Planting for the Future in September

By Bob Chapman

September is the perfect time to plant flowers and bulbs. You can have a riot of colors in your garden all Fall and Winter. There's no need to have a drab, dull landscape this winter when there are so many easy-to-grow, colorful plants available. You can buy transplants already in bloom, giving your garden instant color.

ANNUALS

Here is a list of flowers to consider for brightening up your Fall and Winter garden

• Calendulas. These easy-to-grow flowers are available in dwarf  (to 8 inches) or in regular sizes to 24 inches high. The are available in single or double flowers. The bright yellow and orange colors certainly brighten a dull, overcast, wintry day.
• Pansies. These old reliable plants feature bright and very large flowers that delight the eye all winter. They look especially great in mass plantings.
• Violas. These cousins of the pansy sport solid colors of yellow, orange, shades of blue, purple and pure white. Violas are a little smaller than pansies and make excellent border plants.
• Snapdragons. Lots of flowers on stalks, best for sunny borders. Excellent for winter bouquets. Available in colors ranging from white to red and shades of blue. There are taller strains to 2 1/2 feet as well as the shorter compact varieties.
• Stock. This is an old favorite and it's no wonder. These sturdy plants are available in single and double-flowered varieties, both with a delightful scent. A bouquet of these in the house is a sure winner!
• Cineraria. For large, daisy-like flowers in shades of blue, pink and red it's hard to beat these lower growing plants. They are excellent for cut flowers all winter long.
• Sweet alyssum. Sweet alyssum grows rapidly, looking good either in mass plantings or use as border plants. They will produce a sea of white all during the cool months. One of the hardier flowers, surviving under very adverse conditions.
• Larkspur. The flowers of the larkspur resemble delphiniums, although not nearly as tall growing. The larkspur is great for bouquets Available in blue, white or red.
• Iceland poppies. Once you've seen the flowers of the Iceland poppy you'll understand why gardeners want them planted in their gardens. They produce those beautiful crepe-paper-like petals of their flowers in many colorful pastel shades. Here's a tip for flower arrangers: Cut and dip stems in boiling water immediately if desiring to use the delicate blooms as cut flowers.
• California poppy. No need to describe these hardy plants and our state flower. Now available in shades other than the traditional yellowish hues.
• African daisy. The attractive flowers are in the typical daisy shape. African daisies are lower growing, compact plants. Most commonly available in reddish pastels, but other shades, such as white, are available.
• Lobelia. These colorful, low growing flowers produce masses of small lipped and tubular flowers resembling those of the honeysuckle in shades of blue, white or purple flowers that cover the green foliage. Best used as an edging plant. There are also trailing types, suitable for hanging baskets or edging in large containers.
• Forget-me-not. Plant these clear blue, five-petaled flowers and they will produce flowers on the tips of stalks. The stems continue to grow and produce flowers all winter. Give them a "haircut" if they get too lanky or straggly and they will produce new flowers on new stems.
• Bachelor's button. The blue, pink, wine red or white flowers of the bachelor's button are borne on 12-18 inch stalks. The unique flowers are excellent materials for floral arrangements and bouquets or just as cut flowers in a vase placed on the coffee table.
• Johnny-jump-ups. These easy-to-grow, old time favorite plants feature small, pansy-like flowers. The low growing plants are 6-8 inches tall with velvety-purple and yellow or blue and yellow flowers.
• Fairy primrose (Primula malacoides). The Fairy Primrose grows to 15-18 inches high and about one foot across. The blossoms appear in tiers on several upright stems. White, pink, rose, red and lavender shades are available.
• Virginian stock (Malcolmia maritima). Low growing, to 8-15 inches, with oblong gray-green leaves.  Featuring four-petaled flowers in shades of yellow, white, pink lilac and blue. The Virginian stock blooms over a long period of time.
  

Bob Chapman is a well-known professional gardener and landscape contractor. Currently retired, Bob now spends his time contributing many free-lance garden articles and columns, and is a much sought after lecturer and horticultural consultant.

Since 1987, Bob has appeared as a regular columnist for the San Jose Mercury News. Besides the Mercury, his writings have appeared in the San Diego Tribune, Sacramento Bee, Fresno Bee and the Times Newspaper Group. He is the 1991 winner of the Quill and Trowel Award of the Garden Writers Association of America for the best newspaper gardening article in North America.

Bob majored in Ornamental Horticulture at Cal-Poly, San Luis Obispo. He also served as a member of the Professional Gardeners Association.