Flowers for Your Garden

Annual Flowers

• Annual flowers germinate, grow, flower and produce seeds in only one year; most complete their life cycle from spring to fall. Cold sensitive, annual flowers do not tolerate frost well and are quickly killed during inclement weather. Annual flowering plants benefit the garden by producing a continuous supply of colorful flowers with only minimal maintenance. They can be planted directly into flowerbeds, in hanging baskets or within patio containers. Petunias, geraniums and begonias are annual flowers that are readily available each year from retailers.

Perennial Flowers

• Perennial flowering plants return year after year. Most spread rapidly so they can be divided and transplanted to other regions of the garden. Each perennial variety tends to only flower for a few weeks out of the year. Many sport both striking flowers and interesting foliage. There are perennials for full sunlight, partial shade and even full shade. The hosta tolerates shade well, produces small flowers in the spring and has a wide array of foliage colors. Some perennials, such as the coneflower, make ideal cut wildflower bouquets for the home. Consider interspacing annuals and perennials together for continuous flowering when the perennials cease blooming.

Tropical Flower Choices

• In subtropical and tropical locations the gardener can pick flowering plants that bloom year-round. The hibiscus shrub produces trumpet-shaped flowers yearly in such regions. The flowering shrub's flowers only last one day but are quickly replaced by new flowers. The oleander will also flower year-round. It produces its heaviest flower flush during the summer months but the rest of the year the shrub will still display blossoms.

Flowering Shrubs and Trees

• A garden is not complete without a few shrubs and trees to grace the area. Flowering shrubs can catch the eye and help to hide an unsightly building or fence line. Trees offer shade and size diversity. The rose bush can produce an endless supply of outstanding flowers during the summer months. Depending on the variety, the rose bush can fit into virtually any location and even be grown as a climbing specimen on a trellis. Flowering crabapple trees produce sweet smelling blossoms each spring followed by colorful fruit that often persists into the winter months and are adored by songbirds.