Wanda Tineo has enjoyed a successful career as a New York-based real estate and insurance professional, including time with Allan M. Block Insurance Agency in Tarrytown and Piermont’s Kennedy and Kennedy. Away from her professional activities, Wanda Tineo enjoys spending time tending to her vegetable and flower gardens.

Maintaining a healthy and beautiful flower garden can be quite a challenge, particularly if gardeners are planting flowers out of season. Fall flowers represent a great starting point for novice gardeners, as they may bloom during the warmth of early September or later in October. Geraniums and phlox maintain the bright colors of summer blooms, while cardinal flowers and black-eyed Susans are more telling of the autumnal season. Other fall flowers include dahlias and big leaf asters.

Winter might not seem like the right time of year for blooms, particularly in regions that experience freezing temperatures, but there are a few flowers that can be categorized as winter blooms, including lenten roses and primrose. Poinsettias, arguably the most well known winter flower, typically bloom in December, just in time for the holiday season.

Spring and summer blooms, of course, are abundant. Blue flag iris, daylilies, forget-me-nots, and peonies are just a fraction of the many spring flowers a gardener can choose from. Many summer flowers, including lavender and geraniums, are hardy enough to bloom year round in certain climates, though gardeners should be prepared to protect the plants from heat waves and dry spells.