Somehow I made it over 40 years without realizing mums were chrysanthemums.

Never said I was a genius.

Mums can be overdone, but they’re our best bet for color outside of falling leaves in October. I’ve seen some beautiful gardens around town with shades of orange and gold, a perfect complement to what’s happening around them, but I prefer bright color in my own yard for as long as I can have it. Happily mums can fit that bill as well, as they grow in a wide variety of colors.