Lavatera - Garden Ideas & Outdoor Decor

Light:

Sun

Type:

Annual

Height:

3 to 8 feet

Width:

1-2 feet wide

Flower Color:

Pink,
White

Seasonal Features:

Summer Bloom

Special Features:

Attracts Birds,
Cut Flowers,
Good for Containers,
Low Maintenance

how to grow Lavatera

Propagation

Seed

garden plans for Lavatera

Large Summer Sunny Border

more varieties for Lavatera

Malva rose

Lavatera assurgentiflora, an evergreen shrub in coastal climates, has red-and-white-striped flowers that are 2-3 inches across. The plant tolerates salt spray and coastal challenges with ease. It grows 6-10 feet tall.

‘Mont Blanc’ lavatera

Lavatera ‘Mont Blanc’ bears pure-white flowers on a compact 2-foot-tall plant.

‘Mont Rose’ lavatera

Lavatera ‘Mont Rose’ bears soft-pink flowers on a compact 3-foot-tall plant.

‘Silver Cup’ lavatera

Lavatera ‘Silver Cup’ has big pink flowers with darker veins on a compact 3-foot-tall plant.

Tree mallow

Lavatera maritima is a fast-growing shrub that reaches 8 feet tall and 12 feet wide in short order. Its pink to white flowers are up to 3 inches across. Zones 6-8

plant Lavatera with

Spider Flower

It’s amazing that the tall, dramatic spider flower is only an annual. Once temperatures warm up, it zooms to 4 feet or more plants very quickly and produces large balls of flowers with fascinating long seedpods that whirl out from it. Cut it for vases, but be aware that the flowers shatter easily after a few days. It typically self-seeds prolifically, so you only have to plant it once. Because it develops surprisingly large thorns, it’s best to keep spider flower away from walkways.Plant established seedlings in spring after all danger of frost has passed. Cleome does best in moderately rich, well-drained soil. Be careful about fertilizing or you’ll have extremely tall floppy plants. Group in clusters of 6 or more for best effect.

Dahlia

Nothing beats a dahlia for summer color. Growing these varied, spiky flowers is like having a box of garden crayons at your disposal. The flowers form on branching, fleshy stems or open in solitary splendor on the bedding-plant types in mid- to late summer. Several different flower categories, from the petite mignonettes to the gigantic dinner-plate dahlias, offer possibilities for any space.Expert dahlia growers recommend pinching off the first crop of side flower buds to encourage vigorous plant branching and larger flowers in peak season. All dahlias are fodder for brilliant seasonal cut bouquets and are always one of the most popular cut flowers at local farmer’s markets. Their blooming season extends into fall and is only halted by the first frost.Gardeners in climates colder than Zone 8 should cut back the withered foliage after the first frost and dig up tubers to store over winter. For a fast start with dahlia plants before it’s safe to plant outdoors, pot the tubers up, water sparingly and grow in a sunny location until sprouts appear, and then transplant outdoors after the last frost.

Moonflower

Moonflower is one of the most romantic plants you can grow in the garden. It’s a statuesque, ideal evening-garden plant bearing large trumpet-shape flowers that unfurl in the evening (or on overcast days) and stay open until the sun rises. Some are sweetly fragrant when open. This beautiful plant is also very heat- and drought-resistant. Beware: It’s quite poisonous, especially the seeds.Moonflower can be found as an established plant in garden centers. Plant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. Give it moderate moisture and fertilizer. You can also train it into a treelike plant along a stake, especially in a large container. Datura reseeds freely to the point of being invasive in some conditions.

Find more about choosing and growing annuals

How to Pick Healthy Plants

The Best Annual Flowers of 2014
Trend Spotting with BHG: Flower Combinations
Top Shade Garden Plants