March 16 column: Annuals
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Annuals: As you’ve already learned, I’m just crazy about zinnias! |
Here is a link to my column in today’s edition of The Spokesman-Review: Annuals add color after perennials are through. (you can also read my column lower in this post.) It was a fun one to write because it’s about some of the newest varieties of annual flowers available this year. It’s hard to have any sort of self-control when looking through the seed catalogs! After a while, I find I want them all… yet I can’t figure out where I’d plant everything.
My column contains information on where to find the seeds I’ve mentioned. You can also find links to various seed companies on my “Links” page. Just look for the “Links” tab near the top of every page of this blog.
Annual Flowers garden column:
by Susan Mulvihill
I love perennials because they come up reliably year after year. But annual flowers put on a colorful show in my garden, often long before, and after, each perennial’s blooming season.
What are annual flowers?
Annuals grow, flower, set seed and die in a single growing season. Each year, plant breeders wow us with new varieties that have bigger and more colorful flowers, interesting foliage or improved disease-resistance.
This year is no exception so let’s take a look at the annuals I would love to squeeze into my garden. All will perform best when grown in a sunny location.
Flower recommendations:
Cosmidium burridgeanum _ This plant’s name is a mouthful but the scent makes it a worthy addition to any chocoholic’s garden. Philippine has chocolate-scented, bi-colored blossoms of gold with burgundy centers and delicate foliage. The flowers bloom profusely on 16-inch-tall plants. (Territorial Seed)
Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) _ Everyone loves old-fashioned hollyhocks but Halo Mixed is particularly captivating with its bi-colored flowers in pink, rose, purple or white and contrasting center eyes. The plants will grow 6 feet tall. (Territorial Seed)
Marigold (Tagetes patula) _ I appreciate marigolds for their perky blooms and pest-repelling qualities. Legion of Honor is an heirloom seed featuring single, butter-yellow flowers with small burgundy blotches on each petal toward the center. They will grow 12 inches tall. (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) Cottage Red has single, bright-red blossoms with orange centers. At 30 inches high, they’ll be a real standout in the garden. (Cook’s Garden)
How about some more great plants?
Mexican Sunflower (Torch Tithonia)_ This isn’t a new variety but one that will definitely be in this year’s garden. I saw it at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in fall 2012 and was astounded at all of the butterflies mobbing it. The profuse, 4-inch red-orange flowers look stunning amongst the attractive, deep-green foliage. They grow 4 to 6 feet tall. (Baker Creek, Botanical Interests, Cook’s, Johnny’s Select Seeds, Renee’s Garden)
Spider Flower (Cleome)_ This old-fashioned annual is sure to bring hummingbirds to your garden. The cultivar, Color Fountains, features tall, spider-like flower clusters in pink, white and rose that look terrific in floral arrangements. Plants can reach up to 5 feet in height under ideal conditions. (Renee’s)
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) _ It’s hard to choose just one variety but Soraya has certainly captured my attention with its 4- to 6-inch orange blooms and large brown center disks. The plants grow 6 feet tall and each one bears up to 25 blooming stems. (Harris Seeds, Johnny’s, Territorial Seed)
Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus) _ Every time I see a photo of Incense Peach Shades, I just gasp at how lovely the colors are. The fragrant flowers range from ivory to pale peach and salmon, and are ideal as cut flowers. It will grow 6 feet high. (Cook’s Garden)
Zinnia _ If you follow my columns, you know I’m crazy about zinnias. This year, I’m growing Profusion Double Deep Salmon (Z. hybrida) and Persian Carpet (Z. haageana). The Profusion series has tidy, foot-tall mounded plants that are covered with long-lasting blooms. Persian Carpet is a mix of unusual zinnias with 2-inch red, orange, yellow, bronze, chocolate, burgundy or bi-colored blooms and will grow 2 feet tall. (Johnny’s)
Seed Sources
Look for the above seeds at your local garden center or online:
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, www.rareseeds.com
Botanical Interests, www.botanicalinterests.com
The Cook’s Garden, www.cooksgarden.com
Harris Seeds, www.harrisseeds.com
Johnny’s Select Seeds, www.johnnyseeds.com
Renee’s Garden, www.reneesgarden.com
Territorial Seed, www.territorialseed.com