Snapdragons

Snapdragons feature tall spikes of flowers that make a dramatic statement in the garden. They spread beauty with their infinite colors, forms and heights and, as an added bonus, they attract butterflies. (They earned their name because when you pinch their little heads, their tiny mouths open and shut.)

Snapdragons, perennials in my garden, enjoy both full sun and part shade. Usually grown as annuals, they are half-hardy and do tend to come back on their own, true to their original color. Over the years, the lovely snapdragon has become one of the most popular bedding plants grown. They do benefit from deadheading, which will prolong their flowering time in your garden. They also make fine cut flowers.

And they grow everywhere. I've got them in the ground in semi-shade, in pots in the sun and out back in the ground in full sun. In Florida, their cheerful blooms start in December and last until the dog days of summer.

I bought the pink and yellow snaps at a local nursery, but the white snaps, at left, I started from seed. This snapdragon is from the Rocket strain and ranges from 2 - 3 ft. in height. A new snapdragon is growing at the base of the parent Rockets. Their little feet don't appreciate moving around, but if you take enough dirt, you can fool them. I'm going to move this little lady so it can grow up against the fence where I can tie it up more easily. My original Rockets grew outside my patio screen. Because I didn't have any way to stake them up, they played flopsy-mopsy all spring.