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Favorite Annuals: MANY BIENNIALS flower in early and midsummer, thus usefully filling an awkward gap that can occur between the spring and summer flowers. Like annuals, they are temporary plants which should be pulled up and put on the compost pile when they have finished flowering. Also, as with annuals, though it's easy enough to save seed of most kinds it is usually impossible to prevent cross-fertilization of different varieties, as a result of which home-saved seed produces only a mongrel population. The distinction between annuals, biennials and herbaceous perennials is not always clear-cut since sometimes varieties of one group can be treated as if they belonged to one of the other groups; hollyhocks (Alcea), for example, can be grown as annuals, biennials or short-lived perennials. However, to be sure of a regular succession of biennials it is necessary to sow seed every year at the correct season.
Then, of course, there's the not inconsiderable matter of your own personal preferences. Everyone has their own favorite annuals plants. Think about what it is that attracts you most about them. Do you like them to be exotic, dramatic, pretty, colorful, graceful or unusual? Do you want them to provide a peaceful relaxing background or do you want attention grabbers?
These are all considerations that will greatly influence your choice of plants. The pages that follow look at all the different types of plant that are available to you, including trees, hedges, shrubs, climbers, perennials, annuals and biennials, bedding plants, bulbs and rock-garden plants.
Half-hardy annuals (HHA) are usually damaged, set back, or killed by frost, but they stand up to wet and cool weather without rotting.
Tender annuals (TA) come from the warmer parts of the world and need warm soil to germinate. They are killed immediately by frost.
Added to the classification of annuals are perennials, either hardy (usually from a temperate climate) or tender (generally from the tropic parts of the world), that will bloom the first year from seed.
Most seed packets today give full instructions for care and note any special treatment required. Most catalogs do the same. |
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