Fall blooming flowers

To many people, fall is the time of year when the gardening season is drawing to a close, and it is time to close the flower bed and prepare for winter.  Even though most gardeners are ready to hang up their garden tools and get ready for the next season, gardeners can continue to enjoy the beauty of the fall season, since there are a number of beautiful flowers blooming all through the autumn of the year.

There are many fall bulbs available to the average gardener, and it is important to choose the right ones.  When initially planting the bulbs, it is important to take care to choose the best location within the garden.  It is important to choose a location where the delicate fall bulbs will not be overshadowed by larger plants or hidden in with the surrounding ground cover. 

One advantage of fall bulbs, however, is that they are hardy.  After they have been in the ground a few years, these bulbs will be able to take their rightful place and thrive in any garden setting.

One of the most frequently seen of all fall bulbs is the hardy cyclamens (Cyclamen Hederifolium).  These bulbs are able to come back year after year, and they have been known to last for a decade or even more.  In addition, the hardy cyclamen produces breathtaking blooms, and it is generally a very undemanding plant. 

Other than a good quality soil, sufficient water and ample sunlight, the cyclamen needs little in order to bloom year after year.  Each small cyclamen bloom has a soft pink petal that is complimented by an eye of darker pink.  These small blooms are tiny version of the larger cyclamen that is often seen at Christmastime.  In the home garden, the hardy cyclamen often blooms into November.

Another popular autumn flower is the colchicum.  These flowers usually bloom in the middle of September, and they are similar in appearance to crocuses but generally much larger.  Most colchicums seen in the garden are hybrids of either C. Autumnale or C. Speciosum.  There are some subtle differences between these two common varieties, and their blossoms come in shades of rose and violet.  The sizes of colchicums vary from 10 to 12 inches.  While these flowers can be used in many settings, they are a particularly beautiful way to accent a rock garden.

Autumn daffodils are another popular fall flower, and they can provide a beautiful touch of color for the garden.  It is important to plant fall daffodils in a well drained flower bed and to provide them with plenty of sunlight.  It is also important to avoid planting autumn daffodils in areas where moisture pools, as excessive moisture could damage the bulbs.  Autumn daffodils often bloom at the same time as the colchicum, and the two can provide a striking color palette.