Those marked with an asterisk (*) are good cutflowers. Keep in mind that the best cutflower material is from plants over 2 feet tall.

ANNUALS FOR FALL PLANTING (WINTER-SPRING COLOR)

Medium (1-3 feet) --

Amberboa moschata SWEET SULTAN*
Antirrhinum majus SNAPDRAGON*
Arctotis fastuosus MONARCH OF THE VELDT
Arctotis venusta (A. stoaechadifolia) BLUE-EYED AFRICAN DAISY
Bracteantha bracteata STRAWFLOWER*
Cerinthe major HONEYWORT*
Digitalis purpurea Foxy FOXGLOVE
Limonium bonduellii YELLOW STATICE*
Limonium sinuatum STATICE*
Malope trifida MALOPE
Matthiola incana STOCK*
Molucella laevis BELLS-OF-IRELAND*
Pericallis (Senecio) x hybridus CINERARIA

Short (under 1 foot) --

Anchusa capensis CAPE FORGET-ME-NOT
Antirrhinum majus SNAPDRAGON
Brachyscome iberidifolia SWAN RIVER DAISY
Brassica oleracea var. Acephala FLOWERING CABBAGE, KALE
Calceolaria x herbeohybrida POCKET FLOWER, LADYÂS PURSE
Calceolaria mexicana MEXICAN POCKET FLOWER
Calendula officinalis POT MARIGOLD*
Chrysanthemum multicaule YELLOW CLUMP DAISY
Chrysanthemum paludosum WHITE CLUMP DAISY
Cladanthus arabicus PALM SPRINGS DAISY
Clarkia amoena GODETIA*
Cynoglossum amabile CHINESE FORGET-ME-NOT
Lathyrus odoratus ÂCupid' DWARF SWEET PEA
Limonium sinuatum ANNUAL STATICE*
Lobelia erinus LOBELIA
Matthiola incana STOCK
Mimulus x hybridus MONKEY FLOWER
Nemesia strumosa NEMESIA
Nemesia versicolor NEMESIA
Pericallis (Senecio) x hybridus CINERARIA
Primula malacoides FAIRY PRIMROSE
Primula obconica GERMAN PRIMROSE
Schizanthus pinnatus, S. x wisetonensis BUTTERFLY FLOWER
Tropaeolum majus/minus NASTURTIUM

BIENNIALS FOR FALL PLANTING (WINTER-SPRING COLOR)

Medium (1-3 feet) --

Campanula medium CANTERBURY BELLS*
Dianthus superbus LACE PINK*
Erysimum cheiri ENGLISH WALLFLOWER
Hesperis matronalis DAMEÂS ROCKET*
Lunaria annua HONESTY*
Lychnis coronaria ROSE CAMPION
Salvia argentea SILVER SAGE

Short (under 1 foot) --

Bellis perennis ENGLISH DAISY
Campanula medium CANTERBURY BELLS, CUP-AND-SAUCER
Dianthus barbatus SWEET WILLIAM
Dianthus chinensis hybrids PINKS
Erysimum cheiri ENGLISH WALLFLOWER
Myosotis sylvatica (M. alpestris) FORGET-ME-NOT
Viola cornuta VIOLA
Viola tricolor JOHNNY-JUMP-UP
Viola x wittrockiana PANSY

"HARDY" PERENNIALS TO GROW AS WINTER/SPRING ANNUALS

Agastache anisata, A. rugosa, A. urticifolia HYSSOP
Aquilegia COLUMBINE
Aster ericoides HEATH ASTER*
Aurinia saxatilis BASKET OF GOLD
Campanula lactiflora, C. persicifolia BELLFLOWER
Catanache caerulea CUPIDÂS DART*
Coreopsis x grandiflora TICKSEED*
Delphinium grandiflorum CHINESE DELPHINIUM
Dianthus deltoides, D. gratianopolitanus, D. plumarius PINKS*
Erysimum x allionii SIBERIAN WALLFLOWER
Eustoma grandiflorum PRAIRIE GENTIAN*
Gaillardia aristata BLANKET FLOWER
Nierembergia CUP FLOWER
Papaver croceum (P. nudicaule) ICELAND POPPY
Penstemon x gloxinioides BEARDTONGUE
Primula x polyantha ENGLISH PRIMROSE
Primula sinensis CHINESE PRIMROSE
Rudbeckia hirta BLACK-EYED SUSAN

