A plant that flowers for 6 months? - Apr 28, 2017
A Cyclamen will make you smile!
We are great gardeners here at Tim's Garden Centre but even we forget to water plants sometimes. We have an Aloe topaz growing in a pot in our carpark and it's lucky if it gets watered more than 5 times a year. Despite this neglect, it has burst into bloom this week. I love these bright orange flowers!!!!
Aloes come from Africa where it is hot in summer and freezing cold in winter, so the plants have to be tough to survive. This beauty, that is growing in a pot at our nursery, is the perfect plant for a non gardener. It will survive on rainwater only in most seasons and every winter it will burst into bloom with these beautiful orange flowers. We have other colours available too.
I was in Manly last week and spotted some spectacular Hibiscus covered in huge flowers. Hibiscus grow well near the coast but they can also grow well in Macarthur gardens if you choose the right spot.
They love to be planted up against north or western facing brick walls. They also grow well planted around swimming pools.
The walls and water create a micro climate that helps protect these tropical plants from the cold. It also makes them flower more.
We are taking 25% off all our Hibiscus plants this week. We still have some floral gems so come check them out.
We are still taking 25% off Frangipanis too!
We've had Frangipani collectors come from all over Sydney to buy these plants. We still have at least 12 varieties including the rare red flowering beauties. Grow them in pots if you don't have room in your garden. You can actually plant two plants in the same pot to create a rainbow plant. Use our Tim's Best Potting Mix for best results.
I doubt there would be a gardener in Macarthur who hadn't killed a Cyclamen?
These spectacular flowering plants were originally sold as indoor plants. They love the cold so if you put them in a heated room the leaves start to droop and then the corm rots and the plants dies.
But if you grow them in a room that doesn't get heated, or if you grow them outside in the cold they will actually thrive and produce flowers for at 6 months.
When you buy a Cyclamen repot it into a bigger pot straight away and it will double in size and produce even more flowers.
If you buy a pot and Cyclamen from us we will repot it for you for free using Tim's Best Potting Mix. We have Cyclamen from just $10.99 so they make inexpensive floral gifts.
Now talking about pots, this week new pots have arrived and they look amazing. They are "made in Australia" by a small company in Bermagui. They come in a range of beautiful colours and unusual shapes.
Hayden bought one the first day.
Australian made normally means expensive but these pots are good value and they are a little bit different. Come check them out.
Linda Ross is at our nursery today giving a talk to Garden Clinic Members. 36 people have turned up to listen to Linda tell stories about her travels and love of plants. She is great value and a little bit naughty.
You will have to listen to Graham Ross on 2GB if you want to come and listen to her next talk in September.
Pig was happy to see the piglets go back to school this week. We can only take so much. Pig is back on the milkcrate looking relaxed.
We have beautiful Pansies plants covered in flowers now. If you have empty pots or vacant spots in your garden, add a splash of colour with these long flowering beauties. Mix and match the colours and enjoy the flowers for the next 6 months.
You can buy 4 plants for $12.00. They will make your garden look loved, and they will make you smile too. It's cheaper than therapy and better for you than chocolate.
They will grow much better if you mix some IGC Planting Compost into the soil. This amazing product contains fertiliser, seaweed, wetting agent and rich Compost.
It's great for reinvigorating old potting mix too.
Bindi is popping up early this year. The best time to spray bindi is when it's actively growing. We have a bindi killer that's safe to use on soft leaf Buffalo lawns. Add a squirt of detergent into the mix and it will work even better.
An old friend swapped me a plant for a few bags of Potting Mix recently. The plant was so rare I've never seen it for sale in a nursery. It's called Kalanchoe beharensis. It has huge grey fury leaves and it looks amazing in a pot. We are propagating plants from leaf cuttings so we should have some for sale next spring. If you love unusual plants come and check it out.
It's in a terracotta pot near the kids playground.
We are having beautiful autumn weather so it's great to get out in the garden.
Come and see us if you need advice.
Happy gardening
Tim