Melinda's Garden Moment Radio Tips
Melinda Myers
Nationally known gardening expert, TV/Radio host, author & columnist with over 30 years of horticulture experience and tons of gardening information to share! www.melindamyers.comMelinda's Garden Moment videos will help you create that beautiful landscape you’ve always wanted. Each week throughout the growing season, a new gardening video will be added right here, so be sure to stop back. You can also watch Melinda’s Garden Moments on your local network TV station affiliate.
You can include shade-loving impatiens in your gardens and containers once again. The Beacon series of impatiens are highly resistant to downy mildew. This is the disease that stopped many gardeners from growing this popular plant for more than a decade.
The Beacon series of impatiens have the same shape as traditional garden impatiens, growing 15 to 20 inches tall and 12 to 14 inches wide. They are more vigorous with the same size flower as Super Elfin. You’ll find 7 different flower colors, including bright red, violet shades, salmon, orange, white, coral, the newly introduced rose, and two mixes for sale this spring.
Plant Beacon impatiens 8 to 10 inches apart in shaded or part sun locations with moist well-drained soil. Grow them in the garden, containers, and window boxes.
A bit more information: Shade tolerant coleus, begonias, browallia and torenia are a few other options for the shade garden. Consider combining these with beacon begonias, ferns and hostas for added interest to gardens and containers in the shade.