Make your patio pop

FESTIVE CHEER: RED, GREEN, GOLD, SILVER AND WHITE

With four weeks to Christmas, colour it joyful, energetic and inviting.

Thanks to the rain, gardens are looking greener than ever, but with Christmas just four Saturday’s away, the question is: how colourful is your garden?

Let’s face it, colour is joyful, energetic and inviting, which is why the festive season is such a colourful time.

Red and green are the traditional festive colours, with gold, silver and white adding sparkle.

Translating that into the garden or outdoor entertainment space is quite simple.

Just plant up containers to provide those bright pops of colour. It’s like using scatter cushions, says BallStraahof’s Kathy Varney, “because you just need a few to change the look.”

Although red is a primary colour, it is seldom used as the principal colour in a garden. It is just too strong, but if used sparingly, and intentionally (like scatter cushions), red introduces an element of energy and excitement.

Another interesting fact is, where green is the prevailing colour, red flowers or foliage appear far more intense, according to how our eyes perceive it.

For sunny spaces, Varney recommends the following sun-lovers in varying shades of red.

PENTAS GLITTERATI RED STAR

The shimmering red-and-white, star-patterned blooms show off beautifully in patio pots and combinations. It is a short, compact perennial, growing 30 to 40 centimetres tall with an almost equal spread.

Glitterati tolerates the heat and humidity of SA summers, and flowers continuously, attracting butterflies, bees and nectar-loving birds.

Deadheading will encourage more blooms.

PETUNIA MAGENTA MAMBO

The name says it all, because this petunia exudes the right kind of spirit for the festive season.

It is the latest in speckled petunias, with vibrant purplish-red flowers, peppered with multi-coloured specks and a light fragrance.

The plants grow into a neat mound, great for containers or hanging baskets, as well as for the garden. Find a sunny spot in soil that drains well.

The colours don’t fade in the heat and the flowers attract bees, butterflies and nectar-sipping birds.

COLEUS COLEOSAURUS

This dramatic foliage plant, with dark red, gold-green patterned and scalloped leaves, looks magnificent in a container. A single plant makes a statement, being capable of growing up to 70cm high and 90cm wide.

It is easy to grow, low maintenance and heat tolerant.

Full sun brings out its colours and it also performs well in partial shade. However, the more sun it receives, the more often it should be watered in a container.

Pinch out the growing tips to encourage bushiness.

SUNPATIENS COMPACT RED

The red and magenta compact varieties are both vividly coloured, disease-free impatiens that are densely branched plants which easily fill a large container.

The large flowers stand out against the lush, dark-green leaves, producing an exotic, tropical effect.

Sunpatiens is an interspecific variety and true to its name, is robust enough to take more sun than one expects, although it grows well in the shade, too.

However, container plants placed in sunnier positions need daily watering in summer.

Fortunately, they are also forgiving plants. If the leaves wilt from lack of water, all they need is a good watering to bounce back.

QUICK TIPS

Feed to replace nutrients washed out by the rainfall.

Remove weeds; mow weekly and keep edges trimmed.

Check for drainage problems. Waterlogged plants rot or fall prey to fungus disease.

For more information: www. ballstraathof.co.za