Summertime is the season of long sunny days accompanied by the saturated color of flowers in full bloom. Summer annuals only shine in the summer, and, when they do, their pigments light up the day with the sunshine. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. Flower shops and stores have you covered if you forgot to plant the annuals at the beginning of the year.
Prep Your Garden
First rule of garden club: No one plants without soil. Just because summer annuals are one-time flowers, it doesn’t mean you should slack off on the flower care. Make sure you have the tools and conditions for the chosen summer annuals before you just plop them in the dirt. Here are a few things to check about your garden before you start buying:
- Soil conditions, such as pH or soil type, can affect your plants. Are there enough nutrients in your dirt, or does your soil texture have more clay, sand, or humus?
- Sunlight and heat will be high in summer, so prep by adding shields to combat the excess exposure
- Do you have the space? Don’t dig up more than you, but mostly your garden can handle. More plants mean more competition for food and water, thus leading to wilting flowers and more topdressing and backfilling.
- Practice Deadheading (yes, this is an actual word) by pruning dead flower heads in your garden. Flowers can then focus on reproducing buds for the next bloom.
- Be on the lookout for rot and disease. If you overpack your flowers too closely, they can retain too much moisture, which can then lead to disease. Make sure there is good air circulation and hand water your plants for better moisture control.
List of Summer Annuals with Pizzazz
- Narrow-leaf Angelon: Beautiful snapdragon-like flowers that live for the summer, and bloom in pink, white, and purple
- Tuberous Begonias: a vibrant and colorful bloomer that makes great bedding plants.
- Garden Cosmos: like daisies, these flowers have fine, tall petals that attract bees and butterflies with outstanding colors
- Petunias: flowers that shine to the max in full sun and spread their blooms in beds and pots
- Firecracker plant: What’s in a name? Bright orange petals represent the heat and summer sun.
- Marigolds: warm whites to rich reds, or as color combo flowers that worship the sun and repel pests
- Zinnia: a flower that comes in 3 different forms and a wide color palette, and needs good circulation to avoid mildew buildup
- Ageratum: violet, blue, pink, and white are this flower’s palette, and it grows in most soil types with good water drainage
- Hibiscus: a tropical flower with exotic blooms of warm colors with an eye that complements its petals
- Vincas: pink and white flowers that have their own self-care routine, as long as they have good drainage and sunlight
- Celosia: a vertical, feather-like flower that loves hot, humid climates that bloom in red, orange, yellow, and pink
- Scaevolas: Their blooms are white, pink, and blue, and can withstand heat and dry soil once established
- Pentas: small flowers with a big color spectrum that welcome sunshine, hummingbirds, and butterflies to your garden
Final Thoughts
With a healthy garden ready for planting, check out your local flower and garden stores to see the variety of summer annuals you can plant. Ask for help from the gardening experts if you have questions about the requirements of a plant that catches your eye. Here are some summer annuals you can get that will patch up those neutral spots in your garden.
