weeks of cheerful colour
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Gazanias
The cheerful blooms of this hardy, clump-forming plant stand out against their soft, silver and grey foliage. They flourish in sandy, well-draining soil and don’t need much water.
Lobelia
Beautiful as soft edging in beds, lobelia can also be planted in hanging baskets and pots where its low-growing blooms appear all through summer. Self-seeding, it comes in a range of blue shades. It prefers rich soil so add compost before planting. Keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged.
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Dianthus
Available in a range of spectacular colours, including pink, purple, red, white and bicoloured, dianthus flowers profusely. Use these compact plants in beds, containers, hanging baskets and window boxes where their fragrant, frilly blooms are irresistible to bees and butterflies.
Pansies
Their colourful array of decorative patterns make pansies a favourite in the spring garden. With their bold faces, they’re ideal just about anywhere in the garden, including in containers and hanging baskets. Before planting, dig in a generous amount of compost.
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Gaillardia
This mound-forming perennial has a long flowering season. Drought tolerant, its daisy-like yellow, orange, red and brown blooms attract bees and butterflies. It enjoys compost-rich soil and doesn’t mind dry and rocky conditions.
Growing tips for these spring flowers:
- To keep your plants blooming beautifully, remove dead flowers regularly to encourage reblooming.
- Apply a general fertiliser to annuals once a month.
For more info, visit lifeisagarden.co.za
