Central Valley Garden:: November

Bi-color Cyclamen

November is here and with it cooler weather!  If you haven't planted your spring annuals yet, NOW is the time!

Shady options are limited to cyclamen, but they really put on a show!  Available in solid colors as well as newer varieties that are bi-color. Excellent in containers as well as shady borders. 

Snapdragons put on the best Spring display when planted in Fall.

Snapdragons are my favorite annual for spring. They are offered in a variety of colors as well as heights, making them perfect for just about any situation in your garden! Use the taller variety, Rocket, for back or mid border plantings. This variety is also among the very best of cut flowers. 

Foxgloves planted from 6 packs are the best bang for your buck!

A cottage garden is not complete without the spring blooming foxgloves. Most often they are forgotten until Spring rolls around, but they will reward with bigger and better blooms when planted in Fall. 

Sweet Peas can be grown from seed, but you may have better results with starter plants.

Sweet Peas are also an all too often forgotten flower. While you do need to find vertical space in your garden for them to grow, they are all with out. Available in a wide range of colors when grown from seed, but can also be planted from 6 packs carried at local nurseries. Sweet Peas are invaluable for making fragrant posies and will produce for weeks in the Spring. 

While I have finished up the majority of my Fall planting, a few garden chores will still need my attention. Remember to bait for slugs and snails as they reappear with cooler temperatures. Also clean up leaves and reuse them to mulch beds or bag up to save for compost later. Keeping the beds tidy also prevents any diseased foliage from overwintering. 
What are your favorite annuals for Spring? Are you trying any new varieties this year?