Annual Flowers – Commonly Used Annuals

March 20, 2012

Petunia Annual Flowers

Many people choose annuals when they are looking for color in their gardens. Annuals are plants that grow from seed to plant, bloom, produce seed and then complete their life cycle in one season. It also means the plants that are grown only in one season. The main reason why annuals are preferred is that they offer a great deal of vibrant color.

Below is  information about commonly used annuals that can be grown in our area i.e. Minnesota which is considered growing zone 4. Although all of the below mentioned annuals can be grown from seed in your garden itself, I recommend buying them from a local greenhouse.
Ageratum blooms for summer until fall. These bushy annuals soften the mid-border of the garden with hundreds of soft cushions suffused with colors of purple, lavender, white, purple and blue. These annuals are available in diverse varieties like blue Danube, blue horizon and timeless mixture.
Alyssum blooms in varieties like carpet of snow, mulberry mix and royal carpet. This annual has a wonderful feature of blooming continuously producing sweet fragrance. They can be grown at the sides of beds in containers too where there will part sun available. Royal carpets grow in height to 3″ and spreads 10″creating ground hugging carpets.
Begonia blooms so generously in your garden producing masses of electrifying color combinations. This extraordinary easy bloomer has gleaming green wing shaped leaves. Begonia picotee mix blooms picottes in red, white and golden yellow colors. They bloom for 10 weeks in your garden and will look great in hanging baskets and pots.
Celosia having appealing features and coral-shaped, blooms continuously in any weather in varieties like red velvet, fresh look red and Kurume corona. This annual is a fantastic cut flower. It elegantly grows tall with healthy thick stems and produces tight bloom heads. Kurume corona grows to a height of 30″ – 40″ and spreads 10″ – 12″.
Coleus having outstanding weather tolerance this annual is prized for its beautifully colored foliage. They can be planted in urns, tubs and garden beds. This annual can be used for bringing a charm to your garden borders and terraces. Coleus wizard mixed colors does magic when grown in containers and shady beds. Coleus resist flowering and contain only large shaped leaves. Although they can grow well in most soil conditions they do best when planted in evenly moist soil.
Dusty Miller is priceless. It grows with velvety and silver foliage and gives an elegant look when you grow them in the middle of your garden surrounded by different colors. They perform their best when grown in full sunlight.
Impatiens can be grown in full shade or in part sun and are considered the queen of the shade annuals. They bloom in different colors varying from pure whites to deep burgundies and bold oranges to soft pinks. This annual is available in 11 different varieties. With a mind refreshing look of colorful pallets bringing a stylish look to your garden. While purchasing these at the nursery, make sure you are purchasing the right one you are looking for, they are easily mixed and hard to notice if they are all not yet in bloom.
Petunias are an old fashioned classic that is very popular. This annual will give you lots of color options and lots of flowers from each plant. This annual flower does best in full but will tolerate light shade and will have fewer blooms. This flower can handle hot locations which make it a good choice for areas in full sun near sidewalks, patios, driveways and other hard surfaces. They need well drained soil and it is recommended that you fertilize regularly.
Verbenas can be grown in your garden in tubs, pots and baskets. You can arrange these pots at the entrance of your garden or the borders of the garden. With strong and thin stems verbenas are ostentatious flowers which grow all through the summer.

If you would like help with your annual flowers and color program, please contact us, Niwa Design Studio, at 952-470-1882.

Posted in Annuals, Flower Gardens, Garden Types, Plant Materials