Home Seller March 17, 2023

ALL THINGS REAL ESTATE

Sellers entitled to keep deposit if you’re unable to find a new loan

Q: My wife and I were in the process of buying a home in Suisun City. Every thing was going great until the most recent spike in interest rates. We had a loan locked and had been all approved. During the due diligence period in the contract, the home inspector we hired found some problems with the home’s electrical that had to be fixed. It wasn’t a big thing and the seller agreed to pay for the fix. The problem was it took several weeks to get an electrician out to the property and then he had to order some special fuse that took another week. Once the work was all done and signed off, we signed a waiver of our contin gencies and expected to close about two weeks past the original closing date. That’s when the problems happened. We tried to extend our loan lock but our mortgage company refused and wanted to lock a new loan at the much higher interest rate. When our loan officer ran the numbers, we no longer qualified for the loan! Now the seller is unwilling to renegotiate the price and is demanding we close escrow, which of course we can’t if we can’t get a loan. We have $10,000 in deposit and our Realtor says if we can’t close on time the seller will get to keep the money. She can’t be right about that? It’s not our fault.

A: Unfortunately, your Realtor may be absolutely correct. Here’s why.

Your $10,000 is generally referred to as a “good faith deposit.” The standard purchase contract used by California Realtors contains a section titled “Liquidated Damages.” Liquidated damages, both in your purchase contract and in contracts in general, is a part of the contract where the parties agree ahead of time what the financial consequences will be if someone (you) breaches the contract.

In California the law limits the amount of the liquidated damages in a home purchase to 3% of the sales price. And so, using my finely honed sixth-grade

math skills, if the contract price for the home is more than $333,334, then the $10,000 is under the 3% rule and subject

Legally, here’s how you got

When you entered into the purchase contract you were provided with a number of protections in the form of contingencies. Contingencies are similar to computer algorithms that say “if X then Y.” In other words, if this happens, then that happens. Or, in reverse, if this doesn’t happen, then that doesn’t happen.

For example: “If an inspector finds a problem that you aren’t willing to fix, then I don’t have to buy your house.” Or, “If I can’t get a loan, then I don’t have to buy your house.”

So if your inability to get your loan had occurred during the contingency period, you’d have gotten your deposit back.

That’s why perspective sellers typically want to be sure you have secured a loan and that the loan is “locked” long enough to get you through the anticipated closing.

As everyone knows, interest rates are climbing at a mind-numbing rate. That wouldn’t bother anyone who has a loan locked. But locks have a time limit and when that time is up it’s up. In a “normal” market, extending a lock is generally not too much of a problem. Rates haven’t changed much and for a small fee you can get a new lock. Not so much now.

So, by waiving the contingencies, you no longer have the option to pull out of the contract. Failing to fulfill your end of the

See Jones, Page 6

Tim Jones

SOLANO REAL ESTATE SCENE

Remember this: Time is money

After we sprung forward last Sunday, the next day I was asking myself, did we just lose an hour of life or just sleep? This inspired me to write this week about time and how important it is to make the most of it and not let it get away.

I coached my son’s Vacaville recreation team, the Blue Devils, to a championship game in 1992 against the undefeated and stacked Dream Team. These two basketball teams were seventhand eighth-graders.

The Dream Team was missing one of their stars, a 6-foot 13-year-old, but still had nine great players and were heavily favored and very confident they would beat my 10 kids. We won that game by 2 points and shocked the crowd at the Duke Center in Vacaville.

Time flies. I remember the game like it was yesterday and yet it was 31 years ago. Eight of the kids from the two teams went on to play high school ball and a couple played all the way through college.

Today, these kids are now men and most of them are still friends with an estimated 30 kids of their own, wives, careers and I would bet at least 13 of the boys are homeowners with a mortgage. I hope all 20 are homeowners but only 62% of Americans 35 to 44 years old own a house, so odds are seven of the Blue Devils and Dream Team players are renting.

I know my readers are aware that I sell mortgages and help Realtors sell houses, and I have a lot of friends and family who I love and care about in the real

Real estate transactions

These are the local homes sold recently, provided by California Resource of Lodi. The company can be reached at 209.365.6663 or CalResource@aol.com.

