Favorite Plants this March

I'm a little late with this post but there's been a lot to do in the garden this month and blog posts must be squeezed in.  Despite the unseasonable heat we've experienced this month, new plants and flowers keep making an appearance, which has also made choosing a favorite plant more difficult.  This week I've given preferential treatment to the Ixia hybrids growing in my backyard borders, in part because I don't think they'll hold up as long as some of the other contenders.

Ixia photographed in my backyard border

Ixia, also known as corn lilies and wand flowers, are native to South Africa and grow from corms.  They do especially well in hot, dry climates like mine but they can grow in colder climates if they're pulled up and stored during the winter months. Some growers recommend pulling them up in areas that receive summer rain as well; however, with good drainage, mine don't seem to have a problem with the irrigation they receive in summer.

They have upright grass-like foliage and look best grown in groups.

In a warm, dry climates they may remain in place until they become so crowded that flowering diminishes

Flowers may be cream, yellow, red, orange or pink and they often have center splotches that contrast with the petals.   All those I've seen in garden centers have been offered in mixed assortments.  Interestingly, all those I planted in 2013 have bloomed in shades of cream and yellow while all those I planted last year, also labeled as a mixture, have bloomed with magenta petals.

I haven't seen any orange or red blooms yet!

The Ixia hybrids are my favorite plants this week.  I'm joining Loree at danger garden in flaunting this month's favorites.  You can see her March favorites here.  Earlier this month, I featured 2 other favorites, Arctotis hybrid 'Pink Sugar' and Pelargonium peltatum 'Crocodile.'

You can read my March 6th post about Arctotis 'Pink Sugar'here

And my March 13th post about Pelargonium peltatum 'Crocodile' can be found here

All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party