Our most popular annuals are a colorful assortment of plants that will make your container gardens and landscapes pop this year. Mix and match for stunning containers. Plant in your landscape for long lasting color. Whichever you choose, you can’t go wrong.
Angelonia
These petite annual resemble snapdragons but are long blooming. Use them in flower beds or containers. Attracts pollinators, including butterflies and hummingbirds. At least 6 hours of full sun needed for continuous blooming. Will tolerate short periods of drought; water when top of soil feels dry. Fertilize monthly.
Begonia
Great for mass planting in beds or for use in containers. Typically, low growing, mounded shape with succulent stems, dark green or bronze waxy leaves, and loose clusters of flowers in red, pink, or white. Prefers filtered sunlight and to be kept evenly moist. Fertilize monthly.
Calibrachoa
Resembles a tiny petunia, available in a rainbow variety of colors, solids, stripes, patterns, and double blooms. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Trailing growth habit works well in containers and hanging baskets. Prefers full sun but can tolerate part shade. Water when surface of soil feels dry. Fertilize every 2 to 3 weeks.
Coleus
Annual foliage plant that varies wildly in leaf shape and color, depending on cultivar selected. Classically a shade plant, newer cultivars may display their best color with more sun. Often used as an annual bedding plant or in outdoor container gardens and baskets. Soil should be consistently moist but not soggy. Typically, does not require fertilizer.
Geranium (Pelargonium)
These classic annuals are favorites in containers and hanging baskets but can also work as bedding plants. They are available in many colors, including bicolor varieties. Bloom best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Relatively drought tolerant, fertilize monthly. To encourage blooming, deadhead spent flowers regularly.
Lantana
Colorful flowers attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and insect pollinators. They come in both upright and trailing varieties, and all are drought tolerant and prefer full sun. Available in many colors -purple, red, pink, orange, yellow and white. Water regularly; do not allow it to dry out. Fertilizer not required.
Licorice Vine
This trailing vine is great for hanging planters and containers. The silvery gray color of the young leaves provides a lovely contrast. Variegated varieties also available. Grows well in full sun to part shade.
Lobelia
Low growing, tender perennial that is treated as an annual in New England. Blooms all summer into fall. Blue, lilac-pink, purple, white, cherry-red varieties are available. Can be used as a bedding plant, in rock gardens and containers. Grows in full sun to part shade. Fertilize every 2 weeks.
New Guinea Impatiens
Great for mass planting in beds as they will grow quickly. Also terrific in containers. Available in many colors. Thrives in light shade but will tolerate some sun. Keep well-watered.
Petunia
Available in every color except true blue, petunias will grow quickly in your garden, containers, and hanging baskets. While they will tolerate partial shade, petunias bloom most profusely with full sun. Deadheading is recommended to maximize blooming. Water weekly, fertilize every 2 to 3 weeks.
Sweet Potato Vine
A classic trailing plant for container gardening, these vines come in a variety of foliage colors from nearly purple black to chartreuse. They are typically exuberant growers so may need to be pruned back to keep in check. Foliage colors most vibrant in full sun but will tolerate part shade. Drought tolerant.
Verbena
Annual verbenas are typically hybrids and come in a variety of colors, often displaying stripes and streaks of colors on the petals. Some varieties are trailing in growth habit making them great spilling out of containers and other varieties are more upright. Prefer full sun and can tolerate short periods of drought. Fertilize monthly.
