Fall has officially arrived, although temperatures remain summerish. But when the calendar changes, it’s time to start thinking about the cool-season annual colors to be planted and enjoyed during the winter months.

Most home gardeners, including me, will grow the annual color most associated with the cool season, so, of course, that means pansies. Very soon, garden centers will be flooded with flats of these colorful blooms ready to transplant.

My favorite pansy to grow in my Gulf Coast landscape has to be the Matrix series. And despite their name, Matrix pansies are tough garden plants.

There is a dizzying number of options available in this series. The range of colors and styles available means there is a Matrix pansy just for you. These pansies give nonstop color to get you through the winter.

If you’re undecided about flower color, a great option is to select a mixed series. Matrix pansies are also available in color-coordinated mixes instead of the traditional random color mixes. That way, you get to enjoy multiple colors without having to make a definite decision.

One of my Matrix favorites happens to be the Coastal Sunrise Mix. In fact, this series was my introduction to Matrix pansies. It features a mix of three colors: deep blue, ruby red and peachy gold.

Another great series is Lavender Shades, which has an outstanding mix of flower colors that range from dark purple to wispy lavender and pure white. Select Amber Mix if you like a mix of warmer colors. The clear orange, yellow and lemon colors are fantastic.

Pansies traditionally had black blotches sometimes referred to as “faces.” But sometimes these blotched pansies don’t quite fit in with a color scheme, so there are also pansies with pure colors. Most of these have a small yellow eye in the center.

Matrix pansies have freely branching growth habits and reach about 8 inches tall and wide. When massed together, as pansies were meant to be planted, they create an impressive, colorful landscape carpet.

Matrix pansies have huge flowers held above the foliage by strong stems that allow the petals to flutter in the slightest breeze. Whether you grow them in the ground or in containers, maintain consistent root zone moisture and feed with a water-soluble fertilizer, even during the winter.

Buying your Matrix pansies now will give you the best selection and allow you to avoid the crowds later in the season.

Don’t worry that some of your summer annuals have gotten a second wind and may be looking nice again. It won’t last. And in a month, your pansies will be pansying and ready for the months of the real cool season.