I think that a lot of backyard gardeners choose a plant that will flower with a favorite color or scent. Then, after waiting the appropriate amount of time for the flowers to appear, disappointment. I get many requests for information about why a particular plant does not flower. Some of the answers may come from a review of  plant placement, the environment, pruning and finally the plants physiology.

Some plants take up to 7 to 10 years to begin flowering. If your patience will not stand for that long of a wait, choose another plant. The next factor is proper pruning. Plants can be pruned at the wrong time and thus preventing flowers for the following year. Pruning recommendations are fairly available on the internet and gardening books. The final 3 factors are light, fertility, and weather. Placing a plant that needs lot of sunshine in a fairly shaded area will prevent flowering and too much or not enough fertilizer will also cause a plant to produce lots of foliage and few or no flowers. Finally, the weather. An unusual late spring frost or cold spell can disrupt the growing and flowering cycle. Dry fall weather can affect flowering by limiting the number of buds a plant may form for spring blooming. The blooms you are able to produce after taking all the factors into consideration will be well worth your time and patience.