The 5 Must Have Plants For Romantics

   Gardens and flowers have always inspired    passion,   remember the scene in “A Room with a View”  a magical field of flowers got Lucy a spontaneous kiss from George.  So it is natural that the garden would become populated with romantic little characters who would enhance matters of the heart. What could be more romantic than being caressed on the forehead by “kiss me over the garden gate”. Think of all the bouquets carried to the altar in a hand that will soon gain a ring. Not surprisingly, many folklore rich plants with deep roots have earned lusty names. Some denote yearning: love-ache; and bleeding heart; while some suggest disappointment: cast me down; love lies bleeding. But most of all, flowers capture the sheer rapture of infatuation and Forget Me Not's                                                    all that follows: come and cuddle me; kiss me quick and go; say it all.  Next time you go into the garden with a special someone there just might be a happy ending for your loudly beating romantic heart.

Love in a Mist

Once you see Nigella in bloom, you will always recognize it by its unique mist of airy bracts and foliage. The foliage is ferny, the flowers are fluffy and the seed pods are intriguing. Best known for the vivid blue blossom variety, Nigella also blooms in purples, pinks and white.

Kiss Me Over The Garden Gate

Kiss-me-over-me-garden-gate is a beautiful old-fashioned flower that unfortunately is not often seen in private or public gardens.It is a prolific grower, which makes it an excellent choice to use as a unique privacy screen to your deck or patio. You just need to make sure you plant it in large containers. It also provides lots of shade. Because it grows tall and bushy, it is a good choice to plant near a trellis, even though it is not a climbing plant. It makes a great addition to a butterfly garden, and the color helps attract hummingbirds. It is excellent plant to use in cut or dried flower arrangements.

Love Lies Bleeding

Love Lies Bleeding is an annual, passing from seed to maturity in a single season in all but the very warmest of climates (zones 10-11).  It is relatively easy to grow from seed, and it self-seeds prolifically, to the point that it has been labeled invasive or noxious in certain parts of the world. In affairs of the heart, we can all use a little support from our friends, and Love Lies Bleeding is no exception. There are quite a few different cultivars that fall under the umbrella of amaranthus caudatus, with varying colors, forms, and sizes, but nearly all require some sort of staking or support once the long, flowing flowers begin to form. A few are upright, but even those might benefit from a little support if they are subjected to winds. 

Cupid’s Dart

A favorite of flower arrangers, the papery, bright blue dandelion-shaped blossoms are excellent for cutting, fresh or dried. Plants form a low clump of narrow grey-green leaves, the flowers appearing on upright stems in summer. Remove faded blooms to encourage more buds to form. Short-lived, but will often self sow. Choose a bright, sunny site with better than average drainage. Drought tolerant, once established. In the ancient language of flowers, Cupid's Dart symbolizes love.

Bleeding Heart

Bleeding heart has attractive mounded foliage with arching stems of delicate, heart-shaped flowers in spring. It thrives in moist woodland gardens along with ferns and other shade-lovers. Bleeding heart grows best in cool, moist conditions. Flower colors include yellow, pink, red, and white. It blooms in spring and may re-bloom sporadically throughout the summer in cool areas. Height ranges from 6 inches to 2 feet, depending on variety. It’s a fountain of heart blooms that sway in warm breezes. The blooms are fragile yet the plant is hardy and comes back year after year, no matter how harsh or bitter the winter.