Getting Ready to Plant Your Annuals

With the weather warming and the sun beginning to shine a little more often, it’s time to start planning for the look of your outdoor space by choosing summer annuals! Annuals are plants that begin and complete their growth cycle within one year. This is in contrast to biennials, which have a lifespan of two years, and the longer lived perennials, which die off and return each year.

Types of Annuals

Annuals can be separated into two categories: winter and summer. Winter annuals germinate in the fall and mature by early summer, while summer annuals are almost the reverse. They germinate in spring and mature by fall. Sometimes, gardeners treat varieties of perennials as annuals because of their inability to tolerate cold temperatures.

Summer annuals are preferable for avid gardeners because they can fill up empty flower pots with plants that can be replaced on a yearly cycle. The variety of beautiful plants and the ability for gardeners to change their gardens from year to year is a great benefit to choosing annuals. Several of the most popular annual flowers are listed below along with some considerations for each:

• Petunia – Best grown in full sunlight with a normal amount of water, these plants come in a variety of colors, but can be pink with streaks of purple in their centers and are usually at their peak in July and August.

• Salvia – These black-stemmed, bright blue flowers will grow in either partial shade or full sunlight with little to normal watering. These plants will grow to almost 40 inches and will often attract hummingbirds.

• Impatiens – There are almost 1,000 species of impatiens found across the globe. The variety of species means they come in all colors, and they do best in shade or partial sunlight.

• Marigolds – Brightly colored blooms, popular in the front of a flowerbed, these flowers usually come in shades of yellow or orange and have insect repelling properties.

• Cosmos – A beautiful wildflower available in many colors, these do best in full sunlight with a normal amount of water. These plants are often used in medians along highways.

• Cleome – A taller species, growing from to 3 to 6 feet, Cleomes have long stalks and come in shades of pink and purple. For best success, plant these flowers in full sunlight.

If you are interested in learning more about annuals and what they can do for your landscape, contact Nature’s Image today!