Busy Lizzies: The Unsung Heroes of Year-Round Color
As daylight hours dwindle and gardens lose their vibrancy, a resilient and reliable plant offers a splash of colour for patios and windowsills: the impatiens, or busy lizzy.
many gardeners are seeking ways to maintain floral displays without the expense of heated greenhouses or grow lights. The answer, surprisingly, frequently enough lies in the often-overlooked corners of British gardens and on kitchen windowsills. Busy lizzies are a humble yet steadfast choice, continuing to bloom when more demanding plants fade.
The Shade-Loving Workhorse
Impatiens thrive where other bedding plants struggle.They prefer dappled shade, tolerate cooler temperatures, and consistently produce blooms even when temperatures hover around 10°C. In sheltered urban courtyards and shining indoor spaces,they can provide colour for much of the year. While petunias and geraniums dominate summer displays, busy lizzies quietly deliver a longer-lasting performance.
Kept above 10°C, in bright shade and evenly moist compost, busy lizzies can bloom in every month of the year.
A wide range of colours are available, including cherry red, fuchsia, salmon, tangerine, lavender, and white. Compact varieties are ideal for pots and baskets, while more vigorous types can fill troughs or underplant shrubs. Their thick, fleshy stems are more resistant to damage from breezes, children, or pets than many delicate bedding plants.
What to Buy Now
Garden centres and supermarkets typically sell 9-12cm pots for under £5, with multipacks frequently enough available at discounted prices during end-of-season sales. Two main types suit most homes:
| Type | Best For | Light | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impatiens walleriana (Busy Lizzy) | shaded patios, north/east windowsills | Bright shade, no harsh midday sun | Compact habit, masses of small flowers |
| New Guinea impatiens | Roomier pots, conservatories | Bright, indirect light | Larger leaves and flowers, slightly thirstier |
Where They Thrive
Outdoors (UK): Position pots where they receive morning light and afternoon shade – east-facing thresholds
