Take time to visit your garden center and check out the impressive seasonal color from the perennials now available -- many are in bloom. Some favorites include the black-eyed Susan, bush daisy, coral plant, firespike Joseph?s coat, horsemint, lantana, pentas, Porterweed, Shasta daisy, Stokes aster and more. In a time when we need to stretch our gardening dollars perennials are good buys as most can grow for a year or more in the landscape.
Still, there is room for annual color too -- it's hard to beat their instant and often intense displays of blooms. Some are what we call long term annuals like impatiens, begonias, coleus and periwinkle. Did you realize that three begonias can fill a hanging basket for months of enjoyment for just a few dollars? Now that's a bargain. Others for several months of spring color include ageratum, celosia, marigolds, nicotiana, portulaca and zinnias.
Spring gardeners traditionally pass by the bulb displays at the local garden centers. Even the enticing pictures don't seem to be enough to convince us to plant a few. Are we spoiled and need blooming container grown plants to help make the purchase or is it we are just not familiar with the many bulbs?
Adding color to the landscape is just one of my Gotta Do's.? Then let's get growing.