When we regularly carry out this cleaning, many perennials, such as bluebells, larkspur, baby’s breath, carnations, bawdy, and yarrow phlox, prolong their bloom by producing new flowers.

The technique involves removing the flower stems, or flowers, with pruning shears by cutting just above a leaf or stem secondary (phlox, campanula, etc..) Or closer to the base of the stump (astilbe, daylily, etc..).

For low plants forming a carpet of flowers above the foliage, as ibéride and phlox moss, removing the old flowers with scissors by folding down as close to the foliage.

Tropical Beauty
Anthurium is a jewel of nature, an exotic jungle that survives very well in an indoor climate. It is native to the rainforests of Colombia, Guatemala and the Amazon basin of Brazil and has some 600 varieties. It is an epiphyte. That is to say, it grows with relatively few roots and trees, without parasitizing them. The plant receives enough light there, but no bright sun, it’s always hot and humid. That’s what the plant prefers in your living room, where it  feels a little something exotic. While familiar, it brings a little adventure at home.

A companion who inspires
The Anthurium is unusual: this plant has the voluntary presence, as well as in a modern classic. Moreover, as it provides warmth and plant atmosphere thanks to its abundant form: its many leaves and flowers produce a sense of protection. It transforms each dwelling in a home and a great story is created naturally between the host and his companion plant.

The flower is a flower!
Anthurium like deceiving its fans. The colorful foliage is often mistaken for the flower, but in reality the Anthurium has hundreds of small flowers. They are on the ear that grows from the brightly colored bracts.

Styling tips
● The Anthuriums are large plants and  they need to have space around
● The bright colors of the leaves are perfectly suited to sparkling color combinations pot, tone on tone or contrasting the contrary. Anthurium plant supports as a basis neon pink, bright red and deep orange, without disappearing into the shadows.
● Several Anthuriums in a cup are easily the effect of a small tropical garden.
● For those who like diversity, a colorful Bromeliad is good company in such a composition of Anthuriums. Different forms of flowers and bracts form a spectacular combination.

Placed on a central dome and supported by a bunch of bracts, tubular flowers are gathered into curious whorls of red, pink, purple, lilac or white. They attract the same number of insects that hummingbirds excited by their flamboyant tone.

In the garden, the flowers of bee balm brighten the beds for more than eight weeks in July and August. Some cultivars are sometimes staged flowers: in the center of a first appears a short stem giving rise to a second or even a third. Fresh flowers persist for several days in a vase and decorate those dried potpourri. Their nice ruffled flowers in bright colors are turning heads throughout the summer.

American origins
The genus Monarda gathers fifteen perennial species, all native to North America. Originally described and named by the Spanish physicist Nicolas Monardes in 1574, wild bergamot (M. fistulosa) was completely unknown in Europe until John Tradescant, an American from Virginia, delivers a few specimens in England in 1637. A century later, another American, the botanist John Bartram (1699-1777), collection of seeds of common bergamot (M. didyma) on the shores of Lake Ontario in upstate New York, and ships them to London in 1744. Some years later, they were a huge success at Covent Garden market.

Ironically, the bee balm became popular in England and Germany than in his home country. Without delay, the Europeans have sought to extend the color palette. This gain came at the expense of the vigor of the plant because, therefore, the new bee balm have returned to their homelands have developed a vulnerability to mildew, a fungus that covers the leaves with a white felt. Fortunately for us, Canadian hybridizers have developed lines more resistant to disease.

The Indian plant
The bee balm has indeed carried this name because of the current use made of them Indians. They used the leaves mixed with oil to treat the scalp and consumed as a tea to treat coughs, sore throats and flatulence. Even today, we recognize the plant medicinal properties: it facilitates blood circulation and relieves nausea and vomiting.

The bee balm to table
Fresh or dried leaves in boiling water dives provide a comforting herbal tea. They scent of white wine aperitif, wine or hot tea, like Earl Grey. The flowers taste slightly lemony and fresh leaves garnish fruit salads or vegetables. You can also make a syrup.

Culture and maintenance
Exposure
Sustained flowering bee balm requires full sun or partial shade. Hot, dry or very wet favor the development of powdery mildew.

Soil and fertilization
Moist soil, rich in organic matter and good drainage is essential for them. A supply of compost or manure to the planting, renewed each spring contributes to the vigor of the plant. Also, to counter the emergence of powdery mildew, it is advisable to keep the soil moist at all times and not to neglect watering during dry periods.

Size
The harvest flowers for regular consumption and the elimination of those withered prolong flowering.

Insects and Diseases
The primary threat is obviously powdery mildew which the plant is sensitive. The leaves are covered with a white powder and black. As a workaround, we favor the planting of resistant cultivars.

Multiplication
Like the Siberian iris, bee balm spread quickly through their roots rhyzomateuses. The plant may even be invasive: better to limit its development by dividing every two or three years. This intervention also has the merit of maintaining a tuft provided because the central area tends to thin out after a few years.

Bee balm like constantly moist soil and a frequent division and fear the hot, dry or very wet.

By cons, if a Ficus sheds its leaves, though they frequently turn yellow and if they are marked with tiny dots whitish or yellowish, it is then necessary to monitor the presence of small mites.

These are tiny (less than a millimeter), reddish, brown or beige. Moreover, they weave between leaves networks son purposes, like small cobwebs. In this case, we clean all the leaves (do not forget the underside) of ficus with a cloth soaked in soapy water.

You can also bathe the plant with an appropriate biological acaricide soap.

Spider mites proliferate rapidly when the air is hot and dry. In this case, the plant is isolated from other infested houseplants and placed in a warm room, away from sources of heat (fireplace, heater).

Some will grow and bloom better if they are a little cramped in their pots. This is the case for example of kalanchoe, African violets, cyclamen, clivia, elephant’s foot, waxy hoya, the sansevière (mother-tongue), live rock and several cacti, to name a few.

In addition, other plants do not need to be repotted because their life is ephemeral. This is particularly true of chili ornament, cineraria, chrysanthemum flower, the calceolaria and Browallia.