colorful landscape design

Plant Flowers That Bloom Year-Round

South Florida is an ideal location for flowers that bloom year-round, providing vibrant color and
interest when other areas won’t support blossoms. There are a number of flowering plants and
shrubs that gardeners can grow for enticing color and beauty year-round.
Bougainvillea
Available in red, yellow, orange, purple, pink and white, it’s offered as a fast-growing vine and
low-growing shrub that will bloom off and on throughout the year.
Dwarf Morning Glory
When grown in South Florida, the non-vining plant can bloom year-round with brilliant blue
blossoms. It’s drought tolerant, deer resistant, attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, and
works great in rock gardens.
Gaillardia
Also known as blanket flower, it resembles a daisy. The brilliant red and yellow blossoms are a
cheerful addition to the landscape. Flowers are profuse and long-lasting. It can be a skin irritant
to some people.
Firespike
The plant has tubular, unconventional looking blooms, purple stems, and dark green foliage
with leaves that can attain 8 inches in length. Blossoms attract multiple butterfly species and
hummingbirds. It can grow several feet tall.
Gerbera Daisy
Bright, cheerful and welcoming, the flowers are available in red, yellow, orange, purple, pink,
white, and bi-colors. The centers can be light brown or yellowish to black. They’re a staple in
the cut flower industry and can last up to 10 days.
Hibiscus
Available in single and double blossoms, each flower blooms for a single day, but the shrub is a
profuse bloom producer. Colors run the gamut and includes red, yellow, pink, and multicolor,
with contrasting centers. They’re also offered in white and purple, but are less common.
Ixora

Also known as West Indian Jasmine, it’s noted for its ability to bloom year-round. Its flower
clusters can last 6 to 8 weeks. The shrub’s blossoms are available in red, yellow, orange, pink
and white.
Petunias
Highly diverse, the flowers are available in single and double blooms, in erect and cascading
varieties, and in an almost unlimited range of single and bi-color blossoms.

 

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5 Groundcovers for a Full Sun Plant Bed

Groundcovers are an often-overlooked option for flower beds. They require little care, quickly fill in their allotted area, and provide a brilliant burst of color. There are also types that don’t bloom, but produce interesting foliage. Groundcovers help keep down weed growth and help curb erosion.

Beach Verbena

This is a perennial groundcover that can stabilize dunes and it’s equally at home in full sun landscapes inland. There are tall and short versions, with the shorter varieties making the best groundcover. They bloom profusely throughout the summer. Verbena is heat and drought tolerant, and available in colors of red, blue, purple, pink, lavender, white, and bi-colors.

Moss Roses

The delicate appearance of moss roses belies its hardiness. Sold as an annual, it will freely reseed itself even in northern climates. It requires full sun and is a semi-succulent. Blooms encompass single and double varieties in shades of red, yellow, white, pink, orange, scarlet and bi-colors. The groundcover will happily bloom all season. However, it can be poisonous to pets if ingested.

Sea Fig

Also known as ice plant, the succulent rarely grows over 6 in. in height. Bright pink, white or yellow blooms adorn the plants for most of the summer and into autumn. The foliage evergreen, but plants will experience some dieback in winter months. They’re resistant to drought, heat and salt, and honey bees find them very attractive. They like full sun, but will tolerate light shade.

Dwarf Chenille

It grows to about 6 in. in high and flowers in full sun to partial shade. Flowers are brighter red the more sun they receive. A relatively slow grower, it blooms more during warm weather, but will do so periodically throughout the year. The blossoms are upright and have a fuzzy appearance. It will even tolerate mowing to encourage new growth, as long as it’s not cut too short.

Sunshine Mimosa

This is a perennial legume that likes full sun to light shade. It’s also known as powderpuff mimosa. Blossoms are small and have the appearance of pink puff balls. Leaves are fernlike and will shrink back when touched. It’s a quick grower and excellent for areas where erosion is a problem.

RCH Landscaping is a full-service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians has an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

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Colorful Plants for the Summer Heat

One of the biggest problems that gardeners encounter is identifying plants that provide color and can withstand the intense summer heat of South Florida. There’s no need to despair. There are a number of plants that can take the heat while providing waves of color from spring through autumn.

Canna

The lilies are available in standard and dwarf varieties in shades of red, yellow, orange, pink, apricot and salmon. Standard size cannas grow 4 to 5 ft. and dwarf varieties are 3 to 4 ft. They do need shelter from high winds, don’t like to become too dry, and are heavy feeders.

Coneflowers

Echinacea blooms all summer long and grows up to 36 in. tall. They’re drought-resistant and available in colors of red, yellow, orange, purple, pink and white. Some bi-color hybrids are also available. They’re highly attractive to bees and butterflies, blooming summer through autumn. The plants self-sow easily.

Cosmos

A native of Mexico, these are annuals that won’t wilt in the heat. Cosmos come in colors of red, orange, lavender, pink and white. They begin blooming in late summer and species are available ranging from 1 to 6 ft. in height.

