Cacti need full sun exposure, with very few exceptions, and a long warm season exceeding 6 months to grow. The intense activity of the cacti takes place during the spring and summer period, during which, in addition to growth, they also give their unique flowering. As for winter, a period of dormancy, cacti seek temperatures of 5-15°C, although some of them can withstand sub-zero temperatures for a while. Cacti need coarse, sandy, draining soil to grow. An ordinary general-purpose potting soil is not suitable for cacti, as it retains a lot of moisture. That is why we use specialized potting soil for cacti enriched with nutrients. Cacti definitely need fertilization, especially during the spring and summer when they do most of their growth. Specialized fertilizers for cacti, water-soluble with enough trace elements, are needed to improve growth and give their wonderful flowering. We add water-soluble fertilizer to the cacti twice a month for the spring and summer periods.

The sunflower, the well-known sunflowers, is a favorite summer plant to decorate our garden or balcony to give us its impressive flowering. The name of the sunflower comes from the fact that its head constantly turns towards the sun’s rays during the day and turns again, in the morning hours, towards the east. The dwarf varieties of sunflower, which reach up to 40-50 cm in height, are suitable for pots, while for the garden we prefer the taller varieties that exceed one meter and are also edible. The characteristic color of sunflower flowers is yellow but now new sunflower varieties have been created in shades from pale yellow to red and brown.

Sweet Violet is a small, decorative plant, originally from Europe. Famous for the intoxicating scent of its purple and white flowers, it blooms late into winter and is surprisingly suitable for small gardens. Resistant to the cold and lively all year round, it can even be used as a ground cover, under rose bushes or ornamental shrubs.

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.

Balsamina is a decorative, small and herbaceous plant of medium growth, with intense foliage and flowers in red and pink shades.

Balsamine (Impatiens balsamine) is also known as balsamine, impatience or love. This plant is preferred for gardens and terraces as it is easy to grow and does not need much care, it has a characteristic multi-month flowering and makes the most of shady places. The planting of the balsamina should be done in shady places and not have direct contact with the sun’s rays. In combination with plenty of water, the balsamina blooms both on the branches and throughout its central trunk.

Peppers, the vegetable with the unique taste and the most colors than any other vegetable! Peppers are a key ingredient of Mediterranean cuisine, combining a unique taste, crunchy texture and characteristic aroma. The pepper crop reaches a height of about 1 meter and, depending on the variety, forms fruits in various shapes, from oblong to rounder with bright colors such as green, yellow, orange and red. The fruit of the pepper has a very important nutritional value as it contains many vitamins and antioxidants, very beneficial for our health. At the same time, it has a low fat content and is therefore suitable for weight loss diets. The pepper plant belongs to the same family as the tomato and eggplant, the Solanaceae family, and they are native to Central and South America. Pepper cultivation usually begins in the spring. It is a relatively easy crop that with proper care gives us many fruits to enjoy in the summer. And if we don’t have space available in the garden, we can grow peppers in pots on the balcony or in our yard.