BENICIA

2905 Quail Hollow Drive - $869,000

02-07-23 [3 Bdrms - 3239 SqFt - 1991

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-26-21, $651,000

543 San Dimas Street - $480,000

02-09-23 [4 Bdrms - 1563 SqFt - 1965

YrBlt]

363 Santa Susana Court - $465,000

02-06-23 [3 Bdrms - 960 SqFt - 1968 YrBlt]

4726 Summerset Drive - $515,000

02-07-23 [3 Bdrms - 1214 SqFt - 2001

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-01-06, $499,000

1045 Tabor Avenue - $475,000

02-09-23 [3 Bdrms - 1606 SqFt - 1972

YrBlt]

estate business who have been suffering through this tight market, but I have been consistent over the past 30 years about my passionate belief that successful homeownership is required for long-term financial security.

If in fact, seven of those 20 Vacaville kids are still renting at 43 years old, time is getting away from them because before they know it, they will be 63 renting at $5,000 per month and wishing they had purchased a home back in 2023.

Heads up, folks: Volatility in the market continues this week because of the Silicon Valley Bank closure and the contagion with a few other regional banks. This created a flight to quality in the markets and a bond market rally. Mortgage rates came back down to January levels, which is great news for buyers and sellers today in Solano County.

Jim Porter, NMLS No. 276412, is the branch manager and senior loan adviser of Solano Mortgage, NMLS No. 1515497, a division of American Pacific Mortgage Corporation, NMLS No. 1850, licensed in California by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the CRMLA / Equal Housing Opportunity. Jim can be reached at 707-449-4777.

DIXON

2025 Twin Sisters Road - $1,080,000

02-08-23 [3 Bdrms - 2884 SqFt - 1975

YrBlt]

RIO VISTA

TOTAL SALES: 1

LOWEST AMOUNT: $515,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $515,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $515,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $515,000

4415 Mccormack Road - $515,000

02-10-23 [3 Bdrms - 1508 SqFt - 2019

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-20-19, $345,000

FAIRFIELD

AMOUNT: $325,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,080,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $515,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $593,100

5152 Dartmoor Circle - $955,000

[5 Bdrms - 3139 SqFt - 2018

1300 Empire Street - $325,000

[3 Bdrms - 986 SqFt - 1950 YrBlt]

2267 Fairfield Avenue - $450,000 02-09-23 [3 Bdrms - 1520 SqFt - 1968

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-26-22, $483,000

684 Granite Lane - $685,000

02-06-23 [3 Bdrms - 2101 SqFt - 2018 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-18-18, $550,500

1516 Hideaway Lane - $651,000

02-08-23 [4 Bdrms - 2102 SqFt - 2020

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-09-20, $542,500

1501 Kansas Street - $368,000

02-06-23 [3 Bdrms - 1564 SqFt - 1954

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-03-17, $235,000

344 Lily Street - $433,500

02-10-23 [3 Bdrms - 1577 SqFt - 1971

YrBlt]

2494 Mankas Boulevard - $560,000

02-09-23 [3 Bdrms - 1976 SqFt - 1984

YrBlt]

5077 Moscato Court - $585,000

02-08-23 [3 Bdrms - 1461 SqFt - 2005

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-25-09, $250,000

SUISUN CITY

TOTAL SALES: 1

LOWEST AMOUNT: $650,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $650,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $650,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $650,000

209 Cohn Court - $650,000

02-10-23 [4 Bdrms - 2746 SqFt - 1990

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 00/1990, $248,000

VACAVILLE

TOTAL SALES: 7

LOWEST AMOUNT: $340,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $680,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $545,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $496,429

166 Arrowhead Drive - $575,000

02-10-23 [4 Bdrms - 1602 SqFt - 1971

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-12-20, $469,000

940 Cashel Circle - $680,000

02-07-23 [3 Bdrms - 2816 SqFt - 1998

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-24-10, $352,000

152 Del Rio Court #4 - $380,000

02-08-23 [3 Bdrms - 1056 SqFt - 1973

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-19-19, $269,000

118 Del Rio Circle #1 - $340,000

02-10-23 [2 Bdrms - 820 SqFt - 1971 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 09-23-20, $245,000

