Here in Visalia, we don’t experience the winter extremes that you see in other areas, but we still experience shorter days and cooler weather that can sometimes leave us longing for spring and summer. One way that you can keep the winter blues at bay is to brighten your landscape by planting a little bit of sunshine in your garden.
You can add flowers to brighten your landscape almost instantly. Your winter garden isn’t limited to just flowers, you can also intermix flowers and vegetables for color and fun as well as benefiting pollinators and other beneficial bugs! There are so many options when it comes to personalizing your garden. We’ve taken a moment to share a few flowers to brighten you landscape.
Nasturtium
Nasturtiums are easy to grow, and they love our winters here in Visalia. They don’t love the summer heat. You can plant them in fall and winter, and they will thrive. Did you know that you can eat this flower? It is one of edible flowers you can add to your favorite dish, have you tried nasturtium leaf pesto or seed capers? Nasturtiums can add spice to your table and variety to your garden. They come in a variety of colors, and you never know exactly how they will grow. Nasturtiums sometimes become a ground cover and other times they are bushier. You can train them to grow how you’d like them to look as well.
Another surprising benefit of nasturtiums? They are your secret weapon in the garden to protect your cabbage and kale from cabbage caterpillars. The brassica leaves provide a healthy distraction for these little robbers.
Frost is kryptonite to your Nasturtiums, and their leaves turn to slime. If you sow them in fall for a winter crop and again after the last frost for spring, they will be the happiest. These lovely flowers are independent and will go wild and self-seed. You might have a surprising and unexpected ground cover in your cool season garden when they decide to pop up and grow.
Snapdragons
Snapdragons are an excellent flower to add color to your winter landscape. They have the added benefit of adding visual interest with their spire-like shape and frilly, fluffy textures. Snapdragons are aptly named due to their fiery personality they aren’t threatened by the frosts in our winter gardens here in San Joaquin Valley. They work well as annuals and are easy to grow. Win-Win!
Pansies
Another edible flower, Pansies add color and delight to your salads. You can also sugar them and place them over desserts. Pansies can withstand frost and are easy to start from seed at home. They don’t grow as quickly or as tall as other variety, but they will add a pop of color to your garden. You can also bring their beauty inside by pressing them into flower frames, to add color to your living room.
It is not too late to plant those last-minute bedding plants to add color! Come on by Luis’ Nursery. We have Pansies, Snapdragons, Iceland poppies, Primrose, and Violas. These beautiful flowers will brighten your landscape until we hit the first heat wave toward the end of May. We can’t wait to see you!
