One of the great things about the fall season is that it presents the opportunity to enjoy the vivid color of chrysanthemums, helping gardeners to achieve four-season interest in their gardens. Chrysanthemum flowers are also a favorite of florists for arrangements, due to the longevity of their blooms.

Chrysanthemums were cultivated in China as a flowering herb as far back as the 15th century BC. The flower was introduced into Japan in the 8th century AD, and the Emperor adopted the flower as his official seal. There is a "Festival of Happiness" in Japan that celebrates the flower. The flower was brought to Europe in the 17th century and the rest of the world has enjoyed them ever since.

Modern chrysanthemums are much more showy than their wild relatives. The flowers occur in many flower forms, and can be daisy-like, decorative, pompons or buttons. Chrysanthemums come in a wide variety of colors, including white, off-white, yellow, gold, bronze, red, burgundy, pink, lavender and purple.

Chrysanthemum plants can grow to be 2-3 feet high, depending on the cultivar and growing conditions. There are "hardy mums" and "florist mums." Hardy mums put out stolons. Florist mums put out few or no stolons, which makes them less likely to over-winter in cold regions. They look best planted in a mass but for good health, don't overcrowd, since good air circulation reduces the chance of disease.

Plant chrysanthemum flowers in full sun and well-drained soil, enriched with a soil conditioner such as Master Nursery Bumper Crop. Chrysanthemums are "photoperiodic," meaning they bloom in response to the shorter days and longer nights experienced in fall. Therefore, do not plant chrysanthemum flowers near street lights or night lights: the artificial lighting may wreak havoc with the chrysanthemums' cycle.

We invite you to visit us and bring some hardy mums home for your garden to enjoy during the fall season. Chrysanthemums also make great housewarming gifts, and your friends will thank you for thinking about them. So remember, mum's the word!

Looking for a way to beat the heat and enjoy your garden in the evening? Nothing soothes the stress of a long, hard day like a fragrant Moonlight Garden. You can create a romantic garden refuge with white flowers and silver foliage that sparkle in the moonlight; and evening-fragrant flowers show off and perform their best after sundown.

You don't need to focus just on plants that bloom at night. Foliage plants can do the same, or scent the air. Plants with white variegated foliage can also brighten up an area with their soft reflective glow. Many plants flower exclusively at night. Many more wait until evening to release their wonderful scents.

Plan your garden in layers with vines and tall plants in the back and shorter perennials and spreading groundcovers and annuals in the front. Each of these elements, individual or combined, will produce a beautiful garden anytime of the day, but especially at night.

Some excellent choices for taller background plants include camellia, hibiscus, hydrangea, jasmine, magnolia, viburnum and white climbing roses. For smaller shrubs consider azalea, gardenia, Russian sage, variegated euonymous and pittosporum.

For great perennial color consider achillea, cuphea, daylily, dianthus, euphorbia, heuchera, iberis, ivy geranium, penstemon, salvia, and shasta daisy. Consider incorporating dusty miller, lamb's ears, lamium, licorice plant, and silver artemesia for added foliage interest.

Complete your Moonlight Garden with annual color such as alyssum, impatiens, pansy, poppy and violas; or groundcovers such as bacopa, cerastium, verbena or varieties of fragrant thyme.

Overall, remember that the idea behind a moonlight garden is to reflect the glow and stillness of nighttime, and to create a peaceful refuge that offers its best qualities at night. So instead of coming home and watching TV, kick off your shoes and step out into the cool, quiet evening and enjoy your garden in the reflective light of the moon.

While there aren’t quite as many winter blooming varieties as in the summer, there are still plenty of flowers that prefer the cool season to perform their best. Most sun annuals need at least 4 to 6 hours of sun per day while shade annuals prefer just morning shade and can tolerate full shade as long as there is some filtered light.

Among sun-loving varieties consider alyssum, calendula, dianthus, Iceland poppy, ornamental cabbage and kale, pansies, phlox, snapdragon, stock, sweet pea and violas. For shadier locations, you can count on cyclamen, English primrose, fairy primrose (primula) and primrose to perform their best.

Most annuals will perform better in flower beds that have been turned over and been amended with an organic soil conditioner, such as Bumpercrop and a starter fertilizer, like Dr. Earth Starter Fertilizer. This helps ensure water retention but also good drainage. Avoid planting in areas where water stands after a heavy rain.

We have a great selection of fall and winter blooming annuals just waiting to light up every corner of your garden. When the dreary days of winter get you down, you can count on annuals to cheer you up and make your day!