A good selection of Hardy Annuals for Summer Colour
Most seed catalogues will have a good selection of hardy
annuals that can simply be sown into their flowering
positions in the garden.
It is probably easier to see the list in a catalogue -
rather than having to look through the seed racks in a
garden centre, which tend to be just a mass of colour -
arranged alphabetically - no help!
Our list below should help you pick a good range.
remember that popular varieties can sell out early! many
re-seed themselves.
(Some of my own favourite hardy annuals -
Gardenseeker Ed!)
- Alyssum - sweet smelling white
flowers - low for front edge
- Anchusa - bright blue flowers on
medium size plant
- Pot marigold (Calendula
officinalis). The old fashioned English
Marigold - re-seeds as well
- Candytuft (Iberis) - A range of
mainly pink and blue shades. Not to
confuse with the perennial white rock
plant.
- Clarkia - Tall spikes (2ft - 600mm)
of delicate pink shades - easy
- Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) -
Blues and pinks - a good carpeting plant
- Godetia - has to be one of my
favourites - with masses of pink flowers
-good carpeting
- Gypsophila - Gyp - a great white for
mid or back border
- Larkspur (Delphinium annual) -
masses of blues and pink spikes
- Mallow (Lavatera trimestris) - a
real show off!
- Poached-egg flower (Limnanthes
douglasii), plenty of flowers - name
describes well
- Love-lies-bleeding (Amaranth us
caudatus) - An unusual drooping pink -
try it.
- Night¬scented stock (Matthiola
bicornis), dainty - and VERY scented
- Mignonette (Reseda odorata). Not the
showiest - but the scent - whaw!
- Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus), Every
garden should have them
- Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena)
Haunting powder blue
- Poppies (Papaver) - spolit for
choice. the Shirly poppies are good - as
are the opium poppies - Icelandic or
Papaver somniferum
- Annual scabious (Scabiosa
atropurpurea), Pastel blues and pinks -
good carpeting
- Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), Not
just yellow these days - lemon through
to almost black!
- Sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus). No
need to describe - go for it! Let them
cover a fence or compost bin.
There are others to try - but these hardy
annuals will get you off to a good start,
and they are so easy. Just scatter these
hardy annuals where you want them to flower!
Most hardy annuals can be sown in April - or earlier if it is not too
cold.
