Annual Gardens

Nemesia originates in South Africa and prefers cool climates, full sun, and well-drained soil. It blooms in a range of colors, and is ideal for rock gardens and containers. Learn more about nemesia.

By C. Colston Burrell

Morning glory vine is a great, multicolor annual flower that will grow almost anywhere. In this article, learn about planting, growing, propagating, and using morning glory vine in your flower garden.

By C. Colston Burrell

Looking for a great multicolor annual flower that is highly colorful but also low-maintenance? Try New Guinea impatiens. In this article, learn about planting, growing, propagating, and using New Guinea impatiens in your flower garden.

By C. Colston Burrell

Horned poppy, or sea poppy, is an annual flower native to Europe, North Africa, and eastern Asia, partly naturalized in North America. These golden-yellow flowers need full sun. Learn about growing and using horned poppies.

By C. Colston Burrell

Ageratum are fluffy annual flowers that come in white, lavender-blue, and pink and are ideal for summer gardens and containers. Ageratum plants are covered with clusters of small, fuzzy blue flowers. Learn about floss flowers.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Amaranthus, or summer poinsettia, is an annual plant capped with a swirling crown of hot-colored yellow and red leaves. The upper third of the plant eventually takes on red and yellow leaves. Learn about amaranthus.

By Betty Barr Mackey

The bachelor's button is an annual that grows one to three feet tall with innumerable fluffy but trim round flowers held above the rather sparse, long and narrow gray-green leaves. Learn about this flower.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Wax begonia and fibrous begonia are annuals equally at home in full sun or full but bright shade. They have white, pink, rose, or red blossoms. Find out about these flowers.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Browallia, or sapphire flower, is an annual flower that blooms from spring to fall and year-round as window flowers. It's best in coastal gardens, but can grow as container plants. Learn about browallia.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Calendula, or pot marigold, is an old-fashioned herb and a hardy annual in sunny shades of yellow, buff, orange, and apricot. It's easy to grow. Find out more about this edible flower.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Plant some peppers in pots or rows for a fresh update to your garden. Capsicum peppers are bright and cheery, but be careful of the heat when you cook them!

By Betty Barr Mackey

California poppy is an orange annual flower that carpets the California hillsides in early spring. Garden forms are hardy. Colors include buff, yellow, orange, peach, red, and pink. Learn about this golden flower.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Celosia is an annual flower with silky blooms and a wide choice of appearance, size, and color. Celosia can be seen in large flower clusters and velvety cockscomb. Learn about celosia.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Cleome, or spider flower, is an annual flower known for its exceedingly long seedpods. They develop below the flowers to give the plants a spidery look. Find out more about Cleome.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Coleus is an annual flower that is a colorful classic with serrated leaves on branching plants. Coleus is a member of the mint family. Find out more about this flower.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Coreopsis is an annual flower with bright daisy-like petals in warm colors of yellow, orange and pink. This quick grow plant is perfect for meadow gardens and bouquets. Learn more about the coreopsis.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Cosmos is one of the fastest-growing annual flowers. Some varieties reach up to six feet. The daisy-like cosmos come in pink, red, white, and lavender with a yellow center. Discover the cosmos.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Dahlberg daisy, or golden fleece, is a charming little annual plant with sunny flowers. This species of daisy bears many golden-yellow, upright flowers measuring a half an inch in diameter. Learn about the golden fleece.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Dusty miller is an annual flower used for several additional similar, silvery types of plants. They prefer full sun and well-drained soil, though they grow in lightly shaded areas. Learn about dusty miller.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Gazania, or treasure flower, is a South African annual flower that likes hot, dry summers. Gardeners treasure its daisy-like flowers. Gazanias grow in rosette form with attractive notched leaves. Learn about ganzania.

By Betty Barr Mackey

The geranium, zonal, is a South African annual flower with a horseshoe-shaped band of dark leaf color. You can grow it in the garden or as a house plant. Find out about the zonal geranium.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Globe amaranth is a tropical annual flower with small, cloverlike, papery flowers that continually bloom throughout summer. Globe amaranth can grow up to two feet. Learn more about globe amaranth.

By Betty Barr Mackey

The Heliotrope, or cherry pie, is an annual flower with an alluring fragrance. Flowers bloom in splendid clusters of deep blue, white, violet, and lavender, and are great for rock gardens. Find out about heliotrope.

By Betty Barr Mackey

Impatiens, busy lizzie or patience, is an annual flower in many colors. It has a tidy, mounding form and self-cleaning flowers. It's an ideal low-maintenance plant. Learn about the impatiens.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Lantana is an annual flower abundantly covered through the summer with brightly colored blossoms. This woody shrub comes in white, yellow, gold, orange, and red flowers an is a great container plant. Learn about lantana.

By Betty Barr Mackey