Normally I don't care for yellow flowers in the garden in the summer. I favor blues/purples (both soft and rich tones), pinks, whites in the back beds, hot pink in the front of the house, since it looks good against my brick. I don't care what the color is in the spring I'm so color starved, but I prefer the softer, cooler tones in the summer. This time of year, though, those softer tones just look "off", I get to the point I can't stand them anymore and start ripping out annuals, and I start to favor stronger colors including yellow - particularly those lush yellow mums. It probably has to do with the light. Happens to me every year.

Today I bought yellow mum (of course LOL!), hot pink mums with bright yellow centers, which look great in some pots that I have, and hot pink aster. Bought a rich-looking blue aster a couple weeks ago and it's blooming its head off right now. Going to start ripping out the annuals in the next few days when I have time and enjoy my new fall goodies :0)

Does anyone else go through this?

I have red, yellow, blue, orange, fuschia and everything in between from late January-early February on. Some gardeners might say gaudy, but nobody who passes by has said to me that my garden is ugly yet.

It's been years since I had mums in my garden. I plant thickly and let them duke it out for space. Those that could not survive, I don't replace. And since mums could not fight its way, I went for asters instead.

I still have Rudbeckia hirta, R. triloba, R. Glodsturm, Geranium 'Rozanne', Phlox paniculata, Hydrangea 'Annabelle, Hydrangea quercifolia, Hydrangea paniculata, Morning Glory 'President Tylor', Clematis 'Bette Corning', Echinacea purpurea, Lychnis calcedonica, Clematis 'Huldine', Lilium speciosum, Pelargonium, Feverfew, Roses and Hosta plantaginea in bloom.

Ornamental grass is beginning to bloom and Sedum 'Autumn Joy''s color is deepening. Most of the hosta big and small are still looking grand.

I still have asters, sweet autumn clematis, fall corcus and Colchicum to look forward to. They will contrast nicely with autumn leaves.