The calendar does actually indicate winter is officially over.

But, as experience has shown, the weather is very unpredictable. Mother Nature pays no attention to what month it is.The home landscape this time of year is in need of cheering up. There are better and brighter days ahead even though things look dirty and old.It would be nice to see some color around the yard.Right now at your local garden center you can have your choice of a host of colors. The greenhouses are full of pansies.Few other flowers give you the wide variety of colors and excellent weather tolerance then pansies do.There are almost 500 species of pansies with three different patterns: the single color, often referred to as "clear" type; single color with black radiating from the center, and "face" type, with dark centers.You will also find single, semi-double, and full-double blooms. Most often, there's a mix of pansies in packs or trays.Purchase plants that are stocky with dark green foliage and have few blooms but many buds.Johnny Jump-ups are closely related to pansies. They have much smaller blooms, come in fewer colors and can tolerate warmer temperatures. As a result, they will bloom longer in the season than pansies.Pansies can be planted outside as soon as the soil can be worked and loosened. Pansies thrive in cool weather. They usually can handle a frost, and once established, can survive a freeze.Pansies are considered biennials. You may see them again as they will re-seed themselves to complete their life cycle.Pansies prefer part-sun to shade locations. This will also keep them blooming longer than in direct sun.Continually deadheading or removing spent blooms will encourage new flowers to form.Pansies are used for color massing, edging, containers and window boxes during fall, winter and spring.They are an easy choice for a deck or porch if you do not want to toil in the soil so early in the season.Another advantage to pansies is they are disease-resistant, so you can have a healthy-looking yard when everything else is still dormant."Growing Green" is contributed by Lehigh County Extension Office Staff and Master Gardeners. Lehigh County Extension Office, 610-391-9840; Northampton County Extension Office, 610-746-1970.