Keeping abreast of the seasons

To think we almost despaired at the sight of our hanging baskets which we ordered online back in September. So much so that we even raised concerns with the supplier.
They advised us to water and give them chance to establish themselves . . . and are we thankful that we did.  The result has been a stunning display of pansies in the two baskets throughout the winter that has provided seemingly almost nine months of perpetual blooms and colour.
Admittedly they became a bit leggy after it rained heavily and equally when they were left without water while we were away during several days of a dry spell.
But a little TLC and pruning out the dead blooms and the straggly  stems and here they are today still providing outstanding  beauty. I had been a trifle sceptical that they would survive light frost even snow, although in our part of the country we did not experience snowfall this last winter.
Fact is pansies do bloom through the winter, and our buying them in the early autumn has paid off handsomely.
As the promise of warmer weather during the summer months approaches, we are not certain whether they will be equally heat-tolerant as they have been sold tolerant. They say warm temperatures inhibit blooming, but we shall see.
Whatever . . . continual blooming through almost nine months already has given us just reward and our money’s worth.