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Sarasota News Leader December 20, 2013 Page 85 • Salvia comes in blue, red and purple and • Celosia has a feathery bloom that provides an unusual texture in the flowerbed. includes varieties that are actually annuals; I have grown them for several years. • Dianthus provide small blooms with pink edges for variety. • Pansies come in especially vivid colors, including a deep purple that is breathtak- PLANT OF THE MONTH ing, especially when combined with bright The hearty geranium comes in red, pink, white, yellow. purple and many other colors. It prefers cool • Chrysanthemums are familiar to almost and dry weather and lots of sun, but it will everyone. They come in every color imag- bloom less profusely in shaded environs. inable. When sheared after blooming, they Under a light canopy, it can survive the can go perennial. summer and may bloom year-round. Good • New Guinea impatiens resist the fatal fun- drainage is a must for it. gus and have a darker leaf, blooming less With thousands being employed in beds statefrequently than standard impatiens but wide, it has assumed the "royal mantle" and producing a flower that is identical. reigns as the dominant annual for our cool season. • Begonias can be spectacular in sun or shade but require vigilance against slugs Rick Wielgorecki may be contacted at 362-0600 or wielgo@hotmail.com. % and snails. Impatiens once reigned as the dominant flower among winter annuals in Florida. Photo by Magnus Manske via Wikimedia Commons