Pansies

The best part about pansies is that they come in just about any color you can think of except green. If it's fragrance you want, stick with yellows and whites. For the hardiest pansies and the ones that will reseed and come back next year, you'll have the best luck with the solid colors of blue and yellow.

They are surprisingly cold hardy in most parts of the country. In fact, in Zones 6-9, their bright faces can bloom all winter long. In cool fall temperatures, pansies double their size and produce more flowers. Pansies need well-drained soil and prefer at least six hours of sun a day. After the flowers fade, you can rejuvenate the plants by cutting them back about one-third. In about one to two weeks, you'll have another flush of colorful blooms. So the next time you're searching for a great flower of the frost, don't forget about pansies. They're compact, they're cold hardy and they're definitely colorful.