The fall flowers are beautiful. Have you driven around your neighborhood and admired the many different colors of mums, pansies, azaleas and other brightly colored fall flowers?
Many spring and summer flowers have faded in our gardens, so now is a good time to plant some new shrubs and flowers. There are many flowers from which to choose.
We are fortunate that our climate is fairly temperate and we can grow many varieties. We are in zone 8a, according to the USDA plant hardiness zone, meaning our temperatures don't go below 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Many plants have the hardiness zones listed on their labels for ease.
I prefer container gardening as I can bring in my plants once it begins to get too cold. We have a room that houses our hibiscus plants during the winter and we even leave the light on to help them grow.
I find containers an easy way to have beautiful flowers and easy to relocate should we desire a different look. We have azaleas planted directly into the garden as we don't move them around.
Don't forget to mulch your flowerbeds when gardening, especially at this time of year. Mulch helps keep in the moisture, as well the plants' warmth in the ground.
Annual plants will need to be replanted each year. Sometimes they may re-bloom the following year, but in general they are a yearly flower. Perennials are plants that will bloom for many years.
I like mums in the fall because of the burgundy, bronze, coral and other fall colors. They look nice when used in the garden, along with pumpkins or other fall decorations. Don't forget about colorful shrubs that add beauty and fill in empty spaces in the garden.
If you are interested in learning more about gardening, Dogwood Garden Club members are very nice, knowledgeable ladies who enjoy gardening and sharing their wisdom. They meet the first Monday morning of each month.
Call Beach Campbell, 850-682-2691, for more information.
These are some plants that do well in the fall in our area:
ANNUALS
— Celosia, comes in a variety of colors
— Pansies, comes in many gorgeous colors
— Nasturtiums, golden and orange flowers
— Zonal Geraniums, golden, bronze, salmon, pink
PERENNIALS
— Montauk Daisy, comes in a variety of colors
— Chrysanthemums, hearty fall plant in lovely colors
— Encore Azaleas, come in beautiful fall colors
Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CROSE: Robo calls, spoofing must be stopped