COOL SEASON ANNUALS TO SOW DIRECTLY TO THE GROUND WHERE THEY ARE TO GROW

Agrostemma gracilis (A. githago) CORNCOCKLE*
Amberboa (Centaurea) moschata SWEET SULTAN*
Calendula officinalis POT MARIGOLD*
Centaurea cyanus CORNFLOWER, BACHELORSÂ BUTTONS*
Clarkia amoena GODETIA*
Collinsia heterophylla CHINESE HOUSES
Dimorphotheca pluvialis RAIN DAISY
Dimorphotheca sinuata AFRICAN DIASY
Dorotheanthus bellidiformis LIVINGSTONE DAISY
Dorotheanthus gramineus MOONLIGHT DAISY
Eschscholzia californica CALIFORNIA POPPY
Gaillardia pulchella BLANKET FLOWER
Glaucium corniculatum HORNED POPPY
Gypsophila elegans ANNUAL BABYÂS-BREATH
Iberis amara WHITE CANDYTUFT
Iberis umbellata CANDYTUFT
Lathyrus odoratus SWEET PEA*
Layia platyglossa TIDY-TIPS
Linanthus grandiflorus MOUNTAIN PHLOX
Linaria maroccana BABY SNAPDRAGON
Linaria reticulata FLAMENCO TOADFLAX
Linum grandiflorum SCARLET FLAX
Lobularia maritima SWEET ALYSSUM
Lupinus hispanicus SPANISH LUPINE
Lupinus mutabilis (L. hartwegii) MEXICAN LUPINE
Lupinus succulentus ARROYO LUPINE
Malcomia maritima VIRGINIA STOCK
Matthiola longipetala bicornis EVENING-SCENTED STOCK
Mentzelia lindleyi BLAZING STAR
Nemophila maculata FIVESPOT
Nigella damascena LOVE-IN-A-MIST*
Omphalodes linifolia BLUE NAVELWORT
Papaver commutatum FLANDERS POPPY
Papaver rhoeas CORN POPPY, SHIRLEY POPPY
Phacelia campanularia CALIFORNIA BLUEBELLS
Platystemon californicus CREAM CUPS
Reseda odorata MIGNONETTE*
Silene coeli-rosa ROSE-OF-HEAVEN*
Tropaeolum majus NASTURTIUM
Vaccaria hispanica COW COCKLE
Xanthisma texanum TEXAS SLEEPY DAISY

