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Collier's
Garden Scoop
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April 2019
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Over the next two months we'll have our best selection of the entire year! Local and regional growers are at peak production during April & May so you can shop the largest variety of annuals, perennials, herbs and veggies. An abundance of beautiful, interesting, unusual and hard-to-find plants await you. We look forward to seeing you at the nursery and wish you all a happy spring!
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April Hours
Monday - Saturday 9 to 5:30
Sunday 1 to 5
We will be closed on Easter Sunday.
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Our Ultimate Annual Guide
We're at the starting line of a long Alabama growing season and it's time to plant annuals in your garden to enjoy for months to come. Read on for tips to ensure your container gardens and flower beds are healthy, happy and beautiful, along with our favorite annuals chosen for their reliability and (nearly) effortless beauty.
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1.
Establish a great foundation. Loose, organically rich soil and good drainage produce healthy plants. For flower beds, add a layer of garden soil and soil conditioner on top of the ground and turn-in with a shovel to loosen and break up compacted or clay soils. For container gardens we recommend a mixture of potting soil and soil conditioner. It's also important to make sure your container has adequate drainage holes. Mix in
Osmocote before planting, or sprinkle over the top after planting. This slow-release fertilizer provides nutrients for 3 to 4 months.
2.
Choose wisely. Selecting plants that are appropriate for your garden's light conditions is essential to success. The following guide to annuals will help you decide which plants to use based on the amount of sunlight in your garden. Pay attention to the size each plant will grow at maturity and space accordingly. More is not always better; over-crowding causes competition between plants for water, nutrients and root space, which results in reduced growth and vigor, as well as weak plants that are more susceptible to disease and insect infestation.
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Keep cool. Adding a layer of mulch over the soil in container gardens and flower beds insulates plant roots from hot temperatures and slows evaporation.
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Water deeply and consistently. It's better to thoroughly saturate the soil less often than it is to water scantly more often. Try not to let plants wilt in between waterings. Repeated wilting causes stress and will eventually result in poor growth and lackluster appearance.
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A little maintenance goes a long way. Although not required for all, some flowering annuals benefit from occasional "deadheading" or removing faded flowers and seed heads. This jump-starts the process of new flower bud production. By mid-summer some annuals begin to look leggy and unkempt. If this happens, trim the plant back by 1/2 to 2/3rds to help it regenerate. Re-apply Osmocote in mid-summer. Flowering annuals benefit from an occasional dose of
fertilome Blooming & Rooting, a water-soluble fertilizer that promotes blooms.
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Water Requirements
Some annuals require consistent moisture to thrive and wilt quickly if the soil becomes dry. Plant these in containers and flower beds that are easy to water daily. Drought tolerant annuals will endure some neglect and don't mind if the soil dries out a bit. These no-melt options are ideal for the areas of your garden that bake in the summer heat and top the list as the most tenacious choices.
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Thrillers, Fillers and Spillers
This now common adage is a simple yet very effective way to create visually appealing mixed plantings in container gardens or flower beds. "Thrillers" are the most prominent plant in the mix and often pull double-duty as the height accent. "Fillers" are smaller plants that surround the thriller and add visual interest at the midpoint of the mixture. "Spillers" are low-growing plants that border the planting or spill over the edge of container gardens.
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Consider Proportion & Balance
Choose plants that will grow in proper proportion to their surroundings, be that a container or flowerbed. They should grow to visually fill the space, but not underwhelm or overpower.
Balance is also important to a jaw-dropping planting. An arrangement can be balanced symmetrically (even numbers) or asymmetrically (odd numbers). Even numbers are often needed when working with more formal spaces. Otherwise, odd numbers are usually most pleasing visually. The reason for this is odd-numbered configurations have a 'center' for your eye to rest on.
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Utilize Color & Texture
The most compelling combinations result from interesting pairings or mixtures of colors and textures. When choosing colors you can opt for monotones (greens & whites or shades of one color), high-contrast colors (light versus dark) or complementary colors (located opposite each other on the color wheel- i.e. red and green, orange and blue, yellow and purple). Texture can be both visual and tactile. For visual interest grassy, ferny or large foliage is effective.
Tactile interest can be added with soft, rough or glossy foliage.
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Salvia & Lemon Ball Sedum
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Fountain Grass &
Dragonwing Begonia
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Attracting Butterflies & Hummingbirds
Butterflies love a "landing pad." Flat-topped or clustered blooms that are large enough for them to perch on as they feed are ideal. They are most attracted to red, orange, yellow, pink and purple flowers. Hummingbirds look for trumpet or tubular-shaped blooms in any bright color, most especially red.
