Annuals

Scaevola aemula   Other Name Fairy fan flower   Sun Requirements full sun, part sun   Bloom Period and Seasonal Color Summer to fall in colors of blue, pink, white and purple   Mature Height x Spread 8 to 18 inches tall x 1 to 2 feet   Added Benefits Drought tolerant   The fan flower is a relative newcomer to New England. It hails from "down under" (Australia) so loves hot, humid conditions with lots of sun. It's a tough plant that will grow well in part sun as well. The sprawling plant is perfect for containers, hanging baskets...

Learn how to grow Four O Clocks including information on varieties. Listen to podcast: podcast transcript Mirabilis jalapa   Other Name Marvel of Peru   Sun Requirements full sun, part sun, part shade   Bloom Period and Seasonal Color Mid summer until frost in colors of yellow, pink, rose, salmon, white, red and striped   Mature Height x Spread 2 ft to 3 ft x 1 ft to 2 ft   Added Benefits Attracts hummingbirds, attracts beneficials, deer resistant   Four o clocks are bushy annuals with colorful flowers and a sweet...

Learn how to grow fragrant annual flowers such as heliotrope. Listen to podcast: Although my wife Wendy and I have plenty of room to grow flowers in the yard, we always plant some in containers as well, especially the fragrant ones. Planting fragrant annuals in a pot on a deck, patio or near an open window is an easy way to indulge in the sweet smells of summer. Here are three of my favorites. Heliotrope is a borage family flower that is also called the cherry pie plant. Who could resist that description. I think the fragrance is more like...

Fuchsia spp   Other Name Ladies eardrop   Sun Requirements Part sun, part shade   Bloom Period and Seasonal Color Summer until frost in colors of red, pink, white, blue lavender, and many bicolors   Mature Height x Spread 1 to 6 feet x 1 to 5 feet   Added Benefits attracts beneficials, attracts hummingbirds, deer resistant   Fuchsia is a large group of flowers that are grouped either as trailing plants often seen in hanging baskets or upright plants that can be featured in a container or the garden equally as well. Upright...

Learn about growing geraniums including how to overwinter them in the North. Listen to podcast: podcast transcript Pelargonium hybrids   Other Name Many different types   Sun Requirements full to part sun   Bloom Period and Seasonal Color Spring until fall in colors such as pink, red, white, salmon, and bicolor   Mature Height x Spread 1 to 2 feet x 1 to 2 feet   Added Benefits drought tolerant   These are not only my mother's flowers, but also a joy for everyone. Potted geraniums are one of the classic annual flowers seen in...

Heliotropium arborescens   Other Name Cherry pie plant   Sun Requirements Full sun, part sun, part shade   Bloom Period and Seasonal Color summer until fall in colors of white, blue, and lavender   Mature Height x Spread 1 to 2 feet x 1 to 2 feet   Added Benefits attracts hummingbirds, attracts beneficials, deer resistant   If you're looking for a fragrant annual that will perfume a container or bed, look no further than the heliotrope. It's called the cherry pie plant because some think the fragrance resembles that fruity...