Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Bells of Ireland

Melinda’s Garden Moments is heard Mon.-Fri. at 7:45 and 10:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on WHAV.

Melinda’s Garden Moments is heard Mon.-Fri. at 7:45 and 10:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on WHAV.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a bouquet of green flowered Bells of Ireland. Then consider growing a few in your own garden this year.

The bright green bell shaped flowers of Bells of Ireland make for an interesting addition to flower arrangements. The spikes of flowers are a nice accent in arrangements or the garden and the texture and color make them a perfect filler.

Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost. Grow in biodegradable pots as the bells of Ireland have taproots, making them a bit challenging to successfully transplant.

Or plant the seeds directly in the garden in spring once the soil has warmed to 50 to 60 degrees.

Grow these in full sun or part shade in well-drained soil and be ready with plant supports as they can become floppy.

Harvest flowers regularly to keep them blooming throughout the season.

A bit more information: Add a shamrock plant to your celebration. The green and purple leafed plants grow best in a bright location with evenly moist soil.

For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com.