BEST BULBS FOR WINTER-SPRING COLOR

Allium neopolitanum ÂCowanii FLOWERING ONION*
Anemone blanda GRECIAN WINDFLOWER
Anemone coronaria POPPY-FLOWERED ANEMONE
Anemone x fulgens SCARLET WINDFLOWER
Arisarum proboscideum MOUSE PLANT
Arum italicum (shade) ITALIAN ARUM
Babiana plicata BABOON FLOWER
Babiana rubrocyanea LITTLE WINE CUP
Babiana stricta BABOON FLOWER
Babiana villosa BABOON FLOWER
Chlidanthus fragrans PERFUMED FAIRY LILY*
Cyanella lutea FIVE FINGERS
Cyclamen persicum (shade) CYCLAMEN
Freesia FREESIA*
Freesia laxa LAPEYROUSIA*
Gladiolus alatus SMALL GLADIOLA*
Gladiolus debilis SMALL PAINTED LADY*
Gladiolus tristis MARSH AFRIKANER*
Homeria collina CAPE TULIP*
Hyacinthoides hispanica SPANISH BLUEBELL*
Ipheion uniflorum SPRING STAR FLOWER
Ixia hybrids CORN LILY
Ixia viridiflora GREEN CORN LILY
Lachenalia aloides CAPE COWSLIP
Leucojum vernum SPRING SNOWFLAKE
Moraea polystachya PEACOCK FLOWER
Moraea villosa PEACOCK IRIS
Muscari armeniacum GRAPE HYACINTH
Narcissus (see separate list) NARCISSUS, DAFFODIL*
Ornithogalum arabicum STAR OF BETHLEHEM*
Ornithogalum narbonense NARBONE STAR
Ornithogalum thyrsoides CHINCHERINCHEE*
Oxalis purpurea CAPE SORRELL
Rhodohypoxis baurii SPRING STARFLOWER
Scilla peruviana PERUVIAN SQUILL*
Sparaxis tricolor HARLEQUIN FLOWER
Spiloxene capensis PAINTED PEACOCK FLOWER
Sternbergia lutea GOLDEN CROCUS
Triteleia ÂQueen Fabiola BRODIAEA*
Triteleia hyacinthina WHITE HYACINTH BRODIAEA
Triteleia laxa PRETTY FACE, TRIPLET LILY*
Tritonia crocata FLAME FREESIA*
Tulipa clusiana LADY TULIP*
Tulipa clusiana chrysantha GOLDEN LADY TULIP*
Tulipa clusiana ÂLady Jane CANDYSTRIPE TULIP*
Tulipa saxatilis MIDDLE-EAST TULIP
Tulipa sylvestris FRAGRANT WILD TULIP
Veltheimia bracteata (shade) CAPE FOREST LILY

DAFFODILS AND OTHER NARCISSUS*
(for naturalizing on the Central Coast)

ÂAccent -- large pink cup, white petals
ÂArctic Gold -- trumpet with deep all-yellow flowers
ÂBantam -- large orange-red cup and smallish, deep yellow petals
ÂBinkie -- large sulfur yellow cup that fades to white, sulfur petals
ÂBridal Crown -- double-flowered, pure white
ÂCarlton -- large-cupped, soft yellow
ÂCeylon -- large pale orange deepening to orange red cup, golden petals
ÂCheerfulness -- white double tazetta
ÂDelibes -- large-cupped, yellow petals, red-banded yellow cup
ÂErlicheer -- small very fragrant, double white flowers in clusters, tazetta
ÂFebruary Gold -- cyclamineus, golden yellow trumpet
and pale yellow swept-back petals
ÂFestivity -- yellow trumpet, large clear yellow cup, white overlapping petals
ÂGalway -- large-cupped all gold
ÂGeranium -- tazetta, white and orange flowers
ÂGreen Island -- greenish lemon cup, white petals
ÂHawera -- triandrus, soft yellow, recurved petals, 5"
ÂJenny -- cyclamineus hybrid, white and yellow, swept-back petals
ÂKinglet -- jonquilla hybrid, fragrant, yellow petals, orange cups
ÂMabel Taylor -- large pink cup, ivory petals
ÂMatador -- tazetta, bright orange cup and sulfur petals, fragrant
ÂMartha Washington -- tazetta, red cups, white petals
ÂMount Hood -- trumpet, giant all white
ÂSilver Chimes -- tazetta, several fragrant creamy white flowers per stem
ÂSir Winston Churchill -- double-flowered version of ÂGeraniumÂ
ÂSuzy -- jonquilla, small red cups, ruffled yellow petals
ÂSweetness -- jonquilla, rich yellow, fragrant
ÂThalia -- triandrus, all-white, 2-3 per stem
ÂTrevithian -- jonquilla, bright yellow, 2-3 per stem
ÂVigil -- all white trumpet
ÂVireo -- jonquilla, fragrant, tiny greenish cup and gold petals, 9"
ÂWee Bee -- trumpet, tiny all-golden, 5"
ÂYellow Cheerfulness -- double tazetta, creamy yellow

