Facts About Flowers Blooming in Minter Gardens, British Columbia

On a recent trip to Minter Gardens, British Columbia, the gardens were in full bloom. Minter Gardens has garden borders dedicated to a variety of purposes. They take advantage of the flowers that are blooming in a given season by using them in many places in different combinations and by using different varieties. The most commonly observed flowers were Allium, Lily, Poppy, English Daisies, Begonia, and . This article explains what you should know about each of these plants.

Lily [see photograph 1] (Lilium)

Lilies were spread out around the Minter Garden, British Columbia grounds in planters. According to Botanica [1], there are over 100 varieties of Lilies. Lilies grow from a bulb, and average from 1-10 feet tall. The flowers can be 1 to 6 inches with six petals. All require good drainage but vary in their need for alkaline soil. The smell of the flowers can be quite sweet. Lilies like to be planted deep and are often paired with a leafy ground cover or perennial to help shade the roots. Plant lilies in fall with bulb booster. Color ranges from white, red, orange, yellow, pink, purple and differ in the amount of spotting. Lilies last well when cut for flower arrangements.

Allium [see photograph 2] (Allium)

Alliums, especially with large, bold, and exotic flowers were found in many places on the grounds of Minter Gardens. According to Botanica [1], there are over 700 varieties of allium. Purple, white and blue are the most common colors. They bloom in late spring and vary in size from 4 inches to 5 feet tall. Plant them in well-drained fertile soil. Feed with bulb booster in the fall when you plant the bulbs. Plant them where they are unlikely to be crushed since they emit a strong onion sent. Most are edible and are favorites of squirrels and other pests. According to the Feng Shui Garden [2] the round heads look well in contrast with low drifts of silver and blue flowers. Most common varietals were Allium gigantum and Allium christophii. Allium last well in arrangements when cut for flower arrangements.

Poppy [see photography 3] (Papaver)