New Guinea Impatiens (Busy Lizzie)

I've not had to spend too much time in the garden recently, mainly because the weather has been just perfect to keep flowers blooming. Cool and sunny, so there's no scorching sun in the afternoon, and I think we can safely say that the rain is over for this year.

I planted some New Guinea Impatiens a couple of weeks ago, and they are amazing. They are very easy to grow and look spectacular in outdoor landscapes, container gardens like mine, and hanging baskets. These flowers display intensely colored shades of orange, pink and violet. The flower pictured above is called Raspberry Cream.

Impatiens Facts

• Blooming Season: Outdoors from June to October.
  
• Origin: Original forms, tropical East Africa, Sri Lanka, India, and New Guinea.
• Location: Sunny to shady.
• Potting Soil: All-purpose soil, enriched with slow-release fertilizer.
• Planting: Set young plants 8 - 10 inches apart.
• Watering, Feeding: Keep damp during growth period and apply low doses of fertilizer weekly until August.
  
• Further Care: Trim plants now and then to promote branching.
  
• Pests, Diseases: Aphids, whiteflies, mites, slugs.
• Decorating Tip: These plants can be mixed with other container plants, such as ivy, to create a beautiful effect.
  

The above information and much more can be found in the very useful book, Container Plants: For Patios, Balconies, and Window Boxes.