When/how to plant flowers/flowering plants?

I am a TOTAL garden novice and black thumb. I make my DH water our plants because, seriously, if I go near them, they die. Its very sad because I love gardens. I just do not have any affinity for actually gardening.

Anyhow, we are getting rid of some horrible shrub things in the little patch of dirt outside out front door and I want to plant some flowers or plants that flower so it looks nice. The area is under a shadecloth, but I think it gets some afternoon sun (not direct until quite late in the day).

What do I plant? Do I have to wait until spring or if there anything I can plant now? How should I prepare the soil?? I need really easy plants that won't die when I look at them!!

Thanks!!!

You can watch those dorky gardening shows - they are great for information about what to plant now and how to prepare soils etc.

There are also some good gardening magazines that show you what your 'zone' is, what grows in the zone and WHEN to plant it!

Have a go at planting begonias there. These are the small variety that you buy at Bunnings in punnets.
They are pretty hardy just keep an eye on them as they get started. They are green all year round and mine flower most of the year and I do nothing to them.

Bulbs are good also so go to the garden shop and find out which ones are good for planting now.

We were given a bit of Rosemary, put it in water and it took off. So that look like it will be easy to grow and you cut it back when it gets to big. You will also have a plant that smells nice and a herb close by

Yep begonias would be good, will need to be shade tolerant. Also could try impatiens they have lovely flowers or try some of the coloured leaf plants available that tolerate shade. Go to bunnings, ask someone to show you the shade loving section and go from there.

PS I like the 'dorky' gardening shows - I admit, some of the people on them are rather 'out there'!

OOhhhh cyclamen are great too! So bright when its all cold outside and they grow back year after year.

P.S - I am an avid dorky show watcher, I'm dying without Peter Cundall around anymore (love 'im!), and I am sitting here typing in my famous GUMBOOTS!

Went to a garden expo today - the cyclamen colours were amazing!

You can now get cyclamens that smell, as in nicely. They are a smaller version but still in the many colours.
They also grow easily from seed. I am waiting to see what colour mine will be.
The only thing with impatients is that they don't like the frost and in summer need watering a few times a week

What about succulents? They look gorgeous, and are dry tolerant and almost bomb proof once established. Sedums make great ground cover, there are heaps of varieties, aloes and agaves are brilliant feature plants too, as are the various jade plants (crassula). Also really easy to grow and propagate are echeveria varieties (mostly rosettes), and kalanchoe pulima (often known as 'silver bush', it has silver grey foliage and pink trumpet like flowers). They do well in slightly sandy, well draining soils, but then, I've grown many succulents successfully since being in the tropics too.

go to your local nursery - the one in or around your suburb and ask somebody there, they *should* know the area & what grows well.