Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Pericallis For the Spring Garden


A couple of weeks ago, I opened my front door one afternoon and found a large box from Costa Farms sitting there. This always brings a smile to my face as I hurriedly open it to see what's inside.

 

Suntory Senetti® Pericallis! In three colors!


I don't know how long they'd sat on the cold porch, since Fed Ex never rings the doorbell or knocks to let me know they've delivered, and the plants were looking quite wilty. I feared for their blooms and hoped it hadn't been long enough to do any permanent damage. 

But on learning more about these brilliant plants, I found out that they actually thrive on cool, wet conditions, making them a great addition to early spring plantings outside. They tolerate temperatures as low as 32°F and cool weather actually helps to initiate better blooming!


They eventually perked up and I placed a few in the living room.  I took the rest to the conservatory. Wow! These sure know how to light up a room!

In spite of their bold color, they seem to go with anything. I like them with the variegated foliage of the Dieffenbachias...





And even the likewise bold Croton doesn't cause a clash:



I can't wait until it warms just a bit more to put these outside in my gardens. I can only imagine how great they'll look among the daffodils, the reticulated iris, and the crocus, both in the ground and in containers. 

Pansies, watch out! There's a new kid in town! (Look for them at Lowe's, Home Depot, and other garden centers.)

 

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These Suntory Senetti® Pericallis were sent to me by Costa Farms, the leader in the indoor houseplant and bedding plant industry.
As always, I'm grateful for the gift of green.



9 comments:

Chris Tidrick said...

Great photos and write up. They look great!

Diane said...

I love those purples! I can never have enough purple flowers.

Dave@TheHomeGarden said...

Beautiful! I love the colors. You'd better save some seed!

meemsnyc said...

I hate it when delivery men don't ring the doorbell! It takes 2 seconds! Those are gorgeous flowers.

Muhammad khabbab said...

WOW they are looking great. The blooms are one of the prettiest. What a lovely gift.

A Work In Progress said...

Very pretty! I'll be on the lookout for these, they'd make a great addition to my garden. Thanks for the write-up!

Unknown said...

These are just so cheery and bright, Kylee. They make me think I WILL make it through til spring, despite the endless snowfalls here...

Victoria Williams said...

I bought three of these, such lovely colors, I couldn't resist.

Kylee Baumle said...

Chris ~ Thanks, Chris! How are yours holding up? I'm going to put mine outside today. Warm weather in store for the next week!

Diane ~ I like purples, too, Diane! Especially in spring. Such a strong color, which I'm ready for, after a drab winter!

Dave ~ Well, they're hybrids, so not sure what they'd produce. But I'll try saving some!

meemsnyc ~ Isn't that frustrating? You're so right. Just 2 seconds and it might save a plant from freezing!

Muhammad ~ They're so vivid, aren't they? I can't wait to plant them outside!

Shannon ~ Costa Farms says they're in stores now, so keep your eyes open! :-)

jodi ~ How's that spring comin', jodi? :-)

Kim and Victoria ~ They just glow, don't they? I find they need a lot of water. Is that your experience, too?

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