Growing Annual Flowers

Those plants which are classed as annuals complete their life cycle within the time span of a year. These plants are extremely useful in gardens. They are vital requirements of the garden in summer and autumn months to adore the garden. They not only adore the garden with their beautiful colors and vibrant appeal but are also useful in adding herbaceous border in garden. These plants are the life of your garden once the spring blooms are passed and perennials become quiescent in mid summer. These pants are also a good option in window boxes and porch boxes, for potted plants, for terrace gardening, for window gardening for winter bloom in the small greenhouse.

Types of Annual Flowers
The annual flowers can be divided into three basic categories- hardy, half-hardy and tender annuals.

Hardy Annuals
Hardy annuals are the annual plants which bloom in winter. They are sowed in the fall or during the spring season. Though these flowers are not heat tolerant and can't survive in scorching heat, they give a pleasant look to garden in winter. Some of the hardy annual flowers are calendula, cornflower, foxglove, larkspur, pansy, sweet alyssum, stocks, viola, and many dianthus cultivars.

Half-hardy annuals
Half-hardy annuals are those plants which require damp cold weather to flourish but can't survive cold frost. They can be sown after the last spring frost as they need not get warm soil to germinate. Some of the half hardy annual flowers are Baby's breath, bells of Ireland, blue sage, candytuft, celome, forget-me-nots, love-in-a-mist, snow-on-the-mountain, strawflower, and torenia. Some half hardy flowers are sometimes sown in summer and end by the end of season.

Tender annuals
Tender annuals are comfortable growing in the warm regions and can't tolerate cold weather. If sown in a cold climate soil, there is much probability that it will rot. Ideally you should sow it after three weeks of the spring frost. Some of the tender annuals are ageratum, balsam, begonia, celosia, coleus, globe amaranth, impatiens, marigold, morning glory, nasturtium, nicotiana, petunia, scarlet sage, verbena, vinca, and zinnia.

Common Annual Flowers

Maintaining Annual Flowers
There are four basic things that should be kept in concern while growing annual flowers.

Sunshine
Make sure you know the requirement of sunshine of your annual plant. Some plants grow best in full sunlight while some prefer shade.

Water
Some annual plants like impatiens grow well in moist soil while others prefer a little dry or normal soil like geraniums. Make sure you know the water requirements of your plant so that you can irrigate them properly.

Soil
Some annual flowers prefer rich loamy soils and others do best in sandy well-drained spots. In order to make your annual flower bloom at its best, find out the ideal soil for the annual flower plant you are going to sow.

Care and upkeep
Though most of the annual plants require low maintenance, you must know about the basic necessities and special needs of your plant. Some plants require "dead-heading", so it is good to keep trimming them.