It's that time of year that so many of us look forward to. Next to Christmas, Halloween and the Fall Harvest Season is the most popular time of year, and at Westwood Gardens, we want to celebrate it with you!

We offer pumpkins and gourds in addition to other fall décor to help turn any home into a fall harvest paradise. Westwood Gardens is the perfect place to shop for all of your Halloween and fall decorating needs. Hurry in while supplies last!

Many gardeners are saddened when the weather begins cooling, because they believe the colder weather will hail the end of color in their garden. A yard filled with beautiful flowers in summer and fall suddenly seems impossible to duplicate when the weather is cold and the sun is hiding. But there are two plants that are becoming increasingly popular for cheering up winter gardens.

Let us introduce you to "flowering cabbage" and "ornamental kale." These ornamental plants look much the same as their cousins bred for the table, but have been bred specifically for their showy colors and ruffled foliage. They come in a variety of colors, ranging from white to pinks, purples, or reds. (The ornamentals are edible, but not bred for taste.)

More important, these plants can survive winter temperatures as low as 5 degrees (and with some protection, they can survive even lower temperatures). While a sudden severe cold can be deadly to seedlings or new transplants, these plants will do just fine if given time to acclimate. What is more interesting, a light to moderate frost will even help intensify their brilliant colors. They actually prefer the cold and don't do at all well in the summer months.

Both flowering cabbage and ornamental kale prefer to be planted in the full sun but will tolerate some shade (although their colors might not be as intense). As with all other annuals, they do best when planted in rich soil. So, for best results, amend the soil before planting. We also recommend feeding them every two weeks to keep them looking their best. In addition, they do very well in pots, making them great for adding a bit of color on patios and around entrances.

Fall is the time to plant spring blooming bulbs for that wonderful first show of spring that we all love! When you think of spring, daffodils (Narcissus) or maybe crocus come to mind, but there are many other bulbs for fall planting to bring gorgeous color to your spring garden. Some of these even have bloom times that extend into the early summer. These bulbs are originally from all parts of the world. Aren't we lucky that we can grow them here, too!

Preparing your soil for bulb planting is simple. Amend with a good planting mix where you intend to plant your bulbs. As you dig each hole for the bulbs, add a bulb food. Each bulb, corm, rhizome or tuber requires a different planting depth. Follow the packaging instructions or ask one of us for help.

Following this preparation and giving your bulbs the sun/shade and watering that they require will bring you a vividly colorful spring garden.

What You'll Need:

Place the following ingredients in a large bowl and blend with mixer or wire whisk:
• 2 cups pumpkin (16 oz. can)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup oil
• 2 cups sugar

Stir together the following dry ingredients:
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 cups flour
Add to moist ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool and frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting
• 3 oz. package of cream cheese (softened)
• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-2 teaspoons milk
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
Blend until smooth and frost cooled pumpkin bars.