Species:

Narcissus bulbocodium
Narcissus jonquilla
Narcissus papyraceus
Narcissus viridiflorus -- tiny yellow-green flowers; fall-blooming

CALIFORNIA NATIVE BULBS
Fall planted

Allium unifolium ONE-LEAF ALLIUM*
Bloomeria crocea GOLDEN STARS*
Brodiaea elegans HARVEST BRODIAEA*
Calochortus albus WHITE GLOBE LILY, FAIRY LANTERN
Calochortus argillosus CLAY MARIPOSA LILY
Calochortus simulans SAN LUIS OBISPO MARIPOSA LILY
Calochortus uniflorus MEADOW STAR TULIP
Calochortus venustus albus WHITE MARIPOSA LILY
Chlorogalum pomeridianum AMOLE, SOAP PLANT
Dichelostemma ida-maia FIRECRACKER FLOWER*
Dichelostemma pulchellum BLUE DICKS, WILD HYACINTH*
Erythronium revolutum COAST FAWN LILY
Fritillaria biflora CHOCOLATE LILY, MISSION BELLS
Fritillaria lanceolata CHECKER-LILY
Triteleia hyacinthina WHITE HYACINTH BRODIAEA*
Triteleia laxa PRETTY FACE, TRIPLET LILY*

Oh my gosh, thanks so much! I definitely have some searching to do!

Ok, I think I have found a few possible choices, my question now becomes where do I buy these. I don't mind online shopping for a good deal!

Sweet peas, Pot marigold, Corn Cockle, DAFFODILS/ NARCISSUS, WILD HYACINTH

I was also considering hellebores but had heard they won't bloom for 3 or 4 years and I switch out and dig up my garden often so if that is true they may not be a good idea for me.

1. If you want the largest and best selection of seeds and bulbs, I think you have to go on-line. Don't necessarily shop for "deals". Look for best quality and service. Occasionally, you'll find something on sale at the better mail-order or on-line companies. Here's some of my favorites:

MAIL ORDER SEED COMPANIES

Cape Bulb & Seed
PO Box 6363
Uniedal 7612
South Africa
Tel: +2721 887-9418
Fax: +2721 887-0823
Web: http://www.capeseedandbulb.com/
email: capeseed@iafrica.com
Seeds and bulbs of mostly south African plants

CapeFlora
P. O. Box 10556
Linton Grange,
Port Elizabeth, South Africa, 6015
Tel: +27 (41) 3792096
Web: http://www.capeflora.com/
email: sales@capeflora.com
Bulbs and seeds from South Africa

Chiltern Seeds
Bortree Stile, Ulverston,
Cumbria, La12 7pb, England
Tel. No: + 44 1229 581137)
Fax No: + 44 1229 584549)
Web: http://www.edirectory.co.uk/chilternseeds/
email: info@chilternseeds.co.uk
Possibly the largest selection of worthwhile seeds anywhere

JJAseeds
Jim & Jenny Archibald
'Bryn Collen', Ffostrasol,
Llandysul, SA44 5SB, Wales, UK
Web: http://www.jjaseeds.com/
An amazing assortment of seeds of all kinds

Seedhunt
P.O. Box 96
Freedom, CA 95019-0096
Web: http://www.seedhunt.com/
email: seedhunt@aol.com
Great seeds for perennials for California

MAIL ORDER BULB COMPANIES

Anthony J. Skittone Bulb Co.
1415 Eucalyptus Drive
SF, CA 94132
800-348-7002
General bulb catalog with plenty of specialties

Bill the Bulb Baron
US Mail: (payment only, all correspondence must be by email)
William R. P. Welch
P.O. Box 1736
Carmel Valley, CA 93924
Tel: (831) 659-3830
Web: http://www.billthebulbbaron.com/
email: billthebulbbaron@aol.com
Amaryllids of all kinds including plenty of Narcissus

