Gardens and landscapes are nature’s very own classrooms. These spaces are great for kids to play, experience fresh air, and (shh! don’t tell them!) even learn something about our natural world. Smelling aromatic flowers, feeling leaves, and watching insects provide kids with key fundamentals about nature.
One of the most enriching and inspiring lessons the garden provides is on color. From green grass and earthy tans to brightly-hued blooms, the right planning (and the right plants!) will give children a colorful display in every season. And with their evergreen leaves, three seasons of bold blooms, and vibrant winter foliage, Encore Azaleas are the perfect addition to your four-season color garden!
From Early Spring to Winter’s Chill
It begins in spring, when azaleas are among the first shrubs to bloom. The saturated purple of Autumn Majesty, the cherry reds of Autumn Fire and the bicolor blooms of Autumn Twist burst with much-needed color against what can be a drab early spring landscape. With such alluring colors bedazzling a shrub, it’s tempting to pick the flowers and spread their joy… Which is just the ticket in a children’s garden! Allow your child to artfully prune a few bloom-packed stems (with your supervision, of course) to add colorful cheer inside. The lesson? A flower can bloom for days once removed from its source.
In winter when the temperature drops and most of the garden “goes to sleep,” your Encore Azalea will continue to shine with foliage in a range of verdant greens to jewel tones depending on the variety. Continue the hands-on clipping projects from spring by snipping some artful boughs to add color and texture to your family’s seasonal wreaths.
Color Points for Pollinators
Planting colorful Encore Azaleas with your kids is the perfect time to explain how flower color plays a role in pollination. When pollinators are buzzing about for energy-packed nectar and protein-laden pollen, it’s the flowers color that silently calls out, “Hey there! I’ve got the food you need!” Bees are particularly attracted to flowers that have purples, violets and whites. You’ll find that Autumn Amethyst, Autumn Angel, Autumn Lilac and Autumn Royalty are brimming with bee-approved colors.
And here’s a fun fact you can share in your garden classroom: Some flowers have “landing strips” on their petals that help guide bees and other pollinators to their nectar and pollen. Those little darker-colors dots near the throat of an azalea flower, clearly seen on varieties such as Autumn Belle, communicates with bees as they seek their food source.
From Green to Extreme
We sometimes forget that green is a color and not just nature’s backdrop. With their green foliage, azaleas are a broad-leafed evergreen shrub, which means they keep their leaves through all four seasons. Just like the more prominent narrow-leafed evergreens such as pines and firs, azaleas hold on to their leaves and transpire water through their leaves during winter. Some Encore varieties even offer brilliantly colored cold weather foliage in shades of deep red and purple! Let these plants be the focus of a fascinating botany lesson for the science-loving student in your household – even during sweater weather!
Easy and Colorful Through the Seasons
Quite possibly the best part about using Encore Azaleas for children’s gardens is that Encores are a reblooming shrubs, producing colorful flowers from spring through fall. No matter when you plant these low-maintenance beauties during the growing season, blooms are sure to follow. Whether you’re picking a more petite dwarf variety for a container or accent plant, or a larger-growing plant for a border or hedge, there are a range of vibrant hues to choose from. From the time of planting to when their flowers are popping, Encore azaleas can help craft a colorful childhood learning experience.