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 poppy is a plant native to Europe, North Africa and the temperate regions of Asia, while it has acclimatized in North and South America. It got its name from the Celtic word “papa” which means “food for babies” because the Celts used to mix poppy juice in baby creams, as a medicine for childhood illnesses.

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.

Zinnia is an annual ornamental plant that impresses with the variety of colors and shapes of its flowers. The zinnia has upright strong shoots with a length of half to one meter and large flowers that remain in bloom throughout the summer. We can find tall and short varieties of zinnia and plant them in a pot but also in a rock garden, on the lawn, and in flower beds, in various combinations with other herbaceous flowering plants.

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.

Euphorbia lactea cristata, is an easy-to-grow succulent, resulting from the grafting of two species. That is, two plants in one! Its upper part is Euphorbia lactea and its color is silver-grey, which can turn reddish if the plant is happy in its environment. Its lower part is usually Euphorbia neriifolia. Its shape resembles a coral and resulted from a normal mutation of Euphorbia lactea and is also known as Coral plant. Prefer bright spots in the growing area. With gradual acclimatization, it can also live in direct sunlight.