Brent & Becky's Bulbs
7463 Heath Trail
Gloucester, VA 23061
804-693-3966
Web: http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/
email: store@brentandbeckysbulbs.com
Although an eastern company, they have a tremendous selection of bulbs for California gardeners

Cape Bulb & Seed
PO Box 6363
Uniedal 7612
South Africa
Tel: +2721 887-9418
Fax: +2721 887-0823
Web: http://www.capeseedandbulb.com/
email: capeseed@iafrica.com
Seeds and bulbs of mostly South African plants

CapeFlora
P. O. Box 10556
Linton Grange,
Port Elizabeth, South Africa, 6015
Tel: +27 (41) 3792096
Web: http://www.capeflora.com/
email: sales@capeflora.com
Bulbs and seeds from South Africa

Far West Bulb Farm
14499 Lower Colfax Road
Grass Valley, CA 95945
530-272-4775
Web: http://www.californianativebulbs.com/
email: nancyames@accessbee.com
California native bulbs

Flowers and Greens
35717 Lasiandra Lane
Davis, CA 95616
530-756-9238
Web: http://e-alstroemeria.hypermart.net/
email: roysachs@yahoo.com
Bulbs and Alstroemeria

Fogbelt Growers
5096 Dows Prairie Road
McKinleyville, CA 95519
717-839-1364
Web: http://fogbeltgrowers.com/
email: fogbelt@humboldt1.com
California native bulbs

Jim Duggan Flower Nursery
1452 Santa Fe Drive
Encinitas, CA 92024
Web: http://www.thebulbman.com/
email: jimsflowers@thebulbman.com
Mediterranean climate bulbs

M & C Willetts
P.O. Box 446
Moss Landing, CA 95039
831-728-2852
Web: http://www.bulbmania.com/
email: mandcw@ccnet.com
Specialty bulbs (and some seeds of bulbs)

Odyssey Bulbs
984 Meadow Lane
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
877-220-1651, security code 4642
Web: http://odysseybulbs.com/ email: odysseybulbs@earthlink.net
An amazing assortment of bulbs, including many suited to California

Telos Rare Bulbs
P. O. Box 4147
Arcata, CA 95518
Web: http://www.telosrarebulbs.com/
email: info@telosrarebulbs.com
California native bulbs and bulbs from all over the world

2. There are plenty of hybrid hellebores (Helleborus x sternii) that do well where you are and you can buy them in one-gallon cans already in bloom. They'll continue to bloom year after year.

Joe

I have some internet shopping to do!

Thanks Joe!

Helleborus x argutifolius is already budding up for winter bloom in my Berkeley garden, and is easily available at northern California retail and wholesale nurseries. Many of the plants listed are also easily available locally, and if you want plants rather than seed or bulbs, you might consider looking at www.anniesannuals.com, with the nursery in Richmond, Ca and they also do mail order.

I think it needs to be said that some things listed as winter bloomers will need the warmer full sun locations without major frost to bloom in true winter, as well as being planted early enough to get established and be blooming size before the weather gets cold. In general, planting out by late September, and getting the plants in the right sun or shade exposure that is their preference will make a huge difference. some pretty standard fare plants such as flowering ornamental kale, florist cyclamen, pansies, violas, english primroses, etc are standard fare for winter bloom, and will start to become available in the nurseries shortly. I have already seen blooming cyclamen for sale at Home Depot locally.

I might mention that early fall planted bulbs may often bloom as early as late October or November, such as Paperwhite Narcissus and ranunculus bulbs, or Ipheion uniflorum.

Stock, Primrose, and Pink (I find pink the most fragrant) cyclament will give you color and scent in the winter months.

That said, Kniphofia rooperii, Aloe Vanbelenii, Ageratum, primrose, and Aeoniums provide great winter color, but not much scent.

wanda

Just wanted to thank all who posted, this info has been very helpful!