analysis: Landscaping with Annual Flowers

What to know about Annual Flowers –

Notes:

• Annual flowers only last for one growing season. They start from seed, mature, bloom, produce seed and then die – usually with the first frost or change of season.
• In temperate climates, annuals can survive the winter season and bloom again the following year. In colder climates, some annual seed droppings can come back as “volunteers”.
• But note that over time these “returning annuals” will fade in color and leaf growth:
• INFO: let annuals go to seed in the fall
  INFO: make your annual flowers perennials
• The key advantage of annuals over perennials is that annual flowers bloom for a long time – usually during the entire growing season. So if you are looking for solid color in your landscape, you can use a variety or the same type of annual flowers for maximum color.
• You can also inter-mix annuals with perennials give you a beautiful landscape from spring until fall.
• INFO: designing with annual flowers
  INFO: flower bed design
• Annuals are started by seed in greenhouses and shipped to nursery gardens early spring. You can grow your own annual plants if you have a small greenhouse or indoor area where there is plenty of sun and warmth to germinate the seed to start the plant growth.
• After some time (depending on your area), you can transplant the annual flower to your outside garden when the threat of a freeze has past.
• INFO: how to grow annuals
  INFO: how to start annuals indoors from seed
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• Key elements for selecting annuals:
  light requirements (sunny/part-sun)    –    height (low vs. high)    –    blooming time    –    maintenance (disease, insects, etc.)    –    propagation (division, seeding)
  INFO: view growing zones
• QUESTION?
  76 types of annuals (A to Z photo database)
• What comments can you share?