Today looks and feels a little more akin to Fall than Spring.  Sometimes I like to imagine I’d just awaken from a deep, lengthy sleep – completely unaware of time or season.  Would I know if it was Spring or Fall?  A quick glance may deduce Fall, but a closer look would reveal the truth – awakening grass, bursting buds, daffodils, and irises.  Undoubtedly Spring.

Just now it seems the grass is starting to green up and with Spring storms and slightly warmer temperatures, our lawns will fully awaken from dormancy, and the ground will feverishly push forth our sleepy plants while trees and shrubs begin to leaf out and flower.  The show is about to begin.

As the life-cycle begins anew, we need to start thinking about our own additions to the landscape – annuals.  After all, the frost-free date for our little corner of the world is May 15th and approaching quickly.  Now is the time to order and plot our annuals, but why?

Annuals tend to produce more flowers and bloom for longer periods of time than perennials.  They’re generally thought of as showier, brighter, and bolder.  They’re useful as both bedding plants and container plants, and help give a garden a more “finished” look.

Annuals are defined as plants/flowers that complete their life-cycle in one year.  In other words, they grow, flower and die during Fall frosts and will not come back the following Spring.  There are some annuals that may come back from the previous plant’s seeds, but generally speaking, they need to be planted again the following year.

Consider the following for your beds and containers:

  •   Begonia
  •   Coleus
  •   Cosmos
  •   Gazania
  •   Geranium
  •   Hollyhock
  •   Impatiens
  •   Marigold
  •   Petunia
  •   Salvia
  •   Vinca
  •   Zinnia

Annuals and perennials can certainly be mixed, and many gardeners opt for this two-pronged approach.  Because an annual’s life span is one growing season, they must try and reproduce as many offspring (i.e. seeds) as possible, and this is achieved through the production of lots and lots of flowers – a benefit we can all enjoy.

Make a list of annuals you’d like to plant this year, then reach out to Sweeney’s.  We’ll create the awe-inspiring garden you’ve always wanted.

“The flower is the poetry of reproduction.  It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life.”

-Jean Giraudoux

Best wishes,

Kim Sweeney