Rosemary, either upright or trailing kinds and Dalea greggii (blue foliaged ground cover with fuzzy purple flowers). They don't have real showy flowers like pansy's but I like them for winter blooms and they draw bees.

Another good annual is Snapdragons if its not too cold.

I am finding my Gazanias are blooming like crazy and seeds are germinating all around the plants now that its cooled down, I am wondering if they would bloom all winter in milder areas? I don't know but it seems to love colder temps.

Not much color other than berries in our yard after the first hard freeze, but we do like late summer/fall flowering grasses like big muhly or 'Blonde Ambition' blue grama grass for some winter variety. Look forward to seeing other ideas.

TexasRanger10, Glad to hear Gregg's dalea stays with you during the winter in zone 7. We've been trying to get groundcovers established along a circle drive for the past three years, but didn't factor in the rabbits. They don't kill the other things we've been trying, just keep it from filling in. Dalea greggii is one of several alternatives we're testing in that space and the rabbits seem to ignore it. Wasn't sure now hardy it would be in DFW, so a bonus to hear it probably won't die back.

Dianthus are pretty hardy for me. Normally I just buy a ton of pansies and violas. I'm going flowerless this winter spending all my energy (and money) on rebuilding beds.

Believe it or not, four nerve daisies bloom all winter. They should be called the "four-season-daisy" as they never stop blooming.

These seeded themselves (along with zinnias) from a flower bed to come up in gravel.

What a cheery little flower!

Here is a link that might be useful: Four nerve daisy ...

bostedo, last winter was a very good test to its hardiness but I have had it here about 4 or 5 years now. I've transplanted starts of it in a lot of places and discovered it does well in heavy dry soil with trees roots that suck the ground dry, sandy soil, and areas that get morning sun only, it takes a surprising amount of shade well. I love the smell--crayolas--it smells just like a new box of crayons and reminds me of grade school. The roots are real tough, thin and about 8" deep. You can just pull up a rooted section and transplant it pretty easily.

Here it is, the blue ground cover mid left in the photo in early spring after last winter which got colder than usual. It looks great all summer and most of winter. If it will grow in OKC, it'll be a piece of cake in Dallas.

Is Four Nerve Daisy the same as Thrift Leaf Perky Sue (Hymenoxys scaposa)? I bought a couple from HCG this spring and they really haven't done much all year. I'm hoping it grows bigger and blooms next year so I can figure out what I have.

TexasRanger, if I'm remembering this right, I think I've seen a couple of your photos around here of your hellstrip as well as some backyard shots, and they're all super impressive. I've got to ask, what are those tiny purple flowers next to your walkway, and what is the upright small yellow flower next to them?

The purple flowers are perennial Flame Flowers--Talinum calycinum and the yellow is annual Desert Marigold--Balieya multiradata. I got the seeds from Plants of the SW years ago. They naturalize easily, both need good drainage.

For San Antonio, Giant Mexicam Turkscap should be blooming starting about now and until Christmas. On mild winters, Tahitian bridal veil bloomed nicely in the winter. I would get a lot of bloom on my wood sorrel ( oxalis) during Late winter/early spring. Same with Jonquils. I got very nice Yellow blooms on my Salvia madrensis right up to the first HARD freeze. There are some other Late blooming mexican salvias that would do a similar trick. My Gomphrenas are blooming right now. There is also Winter Honeysuckle. That will fill your yard with fragrance.

This post was edited by wantonamara on Tue, Nov 11, 14 at 1:45

Anemones are sprouting now and will bloom in Feb until the pansies die. They will last longer than any other bulb or corm for me and I love the foliage.

I think that if one stretches fall color out withe Broom snakeweed and Eupatorium havanense and makes spring come earlier with aloe maculata and others. Aloe gretheadi blooms in winter also. They would be good for san Atonio, Here , the bloom stalks often get frozen.

cynthianovak i planted some poppy anenome a month or so back and haven't seen any sprouts, think I should dig them up and see what's up?

Has anyone mentioned ornamental kale and cabbage? They'll provide lots of color, plus I swipe a few leaves of kale to add to green smoothies.

Here is a link that might be useful: You may want to subscribe to Texas Gardener Seeds. They send out newsletters every week ....

This post was edited by roselee on Wed, Nov 12, 14 at 14:01