A Colorful Flower Garden Yearround

Beautiful flowers are always a site for sore eyes. They lift your spirits and are very rewarding. I enjoy my flower garden all year. Here's how my garden grows by season.

In the early spring, I really look forward to the daffodils and crocuses. These two varieties signify that winter is almost over. Once I see these two bulbs start to bloom, I can't wait to walk around the gardens and see what else is peaking through the earth to see if it is warm enough to come out and show off to the world their beauty.

The azaleas start to bud and the branches grow bright new green leaves and then later in the spring they burst into color. The deep reds and bright whites really make a statement, "Look at me!" By now the grape hyacinths and tulips are in full glory. What a wonderful scene, azaleas in the back drop, daffodils, crocuses, tulips and grape hyacinths on parade just waiting for more flowers to join in the show as they march into late spring and early summer.

The summer garden only intensifies in color and texture. As the azaleas begin to fade, the liriope with its variegated stripes, foxgloves, impatiens, geraniums, marigolds and other perennials begin to emerge, along with some purchased annuals to add punches of color in just the right places. The columbines start to bloom their orchid like flowers and they last all summer and sometimes re-bloom in the fall, as do the chrysanthemums.

The colors of the canna lilies begin to emerge as gold, bronze, rust, green and chartreuse foliage then burst into full color during the hottest months of summer and continue to be colorful until late fall. The blooms are very tropical in texture and color ranging from brilliant yellows to deep dark blood reds.

As Summer fads into Fall, the Shasta daisies make a wonder contrast to all of the vibrant colors of the summer garden with the deep green, tongue shaped, leaves and tall stalks with snowy white daisy flowers a top. The Shasta's greenery is an evergreen in my garden providing a touch of color and structure all year long. The height of the Shasta daisy is offset by the carpet of Creeping Ginny with is vine like in appearance with round leaves in a darling chartreuse hue, also an evergreen in my garden.

I have several natural areas in my garden that are home to a large variety of Hosta's and Swiss chard. I have Swiss chard in yellow, orange, burgundy, white and the all typical green and these never die back in the winter.

I like to plant odd items in the garden just to see if they will grow year round. Some of my favorites are rosemary, basil, dill, mesclun mix, broccoli, collards, turnip salad and nasturtium.

In the winter, we have the trusty old boxwood bush, Acuba bush, Swiss chard and Nandina bush. These make for wonder holiday wreaths and swags as the Acuba bush has large red berries tucked in the branches and the Nandina bush has clusters of red berries. These are wonderful for decorating.

And so the cycle goes, we are back to waiting for the crocuses to pop out of the snow (if we are lucky enough to have snow in North Carolina).