Flowers for Fall Planting in the South

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If you love flowers and love having a little extra color to keep your landscape looking bright and alive, the cold fall and winter months can be a little disheartening. There’s good news! There are a variety of annuals out there that hate our harsh, heated summers but stand strong during the cold weather in our area. Extend the life of your garden by planting winter-hardy annuals that will brighten your landscape throughout the dreary winter months.

These cold-weather-friendly annuals are easy to find at local garden centers and nurseries.

Pansies
Pansies should be planted in October in the South. These flowers produce beautiful flowers and come in come in every color under the sun. The benefit to these annuals is that you don’t have to do much with pansies other than make sure they get enough sun (full to partial sunlight) and water (keep the soil moist but well-drained). Another great thing about pansies is how resilient they are to the cold and frost. These beautiful annuals will bloom through the winter and put on a fantastic color show in the spring!

Violas
Violas are simply pansies but with a greater number of flowers that are much smaller than pansy blooms. Like pansies, violas should be planted in October in the South and prefer full sunlight and moist soil. They have two main color patterns – blotched (with a ‘face’) and clear (without a face.) Blotched and clear violas come in all colors such as purples, blues, lavender, reds, orange, yellow, white and combinations of colors.

Snapdragons
Snapdragons are perennials that are typically planted in October in the South because they do not like the hot temperatures of the southern summers. These flowers are fairly low maintenance but prefer full sun and moist, well-drained soils. Snapdragons range in height from one to four feet and colors vary from yellow, red, cherry, lavender, crimson, rose-pink and white.

Ornamental Cabbages and Kales
The leaves of these plants look like the edible kales and cabbages that we eat. These beautiful plants grow in many colors such as pink, rose, red and white foliage colors. These produce a yellow flower in the spring but are mostly known for the bold leaf color that they maintain during the winter months. Kales and cabbages require full sun and moist soil and should be planted in October.

Although most people tend to do the majority of their gardening in the spring and summer, you can still have fun with the colder seasons and extend the beauty of your garden. You just have to know what to plant and where to plant them.

If you have any questions about planting flowers or would like to learn more about fall lawn care and services, please contact Landscape Management Company today!