664 Fox Pointe Road - $555,000

02-10-23 [3 Bdrms - 1320 SqFt - 1989

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-28-13, $220,000

175 Isle Royale Circle - $400,000

02-10-23 [3 Bdrms - 1314 SqFt - 1964

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-10-16, $335,000

630 Silvertop Way - $545,000

02-06-23 [4 Bdrms - 1562 SqFt - 1989

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-15-07, $450,000

VALLEJO

TOTAL SALES: 16

LOWEST AMOUNT: $245,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $730,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $455,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $486,000

954 5th Street - $495,000

02-10-23 [3 Bdrms - 1280 SqFt - 1961

Previous Sale: 06-07-17, $295,000 7331 Abbey Drive - $660,000

[4 Bdrms - 2165 SqFt - 2011 YrBlt]

129 Ancheta Place - $730,000

[4 Bdrms - 2841 SqFt - 1987 YrBlt]

329 Baywood Drive - $445,000

[3 Bdrms - 1449 SqFt - 1961

Bdrms - 1322 SqFt - 1978

119 Melba Drive - $360,000

[3 Bdrms - 1328 SqFt - 1956

Previous Sale: 09-19-16, $275,500

Nebraska Street - $450,000

[4 Bdrms - 1478 SqFt - 1942

Previous Sale: 01-06-00, $169,000 355 Parkview Terrace #J3 - $295,000

[2 Bdrms - 918 SqFt - 1973 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 11-28-00, $121,250

120 Prestwick Court - $660,000

02-08-23 [4 Bdrms - 2166 SqFt - 1987

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-25-10, $280,000

1725 Severus Drive - $460,000

02-09-23 [2 Bdrms - 864 SqFt - 1971 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 09-18-17, $259,000

1160 Sherman Street - $350,000

02-07-23 [3 Bdrms - 817 SqFt - 1942 YrBlt]

515 Sonoma Boulevard - $385,000

02-07-23 [3 Bdrms - 1096 SqFt - 1910 YrBlt]

1040 Sterling Street - $662,000

02-08-23 [5 Bdrms - 2553 SqFt - 1992

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-09-08, $450,000

33 Werden Street - $245,000

02-06-23 [3 Bdrms - 988 SqFt - 1977

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-11-17, $189,000

Jim Porter

Want to become a birder? START IN YOUR OWN YARD

SCOTT KIRKWOOD SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST

Every day, bird lovers get to watch tiny wildlife documentaries unfold from their own windows – the search for food, the predatorprey relationship, even the ways that climate change shifts a species’ typical habitat.

“The great thing about birds is they’re everywhere,” says Nicholas Lund, who leads outreach for Maine Audubon and shares his brand of avian humor as The Birdist. “They aren’t found only in national parks or protected areas – they’ll come to you.”

With the right approach, you can make those visits far more likely: “Think about what you have to offer birds,” says Lund. “It could be a place to nest, it could be food and it could be shelter.” Once they start flocking, you can experience the joy of identifying each species and their unique behaviors.

Attract birds with food

A feeder is the quickest way to create a backyard feast, but it’s not the only one. As Lund points out, “not all birds even eat seeds.” Woodpeckers, for instance, prefer suet, orioles like oranges and grape jelly, and hummingbirds enjoy nectar, or sugar water, which you can make at home.

The best long-term approach to bring birds to your yard is to add native plants.

Many birds love seed-bearing plants, and just about every plant will naturally bring bugs, another key food source. In his books “Bringing Nature Home” and “Nature’s Best Hope,” Doug Tallamy, a pro-

fessor of entomology at the University of Delaware, identifies “powerhouse plants” – such as sunflowers in the Mid-Atlantic and native goldenrod just about everywhere – that attract appealing insects like caterpillars. (Avoid using pesticides, of course, since the “pests” are exactly what draw birds.) The National Audubon Society offers more guidance for creating a bird-friendly yard and suggestions of plants that provide food. Once you’ve set up that natural buffet, you can also fill a few feeders with seed. Those supplies are widely available in pet stores, hardware stores and specialty shops such as Wild Birds Unlimited.

Different birds gravitate to different feeders – some like tube feeders, others prefer platforms or simply to eat seed off the ground. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has plenty of species-specific recommendations. You can also research which types of seeds particular birds prefer, but just about any seed will bring them to your yard. Some feeders, such as the Bird Buddy, are outfitted with a camera that sends close-up photos and videos to your phone.

