Fantastic Fall Flowers!

My garden is pretty subdued these days...

Not much color there.

So I'm always delighted to come across bright flowers in bloom, like these outside a shopping center!

I think they're annuals. Maybe I should invest in a few next year. They keep blooming until the first frost.

After reading this blog post, a friend commented: The plants you saw are plumed cockscombs, I think, an annual that quite easy to grow. They do make a vivid display, especially in the fall when the flowers of other plants begin to fade - somewhat the way chrysanthemums do in the fall. Check this Web site for info on this plumed form of cockscomb http://www.onlineplantguide.com/Plant-Details/486/