Close your eyes and imagine the world of Mediterranean plants: olive and lemon groves, oleanders, which adorn the streets, figs and pomegranates in the gardens… It was on them that you can choose when you design a terrace in the Mediterranean style, because they are all associated with tempting southern countries, where almost always the sun reigns.
By planting exotics in containers, you can easily create a spectacular decor for the entrance area, balcony or corner of the rest. Flowering shrubs, such as oleander and bougainvillea, have many varieties and admire the simple and double flowers of different colors and shades-white, pink, salmon, scarlet. Red oleander, a symbol of southern Europe, is very popular. This evergreen tall shrub with narrow leathery leaves, bright and large flowers has long been considered a favorite of the court and decorated terraces, Palace parks and villas of the nobles. And it’s not just about the luxurious appearance. He has another secret: according to ancient beliefs, oleander has a positive effect on the home atmosphere, levels the “machinations” of negative energy and even… is able to cheer up the owners!
Bright blossoms-balls dark blue or white colors will please their owners Agapanthus praecox. Despite the luxurious appearance, this handsome man is very unpretentious and is content with a small: a narrow pot, a small amount of fertilizer and moderate watering, so that the land has time to dry out — and a large number of flower stalks are provided! Plant agapanthus on a Sunny plot, and luxurious flowering is also provided.
Oleander, pomegranate and strawberry tree will help you to create a bright summer atmosphere of the Mediterranean on the terrace.
No less cute and looks Plumbágo ear-shaped, decorated with sky-blue flowers. The plant blooms until the autumn.
Olive admires shiny silver foliage. Olive harvest can be collected in the garden. To the fruit lost its bitterness and were suitable for food they should be placed in a salt solution.
Excellent smell evergreen Choisya ‘Aztec Pearl’ with narrow leaves. It blooms from may to June.
It is impossible to imagine a South facing terrace and without figs. In optimal conditions, this plant bears fruit twice a year: the first time the fruit is tied in March and ripen in June, the second — appear in early August and ask for the table at the end of October. With proper care will be pleased with the abundant harvest of olive, Arbutus and Japanese medlar. And if the delicious fruit is more important to you than beauty, stop your choice not on the decorative form of dwarf pomegranate ordinary (Punicagranatum) ’Nana‘, and fruit varieties, such as ’Dente di Cavallo’. These cold-resistant plants can easily survive the cold winter in an unheated garage or greenhouse.
Strawberry tree owes its name to the fruit, resembling strawberry. They taste bitter.
The ideal form is demonstrated by the noble Laurel. It is unpretentious: it tolerates the sun and shade.
As for citrus fruits, then look at the kumquat and the calamondin: they are slow growing, well branched, forming Bush a beautiful shape, and covered with delicious fruits. And how much Mediterranean charm in the evergreen orange and lemon trees! Arrange them comfortably on the balcony or on the garden terrace, and you will immediately feel like a holiday, which was in the Sunny South. With proper care, you can count on a good harvest.
Large flowers of these exotics have a very bright aroma. And even the leaves exude a refreshing scent if you RUB them with your fingers. To fruit were juicy, water the trees only with soft water. In the summer, don’t forget to feed your Pets twice a week with a special citrus fertilizer containing iron. Many citrus fruits grow well in the street in a windless Sunny place in summer.
Care for exotics in containers
That southern plants in containers pleased with the blossoming look, they need to provide the correct leaving.
- Water the plants abundantly, on hot days — morning and evening. Use water when standing or softened. Oleander grows well, code in the pallet is constantly water. For all other exotics stagnant water is undesirable!
- Feed every two weeks. The last fertilizer spend 4 weeks before the end of the growing season. If you use fertilizer acknowledge their validity and, if necessary, repeat the feeding.
- Remove the withered flowers. This not only gives the plants a neat appearance, but also stimulates further flowering, as the plants do not spend energy on seed formation.
Double flowers, such as oleander, do not fall after withering. They should be carefully removed.
Special requirements of citrus trees
- A Sunny place is ideal for growing, but do not allow the roots to overheat. Shade the pot!
- On warm days, water daily, do not let the substrate dry. For irrigation, use rain or water.
- Apply special fertilizers for citrus crops once a week from may to October.
- Do the pruning! In addition to the main pruning, trim the branches at the end of winter, as soon as they become too long.
- Prevent the appearance of spider mites. With the defeat of plants with this pest timely take action.
Let’s keep bougainvillea in shape!
Bougainvillea are most often grown in the form of a stem tree. To these evergreen plants do not lose their decorative qualities, they need to be regularly trimmed. The main pruning is carried out in March, by the beginning of the growth season. If you neglect this, during the summer, the twine shoots of bougainvillea will grow up to several meters in length.
The flowers always appear at the end of the stems, so bougainvillea further cut after each flowering: too long whitewashed cut just above the place of attachment of the leaf to the stem. This gives an active growth of short side shoots that have time to bloom in the same season.