Annie's Annuals - Annual Plants Collection

Plant Annuals for Seasonal Color and Charm

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Annie's Annuals - Annual Plants Collection

Annuals Add Seasonal Color and Charm to Your Garden

Annual plants are the life of the garden party—bursting onto the scene, dazzling all season long, and then bowing out gracefully once their big show is over. Unlike perennials, which return year after year, annuals complete their life cycle in a single season: sprouting, blooming, setting seed, and making way for next year’s stars. That means you can reinvent your garden each year with new varieties that bring different colors, textures, and forms—no long-term commitment required!

Grow Annuals to Help the Pollinators and Benefit the Environment

Annuals are also a pollinator’s playground. Their nonstop blooms provide nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects all season. And many, especially California native annuals, require little to no water in summer, making them especially well-suited to drought-tolerant landscapes. The color and charm of annuals like poppies, sunflowers, zinnias and cosmos, make them perfect for a cottage-style garden, a raised bed designed for cut flowers, or even a cheerful container display on your porch. Many annuals, like Layia platyglossa (Tidy Tips) or Nemophila menziesii (Baby Blue Eyes), are California native annuals and annual wildflowