Annual homepage

Though some plant aficionados (i.e. snobs) fault them for their lack of sophistication, the annuals are workhorses, real "blue collar" types, when it comes to getting the job done in the garden and landscape. They are often the last plants to go in, and yet, with their colorful flowers or foliage, they are the first to draw the eye of the passerby. You may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but plenty of folks will judge a property by its grounds, be it commercial or residential, so the care and feeding of these "gateway" plants is critical to putting your best foot (root?) forward. A raggedy, untended planting of annuals at the entrance of a property can make a worse impression than none at all. An attractive bed of annuals, one that is rewarding to you and perceived as an asset by your client, isn't tremendously complicated to achieve. If the basics are covered at the outset: proper plant choice for the light levels, adequate drainage, availability of water, you're most of the way here. Keeping in mind that annuals are trying to get a lot done very quickly, it's important to give them adequate food and water to meet their needs. Far more annuals die from either lack or overabundance of these than from diseases or insects. As for feeding, plants need nutrition to grow properly and ward off disease just like humans do. So feed them on a regular basis, not relying on one application of slow release at planting to get you through an entire season. And too much water can be just as deadly as too little; once plants are established, a couple of thorough waterings a week should be more than adequate. A well-established plant doesn't need or want watering every single, or even every other, day. Watering too often is an open invitation to disease problems. Attention to the basics will result in an attractive, well-tended annual bed that even the "perennial connoisseurs" might appreciate.

Lobelia

Melampodium

Nemesia

Plumbago

Portulaca

Rhoeo variegated