• Roses bloom in winter in the Arizona desert.rose bush image by Yurok Aleksandrovich from Fotolia.com
  
  Arizona's high country, which includes the Mogollon rim to the east, Flagstaff to the north and Mount Lemon to the south, is too cold for flowers to bloom in the winter. Winter weather in the desert, however, including Phoenix and Tucson, resembles spring weather in the East. Daytime temperatures reach the upper 60s and low 70s and the nights are cool in the low 50s or high 40s. Flowers planted in early fall bloom from December through March, and sometimes beyond.
  
  

Roses

• Roses bloom in December if you prune them in September or October to get rid of heat-damaged leaves, but you need to feed and water deeply when pruning and mulch to keep the roots cool. Nearly all roses in the desert do better if protected from late afternoon sun, so plant them where they receive sun all morning and early afternoon. Roses prefer to have their roots deeply watered, but avoid spraying water on their leaves.
  
  

Snapdragons

• Snapdragons grow from 12 to 36 inches tall, depending on the variety. For winter flowers, plant them from seed in late August or transplants in October and November. Flowering begins in December and continues until the temperatures consistently reach 90 degrees, in April or so. While snapdragons are annuals, in Arizona if the plant lives through the summer it will sometimes bloom for another year.
  
  

Petunias

• Plant petunias in a sunny spot and they will start blooming in January and continue until the hot weather hits. Cut back the plants after the first flush of bloom is over and the plant will throw out more flower buds. Petunias do well in borders and beds and in pots. The flowers are from 2 to 4 inches across and may be single or double, solid-colored or splashed with contrasting colors.
  
  

Perennials

• Many perennials will bloom in December, January and March if planted in late fall from 1-gallon size plants. The larger the plant the more flowers it will have. Perennials for winter blooming include delphiniums, columbine and foxglove. Most will not survive the summer heat to bloom again the next year.
  
  

Bulbs

• Most spring bulbs, such as tulips, crocus and hyacinths, require a chilling period before they'll bloom. To grow them in the desert, put them in the produce compartment of the refrigerator for 10 to 12 weeks and plant in January. Daffodils and narcissus are exceptions; they will bloom in Arizona for several years running even though the winters aren't cold enough for chilling. Blooming starts in February and lasts through March. Do not cut the foliage back until it turns yellow.