There are, however, some risks to feeding wild birds from a feeder, including the possibility of inadvertently spreading disease. To prevent this, Audubon’s experts recommend scrubbing your feeders with a solution of 10 percent non-chlorinated bleach a few times a year.

Window collisions are another danger. The Cornell Lab suggests placing feeders within three feet of the glass or more than 30 feet away to keep birds safe; if a feeder is too far from

a tree or other shelter, it can expose smaller birds to hawks looking for their own lunch. (The Cornell Lab’s Feeder Watch has more details about determining the right feeder placement.)

Although the adjective “squirrel-proof” has been attached to many bird feeders, you’ll typically find squirrels attached to those feeders, too. Adding a baffle – essentially a dome – above or below a feeder can make it harder for a squirrel to land. Some feeders have weight-activated springs that shut off access when triggered by a squirrel. Lund sprinkles a little seed on the ground, to make feeders less tempting to lazier squirrels. But know that feeding birds probably means feeding squirrels, too.

Create a birdfriendly habitat

Offering birds a comfortable, safe place to hang out is another way to bring them to your yard.

“During spring and summer, when birds start nesting, habitat becomes really important for a bird – and by habitat, I mean living space,” says Purbita Saha, an avid birder and deputy editor at Popular Science. “If you want to attract songbirds like wrens, chickadees and sparrows looking for shelter, you might collect a little pile of brush by gathering downed branches from the last winter storm.” Some species, such as Eastern towhees and common yellowthroats, will make their nests in brush piles.

You can also build or buy a bird box (a.k.a. a birdhouse), which essentially mimics a tree

LINA ORTEGA/PEXELS

The best long-term approach to bring birds to your yard is to add native plants. See Birder, Page 6

Birder

From Page 5

cavity. Birds can be incredibly particular about the height, size and orientation of the opening, so get advice from Cornell’s Nestwatch site, which also has tips for dealing with predators and competitors like bees and wasps. Bird baths are more than decoration, too – they help birds care for their feathers and remove pests when water is scarce; in winter, place a bird bath in the sun or find one that plugs in, to keep it from freezing.

Let the birdwatching begin

Now that your home is a destination for the feathered set, you can learn the ins and outs of observing and identifying them.

Tykee James, president of D.C.’s Audubon chapter,

tells people to start off with a “Familiar 5,” as a foundation for further learning: “Identify a few birds that you know really well,” he says, “then get to understand their habitat, the markings of a male and a female, and get to know their song. Are they in your backyard because they’re migrating, or are they locals looking for food and shelter?” (James suggested that as a resident of D.C., my Familiar 5 might be rock dove, European starling, house sparrow, American robin and pileated woodpecker.)

To help spot those birds, get one of the many Sibley field guides, the go-to books for seasoned birders. If you prefer a digital option, try the Merlin Bird ID app from Cornell, which offers surprisingly accurate suggestions based on photos or a few moments of birdsong that you submit – ”Shazam for birds,” as some have called it.

Lund and James recommend

a guidebook or paper journal for taking notes and sketching. Many birders have a “life list” that includes every species they’ve ever seen. But if you’re not as obsessed with all the counting and labeling, that’s okay. “For some people, that aspect of gamifying birdwatching really drives their passion, but it’s a double-edged sword that drives other people away,” says James. “Birding isn’t a competition. Sometimes it’s just about stopping and sharing one moment with one bird.”

Saha agrees: “Birding is so much more than counting,” she says. “It’s understanding how birds use the landscape, how they interact with plants, how they eat different insects on your property . . . all of that helps you understand your own local ecosystem. That’s the power of birding right at home.”

To capture those details better, get a solid pair of binoculars, because even in a small

backyard, the magnification lets you see things you can’t spot with your naked eye, such as bird dances and other mating rituals. Lund recommends the Nikon Pro Staff series, which includes a few models in the $150 range, all of which should last for generations.

Last year, Lund saw his 700th species in the continental United States, but he has just as much fun keeping track of the birds around his home. “I’ve seen 112 species in my backyard, and the most recent one was a mallard,” he says. “Under any other circumstances, I’m not that excited to see a mallard. But when I see one in my backyard, I’m fist-pumping, jumping up and down. And when migrating birds come through, I may be lucky enough to see a Cape May warbler or blue-headed vireo that’s just stopping for a day or two, refueling . . . on its way from South America to Canada.”

