Gardening With Annual Flowers

Annual flowers offer quick eye candy.

Petunias are a favorite annual. Go to the nursery, load up the cart with annuals and - voila! - in one day, you can have a yard full of gorgeous color.

That's the great thing about these one-season beauties, which go on sale nearly everywhere from early spring through mid-summer.

There are so many shapes and colors, it's hard to pick just a few. No special care needed for most, but they do like to be planted at the correct time, in the right place sun-wise, and be fed and watered appropriately.

With those few things, they'll reward you handsomely from spring through early fall. Some will even last through the winter in warmer zones.

Click on the different months to see what annual garden work you should be doing now.

For example, March, April, May and June are especially important for planting.

But, come July, August and September, there is more emphasis on watering enough and feeding flowering plants, while also watching for invasion of pests, such as leaf-hoppers, flea beetles and aphids.

Here are some of the most common and lovely garden annuals available at many retail sources -- you'll see them sitting outside on tables and displays almost everywhere.

Many of these will include cosmos, dianthus, gerbera daisy, geranium, impatiens, marigold, petunia, zinnia, begonia, coleus, poppy, nasturtium, sweet pea, sunflower and a host of others.

Look for potted plants in the spring at nurseries, garden centers, home improvement and hardware stores and even on the sidewalks outside drug and grocery stores.

A healthy potted plant has firm, green leaves and stems and lots of new growth. Many are already in flower, though I tend to look for plants that have lots of buds and new leaf sprouts. That means, when I plant them, in a week or sooner all those new blooms will be outside my window at their peak.

Flower seeds can be found at the same nursery and garden centers, as well as at many general merchandise and discount stores. There is detailed information about starting seeds and constructing a simple indoor greenhouse on this Web site.

In addition, there are the very popular and decorative herbs, such as basil, dill, oregano, parsley, rosemary, chamomile and thyme.

I love herbs sprinkled throughout the flower gardens for a natural, cottage garden look. I also adore mint and spearmint, although they can become invasive. Mint and chamomile are great as teas.