Tidewater Gardening brous begonias. Begonias, coleus, Peach Sorbet™ ageratum, salvia and vinca prefer light shade (5 to 6 hours of sunlight). All are good border plants.

When you see ants crawling on garden plants, look for aphids. Some ant species protect aphids, moving them from plant to plant and even taking them into the anthill for overnight safety. The ants do this to ensure a supply of honeydew ~ a sugary water substance secreted by aphids ~ on which ants feed. Try to control this with a soapy water spray. Begin spraying for black spot at least twice a month. Removing and replacing mulch under roses will greatly cut down on black spot. Impatiens are the most satisfactory annual for shady areas of the landscape. You can use impatiens flowers as bedding plants, border plants or in containers. They enjoy moist but well-drained soil and are partial to deep shade. They do not do as well in full sun. If you are looking for plants that flower each year, require little care, and are rarely bothered by pests or disease, try some of these perennials: coneflower, bleeding heart, coralbells, daylily, geum, hosta, bergenia, Virginia bluebell and Veronica.

Multiflora petunias withstand heat much better than other types and are more attractive throughout the summer. They are more resistant than other types to botrytis, a disease that cripples petunias, especially in damp weather. They also branch more easily, meaning less maintenance. Multifloras are most useful for massed effects in beds. You can also set petunia plants among fading tulips or daffodils to hide the unsightly wilting leaves. After bulb foliage begins to fade, you can tie the leaves in gentle knots to neaten them, but don’t remove them until they die back and have dried completely. With the warmer weather come the bugs that like to feed on your plants in the vegetable garden and your landscape. Keep an eye out for aphids and other insects on your roses. Spray if necessary. 90