We’re now past mid-October and have suffered several nights near freezing here in Northeastern Massachusetts. As I walk around the yard and look at the gardens, most of my late-blooming perennials have already called it quits and are bedding down for the winter under a soft blanket of leaves. But wait! Amazingly, there are still some plants blooming, and even more amazing is that they’re all tender annuals!
Annuals are plants that are not hardy enough to survive New England winters but even though they are short-lived, many are happy to spread their seeds around, so watch for little volunteers come spring. Unlike perennial plants that return year after year, annuals
Strongly scented MARIGOLDS are classic cottage garden plants and I’ve grown them every year since I started gardening! Their cheerful blooms can be open discs, prettily ruffled posies or rounded powder puffs in colors that range from white and yellow to dark red and even bicolors. Marigolds are reputed to repel pests in the vegetable garden such as root-devouring nematodes and tomato hornworms as well as rabbits and deer. They also attract beneficial insects such as bees, butterflies and tiny wasps.
Annual sage or SALVIA is another long bloomer that comes in colors ranging from white, pink, red and blue to the deepest purple. Although many are in the 12 to 18-inch height range, perfect for pots and the front of the border, some can grow to an impressive 40 inches. You can learn more about the striking salvias I grew this summer in my blog A Tale of Three Salvias but let me just say that as of today all three are still a strong presence in the garden.
Sun-loving ZINNIAS are prolific bloomers that come in a huge array of sizes, colors, and flower shapes. In my Zone 6 garden, zinnias can be slow growers until the weather really heats up in July but, once they get going, they’re unstoppable. This year I planted zinnias from the aptly named ‘Profusion’ series and was very pleased with their vigorous habit and abundance of blooms. Heat, drought and mildew resistant, these zinnias are extremely long-lasting in the garden as well as in bouquets, and every garden should include some of these beauties!
EUPHORBIAS are not as well known as other annuals but have become more popular in recent years. ‘Diamond Frost’ and ‘Diamond Mountain’ are two varieties that don’t disappoint in their vigor and resistance to disease, heat, drought and even cold. Their delicate appearance belies an extremely tough constitution! The tiny white flowers are produced in abundant sprays all season long and create a cloud of sparkling blooms that contrast nicely with other plants. I like to use euphorbias as an edging to flower beds, as a filler in pots, or as an accent next to bolder leaved companions such as lavender or yucca.
Old-fashioned NASTURTIUMS bloom in colors ranging from the softest creamy white to the darkest red. They vary in habit from well-behaved bedding plants to large rambling or climbing vines, but they all sport rounded blue-green leaves and vivid flowers shaped like a woodland fairy’s cap. Nasturtiums grow best in full sun but they don’t like the intense heat of summer, preferring the cooler days of late spring and fall. Easy to grow from seed once the soil has warmed up, make sure to place them where you want them to stay since nasturtiums resent being moved. In fact, they seem to thrive on neglect, so it’s best to plant them and forget them, then sit back and enjoy the show!
These are just a few of the many beautiful annuals available to gardeners every year. This spring, find colors that you love, mix and match with perennials, and plant with abandon for non-stop blooms!
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