What are your favorite annuals (flowers)?

SusieBW

What flowers to you go back to year after year and why?

Impatiens are generally my go-to annuals, because they're so versatile and bright and stay in bloom all summer.  With that disease in this years impatiens, I feel like I have more options this year!

I have an island bed in my front yard that has been neglected for a few years.  It has three azaleas that have already bloomed and are now just green. When we bought the house (in the summertime), the previous owners had flowers planted there, and it looked lovely but I've never kept up with planting annuals every year.  I finally mulched it last weekend, and I use black mulch, so now it's just screaming out for some color in front of the green shrubs.  It's in full sun for most of the day.  What should I get?

ohioloveyou

I love petunias, but I only have shade so I can't plant them!  I would also look into geraniums if I were you.  

I pretty much stick to impatiens too...no signs of disease in mine yet this year! 

ChristyDM82

I love lantana (depending on where you live they may be perennials- for me, they are annuals).  They like full sun, are vibrant, and the leaves smell like lemon. 

SusieBW

Christy_Daisy's_Mom:

I love lantana (depending on where you live they may be perennials- for me, they are annuals).  They like full sun, are vibrant, and the leaves smell like lemon. 

OMG, I didn't know what these were when I read your post, so I just google image searched them, and they're BEAUTIFUL!  I want!

LSU628

I switch out the annuals every year around my mailbox. Vinca always do well, but I'm loving the Zinnias I planted this year. Very bright and cheery and look great with the hibiscus. I don't have much luck with the petunias as the squirrels like them just as much as I do. :-(

LSU628

Lantana here in the south gets crazy big and is a perennial. Just an FYI- I don't know if it's just me, but every time the lantana touches my skin I get a nasty rash.

SusieBW

LSU628:

Lantana here in the south gets crazy big and is a perennial. Just an FYI- I don't know if it's just me, but every time the lantana touches my skin I get a nasty rash.

I read up on it a little more yesterday afternoon, and I saw that it can be a skin irritant.

I wound up getting some, though!  I got 4 smallish pink and yellow lantana (my garden center had huge ones as well as smaller ones, and for my space, I needed smaller), a flat of pale pink and pale yellow snapdragons, and 4 bright pink geraniums.  I already set them out around the bed where they're going, and I will post a pic once I get them in the ground.

Thanks again for the ideas yesterday!

ChristyDM82

SusieBW:

LSU628:

Lantana here in the south gets crazy big and is a perennial. Just an FYI- I don't know if it's just me, but every time the lantana touches my skin I get a nasty rash.

I read up on it a little more yesterday afternoon, and I saw that it can be a skin irritant.

I wound up getting some, though!  I got 4 smallish pink and yellow lantana (my garden center had huge ones as well as smaller ones, and for my space, I needed smaller), a flat of pale pink and pale yellow snapdragons, and 4 bright pink geraniums.  I already set them out around the bed where they're going, and I will post a pic once I get them in the ground.

Thanks again for the ideas yesterday!

Sounds like a pretty combination! For what it is worth, I have very sensitive skin and have not had a problem. Hope you don't either. If you are worried about it, be sure to wear gloves when handling them.   

trinitygc

I love using dipladenias in planter boxes, and having them climb up a trellis! They last up until the first frost and are in bloom all season. For the garden, New Guinea impatients (much bigger and darker leaves than usual impatients) are beautiful. I don't know if the disease affecting your impatents would affect these as well.

PurrBox

LSU628:

I switch out the annuals every year around my mailbox. Vinca always do well, but I'm loving the Zinnias I planted this year. Very bright and cheery and look great with the hibiscus. I don't have much luck with the petunias as the squirrels like them just as much as I do. :-(

I'm a big lover of Vincas. They thrive in the hot, dry summer. My kind of plant.