| Everyone needs some form of flower guide to | | | | yellow, gold, orange white, near red, and |
| get the most out of their gardens, especially | | | | mahogany. |
| those who may not have time to garden every | | | | Zinnia - Grows 6 to 36 inches. Flowers are all |
| day. Flower gardening is all about stimulating the | | | | colors except blue. |
| senses with a display of colors. So what should | | | | Perennial Flower Guide: |
| we plant, and when? | | | | Basically speaking, perennial flowers live more than |
| The buzz in gardening seems to be about | | | | one growing season, returning year after year. |
| whether to plant annual or perennial flowers. | | | | When perennials finish blooming, their foliage |
| Some of these flowers give us textures, shapes | | | | provides wonderful background texture, form, |
| and heights, while others just go blooming crazy all | | | | and color for your garden. |
| season long. Here's a basic flower guide for these | | | | Perennial flowers may only bloom for a short spell |
| two kinds of flowers that will help you design a | | | | and at certain times of the growing season. This |
| spectacular wash of color for your garden. | | | | makes it more difficult to plant a garden limited |
| Annual Flower Guide: | | | | only to perennials and still achieve the desired |
| Annuals do all of their growing in one season. The | | | | effect of constant color. For this reason, mixing |
| seeds germinate in the spring, the plants bloom | | | | perennials with annual flowers is the key to a |
| and grow all season, and then they die. You will | | | | fabulous garden of continual color. |
| have to plant them each season, but the result is | | | | Let's look at some favorite perennial flowers that |
| instant color. Also, if you make an error in your | | | | offer magnificent color and depth to any garden, |
| design about color or height, the wrong effect will | | | | and will grow just about anywhere: |
| only last a year. | | | | Butterfly Weed � Grows 1� to 3 |
| Annuals produce an endless array of colors and | | | | feet. Flowers are bright orange (great for |
| sizes, and most are easy to plant and grow. They | | | | attracting butterflies!) with pretty pods covering |
| can be used for cuttings, in mass plantings, for | | | | the plant once the flowering ends. Blooms all |
| edging, in rock gardens, in mixed beds, in | | | | summer. |
| containers, and in hanging baskets. | | | | Chrysanthemum or "Garden Mum" - Grows 1 to 4 |
| Indeed, most annuals are fabulous plants for the | | | | feet. Flowers are all colors but blue. Blooms in the |
| weekend gardener because they are so versatile | | | | fall. |
| and not too finicky. For all their glorious color, | | | | Daylily � Grows 1� to 3� |
| annuals are very inexpensive. You can start them | | | | feet. Flowers are all colors except blue and white. |
| indoors as seedlings, or buy bedding plants from | | | | Blooms from late spring to fall. |
| your nursery or garden center. The majority of | | | | Felicia � Grows 1 to 2 feet; Flowers are |
| annuals bloom for most of the growing season. | | | | blue-petalled with yellow centers. Blooms from |
| Here's a list of some great annual flowers that | | | | early summer to fall. |
| are easy to grow, show off spectacular colors, | | | | Hosta � Grows up to 3 feet. Flowers are |
| and are worth every dig of a trowel to plant: | | | | white, lavender or pale violet, often with colorful |
| Begonia - Grows 6 to 12 inches tall. Flowers are | | | | foliage. Blooms from summer to early fall. |
| white, pink, red, rose and scarlet. | | | | Peony � Grows 2 to 4 feet; Flowers are |
| Tricolor Chrysanthemum � Grows 2 to 3 | | | | white, pink, maroon or red. Blooms from late |
| feet. Flowers are white, yellow, gold, red, or | | | | spring to early summer. |
| maroon, with contrasting color bands on the base | | | | Shasta Daisy - Grows 1 to 4 feet. Flowers have |
| of the petals. (This chrysanthemum is different | | | | white petals usually with a yellow center. Blooms |
| from the perennial chrysanthemum called the | | | | all summer. |
| "garden mum".) | | | | With a little experience and planning, you can |
| Dahlia � Grows 1 to 6 feet. Flowers are | | | | create a flower garden that blooms from one end |
| every color except blue and green. | | | | to the other, from spring through fall. Bring |
| Geranium � Grows up to 2 feet. Flowers | | | | together a few of these annual and perennial |
| are white, pink, scarlet, orangish-red, red, and | | | | flowers for a wonderful mixed garden. |
| salmon. | | | | Learn as you go, make your own |
| Impatiens � Grows to 1� feet. | | | | improvements� but most of all enjoy |
| Flowers are white, pink, rose, scarlet, violet, | | | | whatever time you do have in your garden. Soon |
| salmon, and orange. | | | | you'll be writing your own flower guide inspired by |
| Marigold - Grows 6 inches to 4 feet. Flowers are | | | | your garden creations! |