How to Choose Annual Flowers

Measure the area of the flower bed (multiply length by width to get area) or note the gallon size of the container where the annual flowers will be planted. Record these figures in a notepad and bring it along on your trip to the nursery.

Determine the sunlight requirements for the area where the annual flowers will be planted and create a list of annuals with matching sunlight requirements. Begonias, dahlias, and geraniums prefer full sun. If the area gets less than 6 hours of direct sunlight per day, opt for a partial shade annual such as sweet potato vine or calibrachoa. If the area is in full shade, opt for a shade-friendly annual such as impatiens, shamrocks or torenia.

Select annual flowers with watering requirements that match the natural conditions or the available irrigation. Annuals that enjoy average or moist soil include marigolds, geraniums, Bachelor's Buttons, dahlias, pansies and impatiens. Annuals that prefer dry soil include lantana, verbena and the California Poppy.

Pick annual flowers that match the color scheme of your garden or the surrounding structures. Many annuals, such as the begonia, pansy and calibrachoa, come in an array of colors.

Decide between seeds and young plants. Early in the growing season, opt for seeds since you'll have the plants for the entire season. If it's the middle or late part of the growing season, select plants due to the amount of time it takes for the seeds to mature.

Read the packaging to determine the recommended spacing for the annuals.

Determine how many plants/seeds you'll need for the square footage in your garden. For instance, if you need to space the plants 6 inches apart, and you have 4 square feet, you'll need a total of 8 plants (2 plants per each square foot). For seeds, divide the quantity of seeds by the recommended number of seeds per planting to determine how many "plants" are in the seed package.