Want to add some beauty and colour to your apartment this spring?

Bring some flowers into your home! Many garden centres and nurseries are now open for public shopping, with social distancing rules in place.

There are many wonderful plants that thrive in apartments. For blooming plants, try an African Violet or a Begonia. Both plants are hardy and easy to care for. Succulents are also a great choice, as they need to be watered infrequently and can thrive with little sunlight. The Christmas Cactus has pink or red blooms and favours indirect light, while the Kalanchoe likes bright indirect sunlight and blooms in red, pink, white, or yellow.

Zinnia, Chrysanthemums, and Delphiniums are long lasting flowers that look wonderful in a bouquet. To keep your flowers blooming longer, mix the flower food packet with room temperature water in a clean vase, then cut the stems on an angle and remove any leaves sitting below the water level. To increase their longevity, keep your flowers away from direct sunlight, heat, and fruit, and change the water every two to three days. Make your own flower food by mixing 1 quart of water with 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 1 tbsp of sugar, and 1/2 tsp of bleach.

For plants that grow better outdoors, check for community gardens in your area, or residential gardens at your apartment community. If you live in an apartment with a balcony, check out these tips for starting a balcony garden.

Van Dongen's Garden Centre, just minutes from our Battleford Apartments in Mississauga, is open to the public while also providing free virtual gardening advice, online ordering, and curbside pickups. Royal City Nursery in Guelph, just minutes from our Bristol Street apartments, is open to the public with strict health and safety precautions in place. 

Florists around Ontario continue to offer bouquet and plant deliveries. However, with COVID-19 restrictions, many are closed for in-store purchases and don't offer pickups. If you'd like to brighten your apartment or send flowers to a friend or loved one, be patient as delivery slots fill up quickly.

Spring is here and there's nothing like the smell of a garden centre. Enjoy responsibly, keep your distance from others and don't leave your apartment if you're unwell.