Our Top 5 Favourite Annual Flowers
Annuals are a fantastic addition to every garden, front porch, and landscape. They add colour and beauty to put you in spring and summer’s mindset! Choosing the right plants for your garden can be tricky, especially when looking for something that’s easy to take care of but still makes a beautiful display. These are our favourite, award-winning annual flowers that we carry in-house at Windsor Greenhouse.
1. Non-Stop Begonia
Our ‘Non-Stop’ Begonias are stunning statement annual flowers! Their round flowers are dense with petals, and they come in a wide variety of colours ranging from white to orange to red. Their vibrant blooms are contrasted against dark, black and purple foliage that will add depth and dimension to your flower beds. This shade-loving plant is drought-tolerant, so let the soil dry out between waterings. It requires minimal care, is an excellent filler for annual container arrangements and garden beds, and will bloom all season long.
2. Purple Fountain Grass
This heat-tolerant, annual grass will add a breezy tranquility to your garden, with cascading seed heads that sigh and sway. The bronze-purple foliage is gorgeous to accent neighbouring white and yellow blooms. This grass is particularly lovely in clusters or on slopes and is fabulous in annual arrangements. It’s effortless to care for and is sure to add a beautiful touch to your garden beds and arrangements. We recommend leaving this one in the ground until spring as it can look quite lovely covered in snow in the winter.
3. Prince Tut Grass
‘Prince Tut’ is a dwarf Egyptian Papyrus with large poms but is half the height of the classic ‘King Tut.’ It has gorgeous bright green foliage that is sturdy, fun, and unique. It thrives in shallow water on the edges of ponds and landscape areas with consistent moisture, but can also work in an annual container arrangement as a filler. Just be sure to plug any drain holes to keep a decent amount of water in the pot, but never so much that the crown is covered. ‘Prince Tut’ grass loves the warmth, so be sure to wait until the frost date has passed before you plant this fabulous foliage annual.
4. Rockapulco Impatiens
Brighten up your yard with rose-like flowers that are low-maintenance! ‘Rockapulco’ Impatiens feature stunning blooms that come in various colours, guaranteed to make your backyard feel like spring has fully arrived. This annual flower will bloom from spring to frost with no deadheading required. Simply keep it in a shady spot with a bit of fertilizer and regular watering, and it’ll be happy to grow all season. The ‘Rockapulco’ variety specifically loves hot, moist, humid shade. If there’s a corner of your garden that doesn’t get sun but holds moisture well, this is the perfect annual flower for you!
5. Diamond Frost Euphorbia
This gorgeous annual is an award winner with light, airy flowers that are delicate and beautiful. It’s super low-maintenance and tolerant to both drought and heat. You can grow this plant indoors as a houseplant, though be mindful that the tiny flowers will fall as this plant is self-cleaning and does its deadheading all by itself. If you choose to plant it outdoors, it’ll help keep deer out of your garden! In container arrangements, ‘Diamond Frost’ is an excellent filler, weaving its thin stems through other foliage and flowers; it also gets along nicely with other plants. If you’re looking for a plant that looks delicate but is tough stuff, look no further!
We have some great basket hangers if you’re looking for other interesting annual flowers that are ready to go! The ‘Amethyst Dreams’ container is a purple-lover’s perfect match with gorgeous shades of purple and white flowers. If you’re still missing the romance of Valentine’s Day, ‘Blind Love’ is the perfect option for white, pink, and red annual flower arrangements that will keep a little love in your garden all season.
If you’re looking for some fantastic annual flowers nearby, visit us at Windsor Greenhouse in Abbotsford! We’d love to help you make your garden its best and brightest for spring.