William Decker - Growing Flowers

Published in 2016 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. 29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010 Copyright 2016 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer. First Edition Editor: Sarah Machajewski Book Design: Michael J. Flynn Photo Credits: .

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Decker, William (William Anthony), 1983-author. Growing flowers / William Decker.
pages cm. (Garden squad!) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4994-0949-9 (pbk.) ISBN 978-1-4994-0966-6 (6 pack) ISBN 978-1-4994-1012-9 (library binding) 1. Flower gardeningJuvenile literature. 2.

FlowersJuvenile literature. I. Title. II. Series: Garden squad! SB406.5.D44 2015 635.9dc23 2015007073 Manufactured in the United States of America CPSIA Compliance Information: Batch #WS15PK: For Further Information contact Rosen Publishing, New York, New York at 1-800-237-9932 CONTENTS BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS What comes to mind when you think of a garden? Many people think of flowers. Though there are many kinds of plants to grow, flowers may be one of the most .

Flowers arent just enjoyable to look at and smell. They also play an important part in the natural world. Flowers are a great choice for people who are new to gardening. However, it takes some knowledge of plants and a little bit of in order to grow them properly. Armed with these two things, youll grow a garden full of beautiful flowers in no time at all. GARDEN GUIDE There are over 300,000 species, or kinds, of flowering plants in the world.

They make up about 80 percent of all plants! Flower gardening is easy once you get the hang of it. SEED TO FLOWER Flowers begin as seeds. Its hard to imagine something so small could produce a beautiful plant, but its true. Seeds are different shapes, sizes, and colors, depending on the kind of flower they come from. Seeds have a hard covering that the seeds inside, which contains everything a plant needs to grow. With enough water and sunlight, a seed sprouts into a tiny plant called a seedling.

The seedling grows into an adult plant, and the adult plant produces a flower. The flower makes seeds, which grow plants, which grow more flowers. This life cycle is what gives your garden its beautiful plants. GARDEN GUIDE A life cycle is all the stages a living thing goes through from birth until it dies. Growing flowers is a great way to learn about every stage in a plants life cycle. THE OUTSIDE OF A FLOWER Just like their seeds, flowers themselves look very different.

However, they all have the same parts. Lets look at a basic plant to learn about its parts and why theyre important. Every plant has roots. Roots keep a plant firmly in the soil. They also take in water and flowers. Some plants may make fruit, but gardeners usually dont plant them in flower gardens.

GARDEN GUIDE Plants take in sunlight and air through their leaves. They use them to make their own food. This is called photosynthesis. Look closely at the leaves of your adult plants. You may see flower buds growing among them. Over time, theyll open into beautiful, colorful blooms.

THE INSIDE OF A FLOWER When you look at a flower, you may first notice its beautiful color or great smell. Color and smell come from the petals. Petals birds, bats, and bugs. They also surround and protect the inside of the flower. The inside of a flower contains the parts needed to make new plants. Theyre called the stamen and pistil.

The stamens make pollen. Theyre long and thin. The pistil has several parts. The top, called the stigma, collects pollen that comes from other flowers. The bottom is where the flower makes seeds. Understanding the parts of a flower makes growing them more fun. Understanding the parts of a flower makes growing them more fun.

PICKING THE PLACE To get started, pick where youd like to plant your flowers. Planting flowers in certain areas around your yard or house can improve the way it looks. You can choose a in your yard and plant many kinds together. Some gardeners plant flowers along the sides of their house. You can also grow flowers in single pots or in hanging baskets. Flower boxes are great for planting flowers under windows.

Flowers come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Planting a of them is a good way to keep your garden or yard looking great. This flower garden has a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. It keeps the garden looking great! ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS What kind of flowers do you want to grow? Garden flowers are sorted into two groupsannuals and perennials. Annuals die after one year. This allows you to change how your garden looks, since you can try planting something different each year.

Marigolds, petunias, and begonias are some examples of annuals. Perennials bloom for many years. Perennials are a good choice if you want the same plant to grow in the same spot every season. Also, planting perennials can help you save money since you dont have to buy them every year. Lavender, black-eyed Susans, and peonies are popular perennials. Planting annuals and perennials gives you a chance to practice caring for both.

START PLANTING Now that you know how a flower lives and grows, its time to get ready to plant. Ask an adult to help you choose a place for your garden. Most flowers need a lot of sunlight, so pick a place in your yard that gets between six and eight hours of sunlight a day. Once youve chosen your spot, its time to prepare the soil. Make sure it isnt dried out and that it . Finally, choose what flowers youd like to plant, and get digging! Its not always easy to grow flowers from seeds.

You can buy baby plants from the store and replant them in your garden. GARDEN GUIDE Some flowers need a little bit of shade, or a lot, to grow well. Check with other gardeners or your local nursery, which is a place that grows and sells plants, to find out what your flowers need. CARING FOR PLANTS Part of being a great gardener is tending to your plants. You cant just plant something and then forget about it! Like any living creature, plants need care in order to be their best. The best way to care for your flowers is to get outside and handle them.