Outdoor annual plants essential for every garden, as suggested by a seasoned professional gardener with 30 years of experience: here are 8 top picks
In the quest for a garden masterpiece, the choice of annual plants plays a significant role. While the specific favourites of gardener Amy Grant remain undisclosed, a variety of outstanding annuals are widely recommended by experts. These plants are known for their bright colours and long blooming seasons, making them ideal for creating striking garden displays.
One such plant is Calibrachoa, also known as Million Bells. Known for its continuous, vibrant blooms in colours like red, orange, pink, yellow, and white, Calibrachoa is an excellent choice for pots and hanging baskets that bask in full sun. Regular feeding with balanced water-soluble fertiliser every 2-4 weeks is recommended during the growing season to ensure these sensational summer flowers flourish.
Other top outdoor annuals widely favoured by gardeners include Tassel Flower, Begonia, Caladium, Teddy Bear Sunflower, Coleus, Canna, and African Daisy. Tassel Flower, native to multiple regions including Asia, Australia, Africa, and coastal nations, boasts tiny flowers that resemble little makeup brushes in hues of orange, red, and lavender. These plants thrive in slightly acidic soil that drains well and should be kept moderately moist, with spent blooms deadheaded to encourage further budding.
From a Northwest native perspective, popular annuals include Farewell-to-spring (Clarkia amoena), Globe gilia (Gilia capitata), and California poppy (Eschscholzia californica). These offer vibrant colour and regional suitability for sunny garden borders.
For those seeking specific recommendations from Amy Grant, further targeted search or direct source consultation would be needed. However, the aforementioned annual plant selections are generally favoured by experienced gardeners for creating striking garden displays.
Annuals are diverse flowering plants that are often found in nurseries, supermarkets, and big hardware store garden centres before other types of plants. Calibrachoa, resembling diminutive petunias, are particular favourites for pots and require 6-8 hours of sun per day to flourish.
Begonias are ideal for slightly shaded or low light areas of the garden and are considered self-cleaning, not requiring deadheading to look tidy. They prefer bright, indirect light and moist (but not soggy) soil.
Coleus plants are renowned for their breathtaking foliage in a variety of colours and most need partial shade. 'Kong' Coleus, available from Walmart, is a popular variety with rich lime greens, browns, and reds.
Canna lily plants are tropical and die if exposed to a hard freeze, but their exotic flowers come in many colours. African daisies (also known as osteospermums) have deep hued rayed flowers and need full sun to maximise blooms.
Teddy Bear Sunflowers have fuzzy petals that resemble a plush toy's fabric and grow about knee high. 'Double Dwarf' Teddy Bear Sunflower seeds can be purchased from Amazon.
Caladium plants boast heart-shaped, tropical leaves in a variety of colours and don't need blooms. 'Dragon Wing' from Burpee is a popular Caladium variety with shiny leaves and hanging stems.
For those looking to purchase Calibrachoa, the variety 'Superbells Double Vintage Coral Million Bells' by Cavicchio Greenhouses is available at Walmart. With the right choice of annual plants and careful care, a garden masterpiece is within reach for every gardener.
Home-and-garden enthusiasts may find Calibrachoa, also known as Million Bells, an ideal choice for their pots and hanging baskets due to its continuous, vibrant blooms and suitability for full sun. Outside of Calibrachoa, other highly recommended annuals include Tassel Flower, Begonia, Caladium, Teddy Bear Sunflower, Coleus, Canna, and African Daisy, each with unique characteristics to bring life to any home-and-garden lifestyle.
