Fall Blooms

Dianthus from http://www.all-americaselections.org

Fall doesn't seem like a good time to plant new flowers in your beds, but it is actually a prime time for certain annuals. Snapdragons, pansies, ornamental cabbage and dianthus are commonly planted in the early spring because they have a tolerance for cooler temperatures. If you think about it, they should be great fall flowers, too.

Try planting them in your flower beds to add new color once your other annuals have bloomed out or become straggly. If you spread a light mulch around your pansies, they usually survive a mild winter to come back in the spring.

If you have a love for perennials, you may be disheartened when autumn falls unpon us, because most perennials are well past their bloom time once September arrives. If you want to add some fall perennial color, chrysanthemums, asters and solidago tend to bloom later in the year and add some great fall focal points to any perennial garden.

It may seem a little early to be thinking about fall, but I wanted to give you a heads up on these autumn gardening tips!