It's a Flower's Life

Flowers are fun to grow in kids' gardens. You should decide with the kids what type of flowers to plant in the garden. Are they made for that area? Are they compatible with the soil? There are questions that may have to be answered before planting any flowers into your kids' flower gardens.

Flowers aren't all the same. There are many different flowers that grow and bloom at different times of the year. There are three main types of flowers: perennial, biennial and annual flowers.

Perennials
Perennials are flowers that come back yearly without replanting. Some plants are perennials only if they are in specific climates. In a climate that has distinct seasons, they die back in winter and grow and bloom during the spring and summer. Some common perennials are roses and lilies. Some flowering herbs, such as mint and thyme, are perennials.

Biennials
A true biennial takes a year or two to complete its life cycle. It will grow and perhaps bud during its first year, then go through a dormancy period. After the dormancy period, it will bloom and then the plant dies. There aren't many true biennial flowers. Pansies are typical of a biennial but in many climates are treated as perennials. Hollyhocks and foxglove are typically biennials that have been cultivated to be annuals.

Annuals
Annual flowers have to be planted every year. They complete their life cycle in one growing season. These are perhaps the most common form of flowers. Zinnias and marigolds are examples of true annuals. Some flowers may have been cultivated to act like annuals in some climates. Some herbs exhibit this behavior in cooler climates. There are many herbs, such as chives, basil and oregano, that are annual.

Are these flowers found here naturally?
Many of the crops and flowers we typically see in gardens are not native to the area. They have been introduced. In most cases, this is how we get the plants we call weeds. These non-native flowers might take over an area and destroy a habitat or take over native flowers.

Growing native flowers in your flower garden can help the environment. The best way to find native flowers is to call your local agriculture department and ask if they could give you a list of the native flowers. You might ask a local librarian for a book on native flowers for your state or region. You could also search the Web for native plants to your area.

What are the needs of my flowers?
Along with basic needs (sunlight, water and nutrients), many flowers need certain climate requirements. Finding your climate growing zone is a good place to start. This can tell you if a flower might do well in your area.

Proper soil conditions are very important in a flower bed. Most soils need some sort of additives to make them suitable for your flower garden. Most flowers need a balance of good drainage and moisture retention. Getting this balance requires some practice. There are soils you can buy commercially that speed this process.

Another need of flowers that many neglect is pruning. For flowers, this is typically called deadheading. This is the practice of picking, cutting or snapping off old blooms to make room for new ones. A plant will typically make more blooms if the old ones are removed. It will stretch out the life of your flowers.

Plan your kids' first flower garden. Make sure the first flowers are flowers that require little care. This will make things easier for them to handle. Remember to water and feed your flowers. Some great beginning flowers are pansies, sunflowers and marigolds. These flowers are easy to care for and require little beyond the basics of garden care. Once you get the basics down, you can move to different and more difficult flowers.