Springtime seems far away with banks of glistening snow stretching far as the eye can see, but spring will sneak up on us before we know it. (Cue applause!)
In fact, I saw a robin this week, no joke.
So, for those early gardener green-thumb types who can't wait to get their hands into the soil, let's review some tough annuals.
Pansies and violas (Viola x wittrockiana) are old hardy favorites, but did you know snap dragons (Antirrhinum majus), alyssum (Lobularia maritime) and wave petunias (Petunia x hybrida) are also hardy to 35 degrees? Now while it's true pansies and violas will break tiny blooms through the snow, and are the very hardiest, these other flower varieties are still pretty hardy.
I'm a hardcore flower fanatic, and I just ache to see color after a couple dreary months, so I push the boundaries. Interestingly, you will find you have a micro-climate around the base of your home or on a deck/patio close to your house, up to a full zone warmer than your main yard; take full advantage of it! Our family eagerly plants our planters around our entrance in the first weeks of March, packing them with colorful annuals. So, if you choose to break out of the winter blues and do the same, make sure to choose the sunnier side of your home, and keep planters protected from run-off coming from your melting roof and eves.
Here's to spring and the toe-tapping, eager gardeners.