The pink one looks like some kind of perennial geranium and the "pansy" is a ("Tricolor" maybe?) viola.

hth,
Deb

First looks like cutleaf mallow - Malva alcea. Will self-seed quite willingly if not deadheaded. Picking and drying the seed pods is exactly how to collect seeds.

Based on the foliage, I think the pink one is more likely a rose mallow which is in the hibiscus family. I'm not aware of any perennial geraniums with flowers that large plus the plants normally don't grow particularly tall. Definitely agree the second pic is likely a form of pansy/viola. Pansies are annuals but are fond of the cold and have returned where I am year after year even growing in containers.

There's a Name That Plant forum here on GW where you're likely to get an answer more quickly.

Top - one of the many hundreds of cranesbill plant types. Very hardy, as opposed to the common pelargonium/geranium, and will crop up all over the place.

Bottom - would say definitely a viola tricolor

Thanks all for the ID! I googled all the pic 1 suggestions and I'm almost certain that malva alcea is what it is. I realize it wasn't a good photo and didn't show the height very well. Wish I would've deadheaded them for more flowers, but I will definitely harvest the seeds for next year. I love this flower.

So should I bring the tricolor viola in for the winter or leave it outside?

I think the first one is Malva alcea as well. For the viola, I would collect seeds from it too and plant in the spring. Probably they won't be just the same, but it's free! (The pods can shoot them all over, so put a lid on any container that you keep them in. Well, maybe just put a cloth napkin over the top of the container. You want the seeds to dry out)

Viola are easy to propagate. So easy, in fact, that you will likely have more plants next year no matter what you do. They scatter their seeds out and the seeds and plants have no problem overwintering. You can snip off some seed pods once they are dry but before the seeds fall out. But leave some seed pods in place so that you have new plants to greet you in the spring. Definitely leave the plant outside in the winter.

I'm glad you have some fun plants to welcome you to your new home!

Thanks for the advice. Now this brings up another question. What if the flowers are in pots? I'm afraid they'll crack or break in the cold. Can they be kept in a basement? Or maybe I should transplant them in the ground before winter comes? Sorry for the dumb questions.

Not dumb questions!

I'd pop it into the ground. It will probably perish in the basement. You can cut it back by half or more when you transplant it (or anytime for that matter).

Yes the pots will likely crack over the winter (ask me how I know...). I do overwinter some tender plants in the garage (such as the Salvia guaranitica), but if your plants are hardy or easy to start from seed, then don't bother.

the mallow... i bought one here in adrian mi ... 10 years ago... let it go to seed once.. and have been fighting dormant seeds for the next decade ....

i would be very leery of spreading it around too much ... your choice of course ..;

in MI .. many pansy type plants are sold with mums in fall .. and they winter over with some regularity ... depending on the severity of the MI winter ... but many of them are biennial at best .....

if it were me.. i would just move that pot.. where you might want the pansy/viola.. and let it self sow.. right now ...

the plant is sowing now.. so why do we think OH >>> I WILL SAVE THEM UNTIL SPRING... think about that ...

the trick is recognizing them when the sprout.. and that is the beauty of that pot.. it will be sitting there.. surrounded by seedlings.. and you will say.. hey ... i remember now.. lol ...

finally.. personally.. i would not leave that pot outdoors.. in MI ... for fear that winter would crack it.. if it was left before.. you may have gotten lucky ... i would empty it.. and insure that it was bone dry .. and then store it in the polebarn ....

ken

Okay, will transplant it in the ground. Thanks everyone!