home. “Planting flowers is one of the least expensive ways to make the front of your house look inviting,” says Bayer Advanced garden expert Lance Walheim, co-author of “Landscaping for Dummies.” “It’s like putting out a welcome sign that entices buyers.” Don’t just run out and buy a bunchof flowers and stick them in the ground. Planning goes a long way toward putting more money in your pocket. Select plants with staggered bloom periods for the longest season of color and mix in different plant textures, shapes and sizes, says Walheim. Contrast dark- and light-colored flowers, such as light yellows with dark blues, for example. And it’s not always about blooming plants. Dramatic foliage, bright berries or fruit and even colorful branches can all contribute dramatic hues. * Quick-blooming annuals will last a growing season and are easy to plant from a tray of flowers. Consider pansies, violas, calendu- las and primroses for spring color, as well as zinnias, marigolds and vincasfor color all summerlong. * Consider perennials such as campanulas, dianthus, geraniums and phlox for spring and early summer; yarrow, coreopsis, daylilies and rudbeckia for midsummer; and asters, penstemon and mumsforfall. * Don’t forget the great foliage plants like ornamental grasses, hostas and artemisia. * Be sure to add mulch to the bed to retain moisture and help keep the weedsout. Select plants with staggered bloom periods for the longest season of color. * Watering plants is critical to success. Check the soil by digging into it with your fingers or a trowel. If the top few inches are dry, it’s time to water. Do it slowly and thoroughly so it soaks down to the deeper roots. Young or new plantings require more frequent watering to help their roots get established. Mature plantings with large root systems should be watered deeply but less often. Healthy-looking flowers show you care about your home. But insects such as Japanese beetles, aphids and whiteflies, as well as diseases such as powdery mildew and rust, can make your flowers look sickly. Bayer Advanced” All-In-One Rose & Flower Care (bayer advanced.com) protects your flowers from insects and diseases and feeds them, too. Mix with water and pour around the baseof the plant every six weeks for protection. Read and follow label directions. (Product not registered in NewYork.)
