Laurie Voss Circulation Supervisor
Warsaw Community Public Library

It’s that time of year when my thoughts turn to Spring, and flowers. But, unfortunately, I did not inherit my mother’s green thumb. It’s more tan with dark brown spotting! But, having moved last fall to a home in the country that comes with lots of landscaping opportunities, I am vowing to try again this year.

So, since I am researching for some easy growing flowers for myself, I thought this would be a good thing to share with others that are more inclined to my brown thumb. So here are some supposedly easy growing flowers and tips to be successful with them.

Cleome bears spikes of fragrant flowers in shades of white, lavender, pink, and magenta. So easy, that they don’t even need covered by soil, and can self-seed year after year. That is my kind of planting! Along that same vein is Cosmos. Like Cleome, they can self-seed, and barely need covered to start. They also come in the same colors as Cleome, plus orange and yellow.

Larkspur is another quick growing flowers that grow in spikes of color, and can self-seed. Plant these in late winter, very early spring. They will sprout on their own. If started indoors, plant only 1/8” deep.

My favorite is the marigold. Who can kill a marigold? They come in bright colors, and usually sprout within a week of planting. I’ve often heard to plant marigolds around your garden to keep bugs out.

Another favorite of mine is the Morning Glory vine, which blooms ins colors of white, blue, pink, and red. They usually bloom in the mornings and close up in the evenings. A growing tip: either soak the seeds for 12-24 hours before planting, or nick the outer coat before planting. A warning, these can take over if you are not careful.

A moss rose is a beautiful, delicate looking ground cover for hot, dry spots. They often self-seed. Plant 1/8” deep and they will sprout in two to three weeks.

The last one I would add would be the beautiful sunflower. The epitome of summer days! Start sunflowers directly in your garden, as they do not transplant well. Place them in a sunny area for best results. If you don’t have a place for the large variety, then plant the dwarf sunflowers. Just as gorgeous in your landscaping.

Don’t forget to check out your Warsaw Community Public Library for a huge assortment of gardening and landscaping books. With everything in our collection, you are bound to find ideas for your garden.