Annuals that Bloom All Summer and Fall

I love color in my garden and house from June until frost. This is the time for annuals, which  bloom steadily. Here are some of my favorites, along with their colors.

Angelonia – pink, lavender, white and purple.

Shapdragon – dusty rose, pink, yellow, burgundy. The giant ones are best for cut flowers.

Zinnia – so many kinds: pom poms, giant, etc. They are red, orange, yellow, and white.

Pentas – white, pink, red.

Lantana – bicolor pink and yellow is my favorite, as my grandmother had those in her garden. Also orange and yellow.

Geranium – reds and pinks.

Marigold – yellow, gold, bicolor, cream.

Cosmos – orange, gold, white,  pink, burgundy.  These often reseed, so you only have 

to plant them once.

Petunias – red, pink, white, purple, ever new bicolors.

Barbara Wittman Alsip was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, of German, Austrian and Prussian grandparents. Her father was a horticulturist, (Texas A&M, Class of 1919), and her mother was active in garden clubs and flower growing. She has two grown sons and two grandsons.

She received her BA and MA in French and Spanish from Texas Christian University and her PhD in French from Emory University. She taught at the university level for a number of years.

At her first home in western Pennsylvania, she had 165 trees, evergreens, flowering trees, perennials, herbs and annuals. She is looking forward to landscaping, with Bedner’s direction and help, at her new home.