Apr. 12 Column: Annual Flowers

annual flowers
annual flowers

Perhaps you’ve noticed that I’ve been writing a lot about growing vegetables lately. Well, that’s because I’m getting so many questions from folks who’ve never grown a garden before. And that is awesome! But for today’s column, I wanted to discuss some of the easiest and prettiest annual flowers you can grow. Here’s a link to it in today’s edition of The Spokesman-Review: Annuals add delightful color all season long. (or you can read my column lower in this post)

Annual flowers grow, bloom, set seeds and die in a single growing season (compared to biennials and perennials). I included some of my absolute favorites to grow and the best part of all is that you can start them from seed in your garden.

The important thing to remember is that they shouldn’t be planted until the danger of frost has past. Here in my zone 5b garden (and in the Inland Northwest, which is also in zone 6), we need to wait until mid-May. But I’m OK with that because I have plenty of other things to do in the meantime!

If you’re wondering what that fabulous flower is at the top left of this post, that is ‘Cupcakes’ cosmos. As I mentioned in my column, I grew them last year and am  absolutely smitten with them. At the very top of the post, those amazing blue flowers are ‘Dwarf Blue Ensign’ morning glories. I know a lot of folks don’t like morning glories but I grew these last year and they weren’t invasive at all.

For this week’s “Everyone Can Grow a Garden” video, I thought you would enjoy a slideshow of awesome annual flowers both to perk you up and to give you ideas of what you might like to plant this year. The slideshow includes dahlias, which are grown from tubers. In regions with cold winters, I should mention that the tubers have to be lifted and stored over the winter. And if you forget to lift them, that makes them annuals, too, right?

Grow annual flowers garden column:

by Susan Mulvihill

Flowers are one of the most delightful aspects of a garden. The sheer variety of blossom colors, plant heights and leaf shapes is mindboggling. Some have pleasant fragrances which adds another dimension to the experience. It’s fascinating to watch all of the butterflies and other insects that visit them as well.

Annual flowers: Cupcakes Cosmos

Last year, the star in my garden was Cupcakes cosmos. I first saw a photo of them on Instagram and discovered they were all the rage in Great Britain. And rightly so. Until that moment, I had never seen a cosmos flower with fused petals and – like so many other gardeners – I knew I had to acquire some seeds. Fortunately, there are U.S. sources for them.

Cupcakes did not disappoint in the least. The plants grew to a surprising 4 feet in height and bloomed endlessly in white, pale pink and deep rose. I was constantly taking photos of them.

Cosmos is one example of an annual flower, which grows, blooms, sets seed and dies in a single growing season. While perennial flowers add color and interest to a garden, they often bloom for short periods of time. Since most annual flowers bloom all season long, they fill in the gaps when other plants are taking a break.

Annual flowers recommendations

Here are some of my go-to annuals. All of these prefer full sun and can be direct-sown in the garden once the danger of frost has passed.

Cosmos _ There are many varieties well worth growing. Some of my favorites include pale yellow Lemonade, garnet-colored Cranberries, double white Snowpuff, burnt-orange Diablo and, of course, Cupcakes. The plants range from 2 to 5 feet in height. Their lacy foliage is beautiful and the flowers attract pollinators.

Love-in-a-Mist _ This old-fashioned annual is prized for its pastel flowers, intricate foliage and the coolest seed pods ever. Delft Blue has splashes of deep blue on the petals and purple centers. Miss Jekyll Mix is a dreamy combination of the palest blue, periwinkle and soft rose blossoms. Also known as Nigella, these plants will grow 1 to 2 feet tall.

Nasturtium _ There are so many colors and growth habits to choose from. Examples of small mounded varieties include Alaska Variegated, ruby-red Black Velvet and creamy Peach Melba with raspberry centers; each grows just 1 foot tall. Two attractive climbers are red Spitfire and Climbing Phoenix, which is unusual for its split-petal blossoms in a mix of colors.

Sunflower _ These perky flowers bring in the bees and come in a wide range in sizes. Examples of dwarf varieties include Big Smile and bushy-petaled Teddy Bear; both will grow about a foot in height. Autumn Beauty is striking for its flowers in fall colors and a height of 5 to 8 feet. For a little something out of the ordinary, try Chocolate with its dark mahogany blooms; it is a branching type that will grow up to 5 feet tall.

Zinnia _ Between their bright, cheerful blossoms and the fact that they attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, zinnias should be given a spot or two in every garden. Benary’s Giant Series comes in a stunning array of hot colors, while Queen Red Lime and Queen Lime Orange feature an unusual hint of chartreuse in their petals. The Zahara series of zinnias is one of my favorites because of their more compact growth habit and profusion of blossoms. I also grow Persian Carpet for its petite two-toned flowers in orange, red, gold and burgundy.