Shining Happy Pansies!

I always think of that great R.E.M. song “Shining, Happy People” when I walk into the greenhouses & see all those sweet little pansy faces.  They have such a happy look on their bright little faces, as if they’re smiling at you.  Well, one things for sure, they always make me smile!  With the hottest days of Summer behind us & the feel of Fall in the air, it’s the perfect time to plant pansies.  If your garden is like mine, the summer annuals are beginning to get tired & it’s time to put in some fresh color.  I so hate to pull out anything that’s still blooming but I’ve learned that if I wait till the frost has claimed most of my Summer flowers it’s really too late to get the pansies off to a good start.  They do much better through the winter if you get them established now.  Be sure to give them an all-purpose fertilizer &  tuck them in with a bit of mulch to protect against winters chill. These sweet little darlings will bloom well into the Fall & even poke up a defiant head after a snow.  The best part is they perk right up in early spring continuing to spread their cheer until time to plant the Summer annuals again.  Ya know….. I think we could all learn a little from the pansies….,they give it all they’ve got, bloom their little hearts out, & smile right on through it!

Majestic Giants have HUGE faces.

My morning welcoming comity!

Delta White with Blotch

Love the soft color of Majestic Giant Girlfriends

Shining, Happy Pansy!

Dynamite Blueberry Thrill

A kaleidoscope of violas