Gaillardia is an impressive flower with characteristic green-grey foliage and beautiful flowers that resemble daisies in shades of red, yellow and orange. Gaillardia is characterized by abundant and prolonged flowering that lasts from early summer to mid-autumn. It comes from America and belongs to the same family as the sunflower with several varieties, some annual and others perennial and a height varying between 30-90 cm. Gaillardia is an ideal choice for planting in a flower bed, in a rock garden, as well as in a pot on the balcony. The Gaillardia plant gives a wild flower feel to our garden and is also one of the plants that attract butterflies and birds. Gaillardia needs sunny positions to give us its impressive flowering. It wants light and sandy soil that has good drainage, as young Gaillardia plants are sensitive to excess moisture. To plant it in a pot on the balcony, we prefer places with southern exposure and relatively sheltered, as it is sensitive to low temperatures and strong north winds. In any case, we put a layer of gravel at the base of the pot to drain away the water and not to close the holes of the pot due to soil compression.

Phlox (with more common species Phlox drummondii and Phlox paniculata, Polemoniaceae) is a popular herbaceous ornamental that grows mainly as an annual, but in areas with mild winters it can be planted as a perennial. It is a genus of at least forty species and many hybrids have been created. Phlox belongs to the Polemoniaceae family, is native to North America and has historically been a fixture in gardens and parks around the world. The phlox Phlox drummondii is a genus of many species, annual and perennial, and belongs to the Polemoniaceae family. It comes from North America and is a plant with great participation in landscape architecture.

Carnations, one of the classic and much-loved flowers that are traditionally found in the gardens, yards and balconies of Greek homes. The carnation (carnation or dianthus) stands out for its lush vegetation with its characteristic elongated lance-shaped leaves and its rich flowering in impressive colors. There are single color carnation varieties in shades of pink, red, yellow and white, as well as bicolor carnations with wonderful color combinations. This is an extremely popular ornamental plant that, especially in previous decades, was not missing from any home. After all, the carnation has been cultivated since ancient times and was known by the name Dianthos, which means the flower of Zeus. The carnation is planted in the spring and gives us the rich flowering from April to November.

Portulaca, also known as silk, is an annual ornamental plant ideal for ground cover in rock gardens, but also for planting in hanging pots on the balcony. Portulaca originates from Brazil and is characterized by creeping vegetation and fleshy oval leaves. The impressive flowering of purslane lasts from spring to autumn, with single or double flowers, monochrome, two-color and even three-color, in shades of yellow, pink, orange, red and white. Portulaca has no particular soil requirements, although it prefers fertile soils with good drainage.

The primrose is the first flower to bloom in winter! Although a low-growing herbaceous perennial flower, the primrose is mainly planted as an annual ornamental and gives us its wonderful flowers from early January to late spring. The primula has characteristic lanceolate foliage that grows in the form of a rosette and is an ideal plant to plant in a pot on the balcony, as well as in the garden to create impressive color compositions. The name primrose comes from Latin and means first, confirming its early flowering in the heart of winter. There are, of course, some varieties of primrose that bloom in the autumn months. The leaves of the primrose resemble lettuce leaves, which is why many call it “lettuce”. There are many types of primroses with a wide variety of colors to choose from, from white, red, purple, yellow, pink, orange, blue, as well as striking bi-color varieties that have been created in recent years.

In the world flora, common amaranth is represented by more than sixty species. There are annual and perennial crops that are resistant to even the most severe frosts and resistant to any pest. Growing a plant is simple and not troublesome. With such a wide variety of varieties and types, you can get confused and buy feed or vegetables instead of ornamentals. Which varieties are the most popular and in demand and in what quality.