Pansies - The Winter Flower

Pansies are truly the flowers of winter.  They faithfully bloom through all the cold weather and brighten up the day when nothing else does.  I like to plant mine in hanging pots around the patio area.  They grow fine in partial shade.  Don't let their commonality make you forget them.  They come in such a variety of colors that you can always find something different.  They quickly get lost in the crowd once spring comes around, but pansies are the queens of winter flowers for me.

Back Home Again and Blogging

I've been gone for over 6 weeks either visiting relatives up North or working in the Gulf.  After all the hard freezes there is not much green left in my yard.  My tropicals are decimated and my other plants are dormant.  This time of year not much is pretty.  That being said, my camellia japonica plants are waiting around for the perfect time to let loose with their gorgeous blooms.  This is Professor Charles Sargent, a deep red camellia that I love.  It's an old favorite that can be found all over the South.  Put it in partial shade, provide plenty of mulch and water, wait a while, and it will reward you wonderfully.  Camellias like acidic soil and grow in about the same conditions that azaleas do.  They are brightest and best when nearly all other flowers are dormant.