Hi Sherry - I have the same thought, to try and plant stuff that 'fills in' around the roses... I like Victoria Blue Salvia, it is perennial and just keeps coming back, and is a nice short blue, also I have lots of Blood Leaf, it is just a leaf but is really red in shade and orangey in the sun... Purslane is another that I like but it dies back in the winter, but is easy to make cuttings and spread it around.... I am getting some Daylillies also, the cold doesn't seem to bother them and they seem to bloom in the Spring whe I prune the roses back and they are bare, it fills in a lot..... and of course, Patience plants, and Snapdragons, the Snaps are easy to grow from seed.... Salvia is good, and draws the butterflys.... sally

One of my most reliable all year round is the wildflower gaillardia. Originally joined the garden through a couple of small plants but has self seeded since, but not in an invasive way. I just love it.
But would you like the colors? Orange, red and yellow in about 6 variations.

I also agree with salvia, comes in sooo many colors and heights. Pink, blue, purple, peach, even a white one I love but have trouble finding now.

I have seeds to share of gaillardia and Lady in Red salvia and maybe the peach if I can find it. Blue ones are purchased as plants. LMK.

Denise

Can anyone recommend a winter annual vine to cover tender plants? I'm considering sweet pea, if it is suitable.

Sherry,

I use as many lobelia as I can find. I am really fond of the "crystal blue". It is an intense cobalt blue that goes so well with everything. It stays low and if it gets ratty just give in a haircut and it comes back great. Can't take the heat and will collapse if it gets dry.

I also fill in as much as I can with pansies and petunias. I have some petunias right now that look pretty good and they were self seeded from plants I bought in the fall. I believe they were from the "wave" series. I am looking for them in a packet, too.

The Johnny jump ups have come back for two years now though they don't look so great in the heat (small).

Now is a good time to shop for seeds because the sales are starting. Since they can be really cheap, you can try sprinkling them around as I will do this fall.

I have found white assylum for as little as ten cents a pack at Big Lots and they are naturalized in many places in my garden. I am trying a gold that I found at HD,... seeds. Saxatile Compactum

Calendula is another one to try. And zephyranthes will look like border grasses such as liriope until the rains start. Then they bloom and will re-bloom once they are crowded and you deadhead.

Sally & Denise, thanks for your suggestions. The freezes that we get kill the salvia to the ground in winter. I'm checking out gailardia. Don't care much for oranges though.

jaxtropix, I only know that sweet peas are hardy.

Victoria, I think you might be warmer than me also, but I will look into the Lobelia & Johnny Jump Ups. I have the zephyranthes, but only knew them as Rain Lilies. I've had them for about 3 years, and this is the first I've seen them bloom. I love them!

Sherry

Sherry,

I planted some nemesia and bacopa this year. Both are doing very well. They came from target which will occasionally have "above average" sets.

The bacopa has formed a low mat and has pretty little lavender flowers. There is a white.

Here's a tip that I have used for years. When I buy lobelia in four inch pots, I will break the set into two or three mini clumps and plant those. This has always worked for me in that I have not lost any to speak of.

I have tiger eye rudbeckia in it's cardboard pot still. I chose one that had three plants crowded in it. I will plant it in the garden soon and when I do, I will cut the root ball into three with a serrated knife.

I did this with some snaps and they all survived. So think two or three plants for the price of one!

Veronica

Thanks for correcting me, Veronica. I've had a cold all week. Hopefully, that's the reason for my mental lapse. The first and last letters at least were right. :((

I may try that with 4" pots where there's a clump.

Sherry

Sherry,

No prob! Hope you feel better soon.

V~

Denise,
I just purchased a gaillardia, today, and came home to read your post. I look forward to its color in our yard. We have a few empty spots that I think they will look great in. I only purchased one as I wanted to be sure our hot S. Fla. climate and the plant's location will be a match.
P.

Winter is my favorite time to grow, from carnations, linarias, asters, delfs. , calendulas, petunias, and lots more , great time of year.

bears48, I have some questions for you.

I'm assuming you choose hardy annuals.
Do you grow your plants from seeds?
Do you start them in the house, direct sow or both?
When do you set them out?
Do they grow into good-sized plants before spring?
Do they bloom in winter, i.e., December, January, February?
Do you have hard freezes?
If yes, do your plants live on and bloom through the cold?
I read that carnations are hard to start from seeds. Did you find that so?

Thanks for letting me pick your brain.

Sherry

Hey everyone, I just joined today and I have a young garden, but I would be extremely grateful for any seeds for flowering, fragrant or non, from anyone that would like to share. imagardener2; you mentioned you had some Gaillardia seeds you would share and I would certainly like to give that plant a try as it sounds beautiful. T.

Hi JG, welcome to our group. Gaillardia seeds are easy to come by. If you see some growing anywhere just pick a dried up flower pod and start rubbing it between your thumbs other fingers and you'll have a hundred V-shaped winged seeds in your hand in no time....

I planted some nemesia and bacopa this year. Both are doing very well.

V, interesting that you still have nemesia going, I fell in love with this one this spring, still in the pots and two of the three are still alive in full shade under the canopy of one of my live oaks. This amazes me since I was led to believe they would not make through our summer heat and humidity.

Tom

Nemesia

Wow! Tom. Mine don't look like that, but they are hanging on in shade, too. I got a 4" pot at Target early last spring. We'll see how it performs in the fall.

A very hardy cold tolerant perennial that is a good choice in your climate Sherry
is Yarrow.
It comes in many colors and sizes.
My tall white yarrow was blooming it's head off in Jan & Feb this year.
Now it has pretty lacy green leaves that contrast nicely with rose leaves.
Can be an aggressive grower when happy.

I have Marigolds and Zinnias along with my peppers, strawberries and Basil.

Sorry I'm so slow, but here goes. I start some things in house,like primroses, or cindnerias.I Start some in a small greenhouse I have like petunias, or snapdragons.Also lots in ground like carnations or calendulas. Winter for me is Oct. thru May with some into June and July. When to start seeds varies greatly. Pam