Jones

From Page 3

contract means you will be in breach. Being in breach means you pay the contractual liquidated damages, which, in this case, is your $10,000. Could this have been prevented? Maybe.

If the sellers had been willing to amend the purchase contract to continue your financing contingency, then you could have bought yourself some more time. But the seller would have been under no obligation to do so.

I’m afraid that if the sellers won’t at least compromise with you and you’re unable to find a new loan, then the sellers sound like they have the right to your deposit.

Tim Jones is a real estate attorney in Fairfield. If you have any real estate questions you would like answered in this column, you can send an email to AllThingsRealEstate@ TJones-Law.com.

ON GARDENING

Bubblegum, Paradise, Fuchsia petunias offer picture-perfect Vistas

he Garden Guy has had the most fun the past few months when I show Supertunia partnerships on my Facebook page. The comments start off with “Can it compete with my Bubblegum?” and then conclude with something like “My Bubblegum will cover that plant up, chew it up and make it disappear.”

Financing the AMERICAN DREAM for ever yone!TM

FRUSTRATED with your current Lender fumbling your Purchase or Refinance, Bring your loan to us so we can get you locked at a GREAT RATE and Finish it up QUICKLY! We don’t mess around, We Get it DONE, We are Local and we DELIVER!

When we write your Pre-Approv al Letter to present to the seller, You WILL Close the Deal with us!

George R. Kalis

celebrated plant in history with a trophy case consisting of 323 awards. I urge everyone who reads this to join the Facebook group Proven Winners Gorgeous Gardens. You will be shocked at what you see.

Let’s get down to some facts. The Supertunia Vista series represents the Norman Winter

So it goes with Supertunia Vista Bubblegum, which is probably the most

See Winter, Page 15

707.759.5129

We can use ANY Bank or Investors Wholesale dept. We are not confined to just one source. Why have 5 banks pull your credit, when we can pull it once and get bids for you from 5 banks??

How to make your home smell better without harmful chemicals

LINDSEY M. ROBERTS SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST

It’s a familiar problem: Strong cooking smells from the kitchen waft into our living areas and linger long after dinner is over. Or the stench of the garbage sticks around, even after the trash can has been emptied.

There are generally two approaches to whisking away bad smells: neutralizing the odor or changing it to something more pleasant. For a quick, inexpensive fix to the stinky-kitchen problem, Becky Rapinchuk, author of “Clean Mama’s Guide to a Healthy Home,” likes to leave a dish of white vinegar out overnight. “Vinegar absorbs odor,” she says. “It works similarly to the way baking soda works in the fridge.”

She also likes charcoal bags, which absorb odors in smaller places, such as drawers or the bottoms of garbage cans. Or just open a window for five to 10 minutes a day, says Gurl Gone Green blogger Suzi Swope.

The other option – masking or changing the unpleasant smell – is where things get tricky. It’s tempting to reach for a cute candle or an aerosol air freshener, but scientists say that might not be the safest choice. Conventional home fragrance products can contain hundreds of chemicals, including phthalates, benzaldehyde, camphor, ethyl acetate, benzyl acetate, musk ketone, benzene, formaldehyde, BHT and acetaldehyde. Studies have shown that some of these chemicals can cause headaches, breathing problems, contact dermatitis and other health issues.

The easiest way around this is to choose fresheners with ingredients that you know and can research if needed. Think dyefree candles made of beeswax and scented with essential or natural oils, Rapinchuk says. (If you’re concerned about whether the beeswax is harvested ethically, soy is a good alternative.) Wicks should be cleanburning, which means they’re made of all wood, hemp or cotton. The same selection principles apply to deodorizing sprays.

And be on the lookout for “greenwashing” – a company’s attempt to market something as green or “natural,” even though it’s full of preservatives and artificial ingredients. You can check a product’s ingredient list on the Environmental

Working Group’s website (ewg.org) or app.

We asked Rapinchuk, Swope and Sara Swabb, an interior designer and the owner of Storie Collective in D.C., for their favorite air fresheners without potentially harmful chemicals. Here are their suggestions.

Swope likes the three-wick Botanica beeswax candle for its cotton wicks and essential oil fragrances, such as spruce, vanilla and lavender ($26, beeswax candles.com). It burns for about 18 hours. Rapinchuk says that a plain beeswax candle can contribute to cleaner air. When beeswax burns, it produces fewer volatile organic compounds and less soot than paraffin candles, according to the Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society.