Gerbera

The plants bloom summer through autumn in shades of red, yellow, orange, lavender, pink and white. They grow 6 to 12 inches tall and the blossoms can be cut for use in bouquets. They are equally at home in flowerbeds or containers. Gerberas are typically treated as perennials in South Florida. They like morning sun and afternoon shade.

Marigolds

The red, orange and yellows of marigolds provide color from spring to fall. The annuals can be grown in flowerbeds or as a potted plant and are attractive to butterflies. They’re available in species ranging from 6 in. tall to those that can reach 3 to 4 ft. in height.

Shooting Stars

Available in pink, purple and white varieties, shooting stars bloom May through June with uniquely shaped blossoms. A perennial and native wildflower found throughout the U.S. in wetlands and woodlands to semi-arid prairies, they grow to about 2 ft. high.

RCH Landscaping is a full-service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians has an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

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Drought Resistant Plants in Florida

Homeowners and businesses have a myriad of plants from which to choose that provide blooms and beauty throughout the season. Florida is known as a warm and humid state, but what people may not know is that weather records going back to 1900 indicate that at least one severe drought has occurred in Florida during every decade.

Residents of South Florida have flowers, bushes, ferns and trees that are able to tolerate dry conditions and even a drought without withering and dying. The following are some drought resistant plants from which to choose.

African Iris

Exotic looking white flowers emerge in the spring with distinct purple and yellow markings. It’s a low maintenance plant, the blooms last for only a day but it’s a profuse bloomer.

Beach Sunflower

Known as beach sunflower and dune sunflower, it can be found growing wild in coastal regions and can easily be adapted for inland plantings. A summer bloomer, the daisy-like yellow flowers may appear year-round in South Florida. It attracts pollinators that includes bees, butterflies and moths, while birds eat the seeds.

Beautyberry

The shrub produces lavender blossoms followed by clusters of purple berries in the autumn and winter. The seeds and berries are a food source for a variety of bird species, provides cover for birds, and the foliage is a favorite of deer.

Blanket Flower

A native to the state, it features red and gold flowers that attracts butterflies. It’s an annual that also readily reseeds itself.

Fern Leaf Lavender

Silvery foliage produces purple flowers that attract butterflies. The blooms and foliage are fragrant.

Firebush

The bright red tube-shaped flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden. The plant provides cover for birds and the seeds are a source of food for multiple types of songbirds.

Locust Berry

The Florida native features flowers of white, pink and red all on the same plant and it attracts butterflies. It can be grown as a small shrub or tree, birds eat the seeds, and it provides cover for multiple avian species. It’s a threatened species in the wild.

Reed-Stemmed Orchid

Also known as crucifix orchid and rainbow orchid, it’s easy to grow and the blossoms attract hummingbirds. The most common color is red-orange, but is also available in white and hues of pink, purple and yellow.

RCH Landscaping is a full-service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians has an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

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poinsettia

Best Place to Plant Poinsettias in Florida

The beauty of poinsettias is present during the Christmas season and in South Florida, it’s possible to plant the potted flowers in the outdoor garden. They can be a little tricky to grow, but with the right care, they can live to bloom on through many seasons.

Planting Poinsettias

One of the primary requirements for poinsettias to thrive and bloom is dark nights. They need total darkness during the autumn months. Even a little artificial light reaching them at night can delay bloom time or prevent the plant from flowering at all.

Keep holiday poinsettias in a bright, sunny location until time to plant in the spring and keep them watered. Optimal growth occurs when a poinsettia is planted in moist, fertile, well-drained soil.

Lighting

Gardeners will need to choose a place in the garden where the plant will receive full sun for most of the day, though slightly filtered shade during the hottest part of the day is acceptable. Individuals will need to pinch back the poinsettia several times throughout the summer to nurture a robust plant with numerous flower heads. Stop pinching about mid-Aug.

It’s important to keep in mind that poinsettias are large plants and will need sufficient room to grow and spread. In their native environment, poinsettias can grow into large bushes/scraggly trees, and attain heights and widths of 10 to 15 ft. Pinching back helps limit growth.

Native to Southern Mexico, the flowers have played a role in religious ceremonies for centuries. The first clippings arrived in the U.S. in 1828 thanks to Dr. Joel Poinsett, the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, who sent them to his home in South Carolina. His breeding program resulted in plants with a longer bloom time.

A Mexican legend about the plant says a little girl had nothing but weeds to bring Jesus on Christmas day. When she walked into a church, the plant burst into the beautiful red plant associated with Christmas. The plant is known in Mexico as Flores de Noche Buena, meaning flowers of the holy night.

RCH Landscaping is a full-service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians has an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

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South Florida Summer Color

Flowers and shrubs always do best in their native habitat, but there are dozens of plants that can be successfully grown in other areas if climatic conditions are similar. Not all plants enjoy the humid conditions found in South Florida.

However, there are a number of annuals that will thrive and don’t mind the humidity and heat at all, though some do require partial shade and well-drained soil. No matter what type of flowers or shrubs are planted, gardeners will need to be aware that powdery mildew is always a potential problem.

