So many flowers and colors bursting from a dahlia bulb looks truly magical! The dahlia is a plant with tuberous roots, native to the region of Mexico, which was brought to the Netherlands at the end of the 19th century and gradually spread throughout the world. Today, there are thousands of dahlia varieties on the market with different stem heights, from dahlias with a compact growth that are limited to a height of half a meter to dahlias that have a very vigorous growth and reach a height of two meters. We will find varieties of dahlias with different shapes and sizes of flower, as well as in incredible colors, from white, cream, yellow, to pink, purple, orange, red, and even dark red that is almost black. Dahlias need several hours of sunshine to give us their rich flowering. So we choose a sunny spot in our garden, protected from strong winds, to plant them. To plant dahlias in a pot on our balcony, we choose points with a south or west orientation. Dahlias can grow in almost any type of soil, however they prefer fertile, loose soils with good drainage, which is why we incorporate manure and compost when planting. For potted dahlias, we use a quality all-purpose potting soil that contains perlite for better drainage and aeration.

Calla lilies are favorite bulbous plants with striking flowers, the lilies, which usually appear in summer or spring in warmer regions. Native to southern Africa, the calla has large green lance-shaped leaves and abundant flowering with striking trumpet-like flowers and unique colors. The best-known variety of calla is the one with white flowers, it blooms in the spring, on the Feast of the Annunciation, and is therefore often referred to as the lily of the Virgin Mary. It should not be confused, however, with the parthenocrine which has the same name and is a type of lily. There are many more beautiful calla varieties with striking colors such as yellow, pink, purple, red and even purple flowers. The calla needs a cool climate and can thrive both in semi-shady warm places in southern Greece and in sunnier northern areas with a cooler climate. If we plant the calla in a pot on a balcony, we prefer places with a west or east orientation. Calla lilies love moisture, but when planting they need well-drained soil to drain away water. For planting the calla in a pot, we choose a general-purpose potting soil that contains perlite for moisture retention and good ventilation. Calla rhizomes are planted in the spring, making sure that the eyes face upwards during planting. We plant the rhizomes at a depth of about 10 centimeters and at distances of 30-40 centimeters between them.

This beautiful flower is not particularly well known in Greece, however, we will meet it in the market, mainly in garden centers, where the sale of bulbs is a widespread phenomenon. So this is Ixia Hybrida, a member of the ornamental garden, which comes to us from the Iridaceae family and Africa! Gardeners and growers appreciate it for its impressive, colorful, unique flowers, so that worldwide it is considered a unique ornamental flower. Ixia Hybrida “escapes” from the traditional color of the famous white version of the genus. Under these conditions, it can even reach half a meter in height! The beautiful flowers it has, appear in the middle of Spring, with the flowering lasting until May!

Buttercup or Renagula is a perennial tuberous ornamental plant that is usually grown as an annual. There are many varieties of buttercups that give us abundant flowering in various colors such as yellow, orange, red, pink and white. Watermelon thrives in light soil that exhibits plenty of moisture, good drainage and aeration. To give longer flowering, we prefer to plant it in sunny places. The buttercup is resistant to cold, while high temperatures contribute to the rapid ripening of its flowers. Before planting, it is good to incorporate manure and compost into the soil or potting soil containing perlite if planting the watercress in a pot. We plant the tuberous roots of the buttercup at a depth of about 5 cm, so that they point down and at distances of 10-15 cm between the plants.

Begonia, also known as begonia or vigonia, is a favorite ornamental plant that is mainly planted in pots in the yard and on the balcony, as well as in impressive hanging baskets. A low-growing flower, usually reaching a height of 40-50 cm, the begonia is characterized by bright green, glossy foliage and many small pink or white flowers. We choose semi-shady planting locations for the begonia, where it does not get direct sunlight, in order to avoid burns on its foliage and flowers.
Begonia is sensitive to strong sun and intense cold, so we don’t want it to come into contact with cold and hot air currents. We place the pots with begonias in places with good ventilation that facilitate the reduction of humidity and avoid the development of diseases. It is worth noting that begonia varieties with red flowers are more resistant to direct sunlight than begonias with pink flowers, which are more sensitive.