Another popular option is to use an electric essential oil diffuser. Swope loves Vitruvi’s stone essential oil diffuser ($123, vitruvi.com), which can be set to run for four or eight hours and has a 500-squarefoot diffusing capability. The initial cost is steeper than that of a candle or spray, but the diffuser should last for years.

Rapinchuk suggests Plant Therapy essential oils for diffusers, such as the organic lavender essential oil ($8.99 for 10 milliliters, planttherapy.com). To create a room spray, she mixes a half-cup of water, a quarter-cup of vodka, and 10 to 15 drops of essential oils.

Reed diffusers from Naked Goat distribute scents for two to three months. The reeds act like plant stems or straws, drawing the fragranced liquid to the top, where the scent is released. One of Swabb’s favorite scents is Naked Goat’s Cactus, a combination of citrus, coconut, pear, sandalwood and more ($24, nakedgoatsoapco.com).

For small spaces, Rapinchuk suggests cutting a bar of soap while it’s still in the wrapper to expose the top and let the scent permeate the air around it. She suggests using a Castile soap bar, such as Dr. Bronner’s pure Castile bar soap in lavender ($4.99, drbronner.com). Try using this in a closet, in mudroom storage bins or in powder room bath towel drawers.

And if you need to freshen up a room quickly because of a pet accident or some bad fruit lurking in a corner, Swope suggests using Grow Fragrance’s plant-based air and fabric sprays, which come in cedar, lavender, bamboo and more ($15, grow fragrance.com).

Solano County Listings: Homes for sale

LOTS & LAND

MOBILE/FLOATING

COMMERCIAL

Winter

From Page 11

thoroughbred racehorses, so to speak, of petunias. Supertunia Vista Bubblegum may very well be the Secretariat of the group. You youngsters may not be familiar with the, name but that was a Triple Crown-winning horse that just didn’t win, but in the finish line photos there were no other horses to be seen.

The Vistas are huge, reaching 12 inches tall and trailing 36 inches. There are six varieties in the group, the newest being Supertunia Vista Jazzberry.

I assure you three things. First, there are no losers. Second, you can design wonderful combinations even with Bubblegum. And third, this group is among the best petunias at attracting butterflies.

James, my color design guru son, has created container masterpieces for high-traffic commercial shopping centers and upscale communities. I can tell you, Supertunia Vista Fuchsia is no second fiddle to the pink Bubblegum.

In one, James used partners like Indian Summer rudbeckia, Diamond Snow euphorbia and Luscious Royale Cosmo lantana for a most complete garden look. Whatever your other favorite flowers are, they are candidates for Supertunia Vista partnerships.

One of his most talked about designs was created in a horse trough near a children’s play area. The trough has Supertunia Vista Fuchsia intertwined with Supertunia Lovie Dovie, Luscious Royale Cosmo lantana, Truffula Pink gomphrena, Little Quick Fire hydrangea and then a touch of the tropics with large Portora elephant ears.

A follower looked at my post of a Supertunia Vista Bubblegum petunia and Superbells Grape Punch calibrachoa and left a comment that was humorous to me. She said it looks good now, but it’s not for the long

haul. It was a photo from early May. I chuckled, knowing it was planted in early October. It had already made the long haul of almost eight months.

This brings up the possibilities of Supertunia Vista petunias for planting in October. I did that not only in the container just discussed, but in a large sweeping bed where I planted Supertunia Vista Bubblegum, Supertunia Vista Paradise and Supertunia Vista Silverberry around Pugster buddleia, Limelight Prime hydrangeas and large Portora elephant ears.

The winter took their toll on the tropicals, and of course hydrangeas and buddleia are deciduous. The Supertunias would grow and bloom when warm, then kind of hunker down during freezing periods. They bloomed from October until July 1, which was about nine months. I then pulled back to bring in more plants to try.

The six Supertunia Vista petunias are big, bold and wonderful. If you don’t want the big, then consider the Supertunia Mini Vista group, which has nine great selections with four new colors this year: Scarlet, Yellow, Midnight and Sweet Sangria.

Norman Winter is a horticulturist, garden speaker and author of “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivat-

ing Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy. He receives complimentary plants to review from the companies he covers.