May is here and it’s time to get to your favorite nursery and choose some annuals to add color to your landscaping or garden. If planted at the right time and treated well, they will flower into the fall. What new breeds of annuals will you try this year?
An annual is a plant that thrives during the spring and summer and dies during the first frost. They have only one year to please you, but it gives your home color and liveliness and the chance to change up the look every year. Tried pink around your trees last year? Give yellow and orange a try. There’s nothing like an easy way to perk up your landscaping look every year.
This year, some nurseries are recommending the Cobra Dahlia. Imported from Europe, this compact plant provides tons of dramatic gold/orange flowers. Another new variety of annual is the Solar Flare Sunflower. Petals that change from deep red to gold surround a very large center. As most sunflowers, it grows quickly and will reach five to six feet in height.
Frosty Knight Alyssum is a variegated bloom with white flowers and gold and green leaves. The benefit of alyssum is that it attracts bees, butterflies, and other insects that are healthy for your garden. The T. Rex First Blush Begonia is large, hence the T. Rex name. Lavender and deep pink leaves are the star of this annual and outshine the tiny flowers. Mix with other flowers for the spectacle. The Stardust Caladium are graced with large leaves of white, trimmed in green.
Don’t be blinded by all of these new varieties and forget the old favorites. Petunias come in a wide variety of colors, and look great around trees or as zings of color throughout landscaping. Verbena varieties attract hummingbirds for you birdwatchers out there! Plant in a windowbox or hanging basket in the sun and watch the hummingbirds visit! Pansies are an old standard but I can’t resist the beautiful color combos of my Grandmother’s favorite, and forget-me-nots are another memory for me. Of course, marigolds are a traditional annual and add that bright orange and yellow that signifies spring. Sprinkle in some zinnias, cosmos, and larkspur for variety.
Some gardeners feel that annuals are unfashionable and not as modern and contemporary as perennials. Perennials bloom every year and have many varieties with vibrant color and interesting textures. I imagine the dislike of annuals is the image of an old fashioned “flower bed” rather than a more contemporary use of annuals.
Annuals need not be relegated to a single place. They can be planted around a mailbox post, a single tree, or to cover a bare spot in edge of a lawn. I like to put them in containers and place them at random places in my landscaping, allowing me to move them around during the season and change the look of the front of my house at random.
If you are tempted by annuals, the time to choose and plant is upon us! Go shopping and see if anything catches your eye!