Annuals

A true Annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle within a single growing season. Annuals germinate from seeds, grow, flower, produce seeds, and then die, all in one year.

The key difference between annuals and perennials is their lifespan. Annuals live for one growing season, although some of our annual plants do re-seed, thereby prolonging their benefits past a single season. Perennial plants and perennial flowers persist for several years, returning year after year, every growing season. Another difference is that true annuals will bloom throughout the entire season; whereas, perennials may bloom intermittently during or between seasons.

Annual plants are a terrific, budget-friendly way to change your garden’s appearance every season- adding variety and vibrant color that lasts ALL season long! Adding annual plants and flowers to your garden also promotes biodiversity and environmental health. While they bloom, annuals provide valuable food sources for many pollinators – butterflies, bees, moths, hummingbirds, and others. When they have reached the end of their season and decompose, they contribute vital soil nutrients, and they also provide important nesting materials for pollinators and wildlife.

In most regions, the best time to plant annuals is in the spring after the last frost date. This provides them with a long growing season to take root and flourish.

Annuals generally require regular watering to keep the soil consistently moist. They thrive in well-draining soil and benefit from occasional fertilization. Deadheading, the removal of spent flowers, encourages continuous blooming.

Yes, most annuals are well-suited for containers, making them ideal for small spaces, and/or areas where you want to add a burst of color. Make sure the pots are large enough, have good drainage, and provide proper care.

Many annuals do best in full sun, which typically means at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. However, some varieties can tolerate partial shade, so be sure to choose those best suited to your garden's lighting conditions.

Absolutely! Many annuals, such as zinnias, sunflowers, and snapdragons (antirrhinums), are fantastic for cutting and arranging bouquets. They add a touch of your garden's beauty to your indoor spaces.

Tender perennials and tender annuals are plants and flowers that cannot survive in cold weather without human intervention and extra care

Hardy annuals are plants that complete their life cycle within one season and can withstand spring frost when in the seedling stage.

1. Flowering Annuals are the most popular annuals, prized for their vibrant, seasonal blooms. Examples include basil, marigolds, sweet peas (lathyrus), clarkias, most petunias, lupins (lupinus), nasturtiums, nemophilas, snap dragons (antirrhinums) poppies (papavers), calendulas, cosmos, bachelor’s buttons (centaureas), zinnias, violas and sunflowers.

2. Herbaceous Annuals are often grown for foliage, fragrance, or culinary uses. Common herbaceous annuals include basil, cilantro, and dill.

3. Trailing Annuals like convolvulus, nasturtiums and nemophila are perfect for adding a mat of spreading foliage to your garden, and they also help with soil erosion! You can use them in containers or hanging baskets.

4. Climbing Annuals like sweet peas (lathyrus) are perfect for adding seasonal, colorful height to your garden. Make sure you stake them to a trellis or fence as they grow.

5. Bulbous Annuals Plants like freesias, narcissus, and ranunculus grow from bulbs and produce stunning flowers during the growing season before dying back.

6. Cool-Season Annuals thrive in cooler temperatures and are often planted in the spring or fall. Examples include poppies (papavers), certain violas, and sweet peas (lathyrus).

7. Spring Annuals like sweet peas (lathyrus), clarkias, poppies (papavers), layias, lupins (lupinus) will provide vibrant color throughout the entire Spring season.

8. Summer/Warm-season Annuals love heat, and they grow in the summer. Varieties include sunflowers, cosmos, celosias, zinnias, straw flowers (helichrysum) and marigolds.

9. CA Native Wildflower Annuals like California poppies (Eschscholzias), are plant superheroes! They are perfectly suited to their environment, easy to grow, and they can help minimize the need for both water and pesticides. They are true biodiversity champions-attracting the largest number of beneficial pollinators – birds, bees, butterflies and other insects.

10. Winter Annuals like certain snap dragons and some violas, continue to bloom during the cooler months, providing vibrant color in the garden even in winter (up until the first frost)