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Annuals for Full Sun or Partial Sun
full sun = more than 4 hours direct sunlight each day
partial sun = 3 to 4 hours direct sunlight each day
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Angelonia
Consistent moisture
Attracts hummingbirds
No deadheading
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Cleome
Consistent moisture
Attracts butterflies
No deadheading
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Cosmos
Consistent moisture
Attracts butterflies
Deadheading beneficial
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Fountain Grass
Drought tolerant
Showy plumes late summer into fall
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Pentas
Consistent moisture
Attracts butterflies & hummingbirds
Deadheading beneficial
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Plumbago
Consistent moisture
Attracts butterflies
Deadheading beneficial
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Salvia
Consistent moisture
Attracts hummingbirds
Deadheading beneficial
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Shrub Daisy
Consistent moisture
Attracts butterflies
Deadheading beneficial
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Sunpatiens
Consistent moisture
Attracts hummingbirds
No deadheading
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Spreading Angelonia
Consistent moisture
Attracts hummingbirds
No deadheading
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Lantana
Drought tolerant
Attracts butterflies & hummingbirds
Deadheading beneficial
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Marigold
Consistent moisture
Attracts butterflies
Deadheading beneficial
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Melampodium
Consistent moisture
No deadheading
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Mexican Heather
Drought tolerant
No deadheading
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Portulaca
Drought tolerant
No deadheading
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Purple Heart
Drought tolerant
Perennial when planted in the ground
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Vinca
Drought tolerant
No deadheading
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Zinnia
Consistent moisture
Attracts butterflies
Deadheading beneficial
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Blue Daze
Consistent moisture
No deadheading
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Fanflower
Consistent moisture
Attracts hummingbirds
No deadheading
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Trailing Lantana
Drought tolerant
Attracts butterflies & hummingbirds
Deadheading beneficial
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Million Bells
Consistent moisture
Attracts hummingbirds
No deadheading
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Portulaca
Drought tolerant
No deadheading
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Trailing Vinca
Drought tolerant
No deadheading
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Versatile Annuals
for Full Sun, Partial Sun or Mostly Shade
full sun = more than 4 hours direct sunlight each day
partial sun = 3 to 4 hours direct sunlight each day
mostly shade = 1 to 3 hours direct sunlight each day and/or
filtered sun throughout the day
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Dragonwing Begonia
Drought tolerant
No deadheading
Non-stop blooms spring through fall
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Caladium
Drought tolerant
All caladiums thrive in shade and several varieties will tolerate full sun
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Coleus
Consistent moisture
All coleus thrives in shade and several varieties will tolerate full sun
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Dracaena Spikes
Drought tolerant
Cold hardy; can remain in containers next fall & winter with pansies
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Euphorbia
Drought tolerant
No deadheading
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Dusty Miller
Drought tolerant
Great color and texture
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Joseph's Coat
Drought tolerant
Perfect for borders
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Ivy Geranium
Drought tolerant
Attracts hummingbirds
Deadheading beneficial
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Licorice Vine
Consistent moisture
Soft silver foliage contrasts with blooms
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Sweet Potato Vine
Consistent moisture
Choose from bronze, purple or chartreuse
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Annuals for
Mostly Shade or Morning Sun
mostly shade = 1 to 3 hours direct sunlight each day and/or
filtered sun throughout the day
morning sun = up to 4 hours of sun in the morning with shade during midday and afternoon (11 to 5)
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'Kong' Coleus
Consistent moisture
Pinch back occasionally to
encourage bushy growth
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Geranium
Drought tolerant
Attracts hummingbirds
Deadheading beneficial
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Asparagus Fern
Drought tolerant
Fine texture softens mixed plantings
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Green Leaf Begonias
Drought tolerant
No deadheading
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Fuchsia
Drought tolerant
Attracts hummingbirds
No deadheading
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Hypoestes
Consistent moisture
Pinch back for
bushy growth
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Impatiens
Consistent moisture
Attracts hummingbirds
No deadheading
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Torenia
Consistent moisture
Attracts hummingbirds
No deadheading
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Trailing Impatiens
Consistent moisture
Attracts hummingbirds
No deadheading
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Trailing Torenia
Consistent moisture
Attracts hummingbirds
No deadheading
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April Lawn Care
Zoysia & Bermuda Lawns
in early to mid April.
St. Augustine Lawns
in late April.
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Collier's Nursery
205-822-3133
2904 Old Rocky Ridge Road
Birmingham, AL 35243
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