If you don't know it by now, I like a lot of color in the landscape.  We should all be adding at least a few flowers but I like to add lots of flowers.

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.  

It's just a guess, but most likely names such as achimenes, eucharis lily and blood lily are not known by many residents.  They don't realize these are some of the great, usually carefree bulbs.  The achimenes are African violet relatives that make attractive  hanging baskets and ground covers for the warmer months. Eucharis lilies flower during the winter and love the shade and blood lilies grow in light shade or sun to produce balls of bright red spring blooms.  And you just have to plant caladiums, a bulb that has made Florida famous.

Adding color to the landscape is just one of my Gotta Do's.? Then let's get growing.