DON’T FORGET SNAPDRAGONS THIS FALL

Pansies steal the show in the fall, grabbing much of the time, space and money gardeners devote to flower beds this time of year. It is hard not to let pansies shine because they are pretty for such a long stretch, lasting deep into spring in some areas.

But they are not your only choice for fall beds and containers.

Snapdragons are another top selection, bringing with them wonderful choices in size and colors.

Snapdragons are quite hardy and prosper well through a mild winter. Planted in fall, they develop strong root systems and bloom through early spring.

Snapdragons you see now in garden centers are already in bloom, flowers that will last a long time during the cool days of autumn. Some blooms will linger into winter before the plants rest for the few, coldest weeks after you trim off the spent, fall flowers. Do not fear that a freeze will harm the resting plants. The roots and foliage are quite hardy, like chrysanthemums and Lenten roses, though snapdragons are not as long-lived as either of those.

Once the plants wake up and begin to grow in late

winter, you may have to do a bit of tidying up of the foliage. But that won’t take much time and effort, and a dose of fertilizer formulated for flowering plants should encourage rapid growth and early blooms.

Like most garden flowers, snapdragons prosper in loose soil that has been improved with the addition of compost and allows roots to develop easily. Sun is important.

The color choices are enough to have you shopping for pots or reaching for the shovel to expand the flower bed. They come in white, soft to dark pink, yellow, coral and red — just about everything you could want. The flowers appear on upright stalks with the buds opening from the bottom and then upward. The height varies, with short snapdragons, 12 inches or so tall, well suited for the front edge of beds or large containers.

Taller ones, 18 to 24 inches, look great behind pansies used as edging. And the tallest snapdragons, often called rockets, can grow 3 to 4 feet and make a dramatic sight in flower beds. The taller ones may require light staking,

Getty Images Yellow snapdragons can add an unexpected bright touch of color to the fall garden.

Getty Images / Score RF Snapdragons bloom in a range of colors. Different varieties reach varying heights, from low-growing border plants to taller specimens.