Coreopsis

The daisy-like flowers of coreopsis feature bright, yellow blossoms. They bloom throughout the summer and are low maintenance. They attract bees, butterflies, and birds like the seeds. They grow from 1.5-4 ft. tall. Hybridization has given rise to colors of red, orange, pink and white.

Marigolds

Available in various shades of summer color, yellow, orange, and those that are highlighted by red, brass and copper, marigolds don’t mind the humidity. They offered in heights ranging from 6-24 inches to accommodate any area of the garden. The long-lasting flowers require little maintenance.

Sunflowers

There are sunflowers to meet any garden need. They’re available in varieties ranging from heights of 12 in.-15 ft. Pollen-free varieties have also been developed. Sunflowers are available in traditional yellow, shades of red and burgundy, orange, bi-colors and even stunningly beautiful white, along with single and double flowering varieties that require little maintenance.

Wishbone Flowers

The bi-colored flowers are offered in a myriad of hues and look like miniature gloxinias. The blooms are long-lasting and plants typically grow 6-12 in. in height. It can be placed in the summer garden and will even thrive as a houseplant.

Zinnias

Zinnias are available in every color of the rainbow except blue, including solids, bi-colors, and even a creeping style. Depending on the variety, they can grow 6-8 in., 1-3 ft. and there’s even a variety that can attain heights of up to 4 ft. They can be used for cut flowers, are low maintenance, and long-lasting.

 

RCH Landscaping is a full-service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians has an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

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Pros and Cons of Adding a Bougainvillea

A bougainvillea is among one of the most popular vines and you may want to add it to your landscape. Beautiful blossoms are just one of the most attractive features of the vine. There are many reasons to plant one in your own yard, but there are also some drawbacks about which you may not be aware. The following are some of the pros and cons of adding a bougainvillea vine to your landscape.

Pros

The vines have become popular for planting around homes and along fences as a security feature and intruder deterrent due to their very sharp thorns.

They’re fast growing.

A bougainvillea will produce a profusion of showy blooms over the course of three to five weeks, depending on the health of the vine.

It’s drought resistant and adapts to a wide variety of soil conditions.

Bougainvillea can be grown in containers on the patio, which will assist in keeping it under control, but it will still require a trellis or other type of support. It’s never a good idea to cultivate them indoors due to the thorns.

Cons

Bougainvillea’s sharp thorns are able to piece clothing and deliver a nasty wound to bare skin. They’re not recommended in homes with children, the elderly, or pets.

The vine’s sap is toxic and if ingested in sufficient amounts, people and pets can become very ill.

If pricked by one of the thorns, you may develop an allergic response similar to that of poison ivy or poison oak. It may produce symptoms that include blisters, swelling, pain, or itching and stinging.

It blooms best when water stressed. That can be a problem for homes with automatic irrigation systems. That can be remedied by planting it in specific locations or adjusting the irrigation system to deliver less moisture to the area where the vine is planted.

Bougainvillea has the potential to become invasive due to its fast growing nature and adaptability if it’s not managed and maintained properly.

It needs to be planted a minimum of four feet from walkways and similar locations to prevent injuries to people and pets. To ensure it doesn’t disturb other landscape plants, it should be grown at least six to nine feet from any other plant.

The vine will require support. Make sure arbors and trellises are strong enough to support it.

Bougainvillea requires regular pruning to promote a proper form and prevent it from running rampant.

RCH Landscaping is a full service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install, and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians have an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

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Colorful Shrubs

Shrubs don’t have to have exotic blossoms to be landscape standouts. There are many shrubs that have extremely colorful foliage that provide interest in unique ways. Many combine spectacular floral displays with unusually-colored leaves that put on their own show at various times of the year. For those that crave colorful shrubs, the following are some suggestions in no particular order.

Dart’s Gold™ Ninebark

Foliage is yellow gold in spring, turns lime green, and then transitions to golden yellow with a hint of bronze in the autumn. It has small white flowers in clusters that produce small red fruits. The bush grows 4-5 feet high and wide.

Goshiki™ Variegated False Holly

The evergreen features white, cream, yellow, pink and orange hues on each leaf, adding interest during slower winter months. It’s drought tolerant, deer resistant, and grows 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide.

Nightglow™ Diervilla

Emergent burgundy foliage gives way to leaves that approach black in color during summer and then turns red in the autumn before the bush sheds its leaves. It also has tubular, bright yellow flowers and reaches 2-3 feet in height and width.

Purple Hebe

White flowers emerge and rise above the burgundy/plum spotted foliage in late summer. Leaves fade to green as they age. It grows 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide.

Rainbow Fizz™ Spirea

Foliage begins as a copper red color in the spring, transitioning to shades of yellow, gold and orange all at the same time in summer’s heat. It has fuzzy pink blooms throughout the summer and foliage turns copper again with autumn. It grows 3-4 feet in width and height.

Wine & Roses™ Weigela

The combination of rosy pink flowers against dark purple foliage provides a show stopping vision. Spring foliage is so dark it almost appears black. The award-winning shrub requires little maintenance, is deer resistant, and grows 4-5 feet wide and high.

RCH Landscaping is a full service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install, and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians have an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

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