The Municipality of Marathon entrusted us with a part of the garden in the office of the Mayor, which gathered all the necessary characteristics that Anigozanthos needs: Sun, good drainage, and many passers-by to admire it. You do not need anything more in Greece for this Mediterranean-type plant. So, we thought we would take this opportunity to introduce you to the gardening process and the selection of the plants.
Why did we choose Anigozanthos?
As the planting took place before spring, anigozanthos was in its ideal form to achieve its beautiful colors in the garden. The varieties we grow are evaluated hybrids with excellent resistance to extreme temperatures and drought. In addition, architecturally, they complemented the plot area that we chose to plant very pleasantly.
How did we choose the varieties we use?
We chose Fury for a start, which as a landscape variety, is more voluminous and taller, able to fill the back lines of our garden, near the fencing of the town hall. Then we chose Tenacity’s orange-yellow and Pearl’s pink to decorate the front. However, Pearl is a more compact variety structurally, and for this, we will need more plants and denser planting.
What is the right location for the "kangaroo paw"?
The anigozanthos hybrids that we cultivate are ideal for outdoor locations, as they are exceptionally durable and have long flowering, even in the winter. The only details that need attention are the proper soil drainage and the avoidance of frost in winter.
How did we prepare the garden?
We started the formation by removing the dry vegetation and cleaning the wild sprouts. Next, we demarcated the space where we would plant and then calculated the rows and the distance we needed to leave between each plant.
Then we opened the pits by making a hole three times the volume of our pot, and at the bottom of the hole, we put a little pumice for better drainage in the first days of planting. After that, we will support our garden 2-3 times a year. For this reason, we spread watering hoses and put drippers in each hole.
How did we plant Anigozanthos?
We started planting by carefully placing each plant in its place. First, we filled the space with the soil we took out and pressed it entirely to have no gaps. Then, we created a small basin around each plant to hold more water. Next, we planted Pearl in the front, Fury in the rear, and Tenacity for extra color in the center. Finally, near the cobblestone, we chose a hardy plant with creeping growth, the disphyllum! The garden began to take shape, and the result was satisfactory at the end of the first day.
We finished planting on the second day, assessed the drippers, and applied a little metaldehyde to prevent the snails from feasting on the freshly planted anigozanthos. Finally, we covered the soil, hiding imperfections, and rubbers, with pieces of pine bark. The light layer of pine helps reduce weeds’ growth; hence, our garden needs less maintenance. Before leaving, we added some stones to the surface to emphasize the decorative character of the lot.
But this is only the beginning. Anigozanthos needs a few days to acclimatize its pristine environment and spread its roots. Planting in the ground marks the beginning of a richer flowering as the plant feels that it extends beyond the narrow boundaries of the pot and expands. Then, within a month, the picture changed significantly.
When is the ideal time to plant the garden? (and the challenges we faced)
As with all types of gardening, the ideal planting season is in the fall to allow the plants to develop a robust root system before next summer. But we started this garden at the end of February, knowing that the plants will give maximum results next year, impressing passers-by even more! Nevertheless, in May 2016, the image of our garden was stunning, capturing the eyes of those who participated in the Half-Marathon and giving the best example of how easily flowers can change our psyche. So, imagine what you can achieve with a little more effort in your garden if we could accomplish this result in one corner of the municipality! Good luck!
