analysis: landscaping (annual flowers) –      Impatiens

What to know about impatiens –

Notes:

• About impatiens:

  probably the most popular summer flower for gardens along with petunias and geraniums. They require little maintenance and grow quickly with multiple blooms that can make any summer garden very colorful.

• They thrive is shady areas with morning sun; and some species do very well in part-shaded areas. But impatience grow perfectly in areas shielded from direct afternoon sun. They are one of gardeners favorite flowers for the color and growth.
• Lately however, impatiens have been impacted by the downy mildew that kills off the flowers blooms long before the season ends. Impatiens will grow nicely and then almost suddenly the plants drops blooms only leaving impatiens stalks that turns a beautiful, colorful garden into a plant cemetery.
• horticulturists are working on impatiens varieties that are resistant to downy mildew. Be sure to check with yard garden center on the availabilities of these different strands.
• INFO: impatiens downy mildew: a curse and opportunity for your garden
  INFO: types of impatiens

• Where to grow:

  impatiens grow best in shade and semi-shade areas. They are perfect under trees and other vegetated canopy that protect the plant from afternoon sun. The ideal location is where the impatiens receive morning sun but shaded during the afternoon. Keep the soil moist, but not wet. They do require a lot of watering during hot summer days.

• Impatiens are both perennial and annuals. What we mean by perennial is that impatiens will continue to grow and bloom in warmer climates. But impatience will not tolerate frost. So they are commonly referred to annuals that need to be replanted each summer.
• INFO: how to plant, grow, and care for impatiens flowers
  INFO: care and watering of impatiens

• Garden Planning:

  impatiens are perfect as border and mid-border plants. They can grow from 8 to over 30 inches in height depending on garden conditions. It’s best to group them together to form full color areas. Again, place them in shady or semi-shady areas with other sunny-related flowers in areas that receive full sun.

• The colors of the blooms make up the rainbow – and they continue to grow and bloom with full colors until the first frost.
• Impatiens are also perfect for container plants – you can get a full, ball of color with one container. But you may need to keep the container soil moist for the impatiens to thrive.
• INFO: impatiens in containers
  INFO: designing your landscape with impatiens
  INFO: what to plant with impatiens in the garden

• Care and Harvesting:

  in some climates, impatiens grow and drop seed throughout the season. Many of these seeds will come back the following year. You can collect impatiens seed for next season planting. It is sometimes better to plant new annuals to get best growth and color.

• Note that some impatiens are perennials and will come back each year for full bloom. But impatiens cannot tolerate frost – the reason why many gardeners use annual impatiens for re-planting in the spring.
• INFO: how to harvest impatien seeds
  INFO: growing impatiens from seed

• Summary:

  Light:  part sun, shade
  Soil:  well drained and moist
  Height:  1-3 feet
  Width:  1-3 feet
  Flower:  blue, purple, red, orange, white, pink, yellow
  Foliage:  blue/green
  Season:  all season bloom until first frost
  Features:  low maintenance, good for containers
  Propagation:  seed, stem cuttings
  Zones:  10, 11
  INFO: view growing zones
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