Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Our Favorite Spring Annuals



Because it's the season for planting, it's hard not to use an entire blog post to highlight some of our favorite flowering annuals.  Perhaps we can inspire you to try something new or bring back an old favorite.  Annuals, also known as seasonal color, brighten landscapes everywhere and without their color, it just wouldn't be spring.




Blue Lobelia.  This one boasts the bluest of the blues.  It's a great choice for edging flower beds or planting in pots so it can gently and vividly spill over the edges.




African Marigold.  It's bright color and large blooms make it a stand out in any garden.  Some varieties reach a height of three feet with 3 inch puff ball blooms.  A stunner, for sure.




Angelonia.  Also called the summer snapdragon,  It loves heat and sun, and comes in pinks, purples in white.  Because it can grow 1 to 2 feet in height, it's great for areas needing height.  Beautiful in the ground or in container gardens, this one will quickly become a favorite.




Fuchsia.  With it's lantern shaped flowers, exotic look and gorgeous range of colors, the drooping growth pattern of this plant make it perfect for hanging baskets.




Nigella.  Another blue stunner with an added bonus.  It often reseeds itself!   A full sun lover, this one blooms all summer long.




Sweet Alyssum.  This tiny flower gives an added interest to containers, hanging baskets, window boxes and rock gardens.  It's not a fan of big heat, so expect better blooms in spring and early fall.




Zinnia.  Bright colors, fast growing, sun loving, butterfly attracting and easy to grow from seed. What more do you need to know?




Penstemon.  If you want to bring the hummingbirds to your garden, this one is a must.  They grow up to 6 feet tall and produce tubular flowers.




Verbena.  A favorite for almost every gardener and at home in almost every garden.  The Imagination Verbena does well in the hottest, driest conditions.  Give it a try this season.




Bachelor's Button.  One word describes it perfectly.  Sweet.  It gives a clear blue accent to your landscape and does well in sun and part-sun.  It grows up to 3 feet tall, and the cut flowers can be easily dried.


Whatever you choose, just be sure to add some color to your landscape this year.  Your yard is a canvas, just begging for color.









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