Desert Blooms – Annuals For Your Property

There are many desert annuals that perform the best in the arid, heat-loaded environment.  Some will give your commercial landscape a tremendous burst of color while others make a fast-growing ground cover. Desert annuals are plants that live out their whole life during only one season. The length of this life depends on various factors, but it could be weeks or even months.  The biggest factor that affects the life of an annual is the temperature.  Most are either mildly frost hardy or heat hardy. 

The great part about desert annuals is their fast growth. Annuals have the ability to fill in areas in a very small amount of time.  They provide vivid color, texture and even a scent to your arid landscape. In the desert, annuals that do very well include the African daisy, chrysanthemum, canyon lupine, cosmos, geraniums, vincas and poppies.  There is a wide variety available at local nurseries and garden centers to suit every landscaping need.

African Daisy
African daisy has a bold, graphic look that's hard to find in more common daisies. Flowers are big, with interesting, eyelike markings around the flower's center.

This cool-season plant hails from South Africa. In warm-summer areas, it often takes a break during the peak of summer, but re-blooms in fall. Many types have silvery-green leaves that remain attractive when the plant isn't in bloom. It's usually grown as an annual but is a perennial in frost-free climates.

Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums are a must-have for the fall garden. No other late-season flower delivers as much color.

Beautiful chrysanthemum flowers, available in several colors, bring new life to a garden in the fall. Some varieties have daisy blooms; others may be rounded globes, flat, fringed, quill shape, or spoon shape. They work exceptionally well in container plantings and pots.

Vincas
You've got to love annual vincas, they are truly remarkable. It will tolerate a wide variety of conditions and still keep it up with almost unreal-looking, glossy green flowers and pretty pink, lavender, or red flowers that look like tiny parasols.

Whether the summer is dry or wet, hot or cold, this plant is unfazed. It makes a great container plant. Or plant it in a bed or border, grouping at least eight or more together for best effect.

Plant established seedlings in spring after all danger of frost has passed. Vinca withstands drought but does best with moderate moisture. Fertilize occasionally. 

Poppies
When you want excitement in June, consider Poppies, whose ruffled and shimmering petals pack more pigment than you can imagine. Plant Poppies in groups in a sunny, well-drained position and match them with summer bloomers or annuals that spread out and will conceal their early dormancy.

The best times to start growing poppies and plant seeds is either early fall, or in the first part of March. Planting in fall will result in earlier blooms the following spring, whereas planting in spring will result in summer blooms. Alternately, you can plant half your seeds in the fall, and half in the spring.

It doesn’t matter to us whether you want lush lawns, desert landscaping or some type of landscaping in between, we can help your commercial property.  To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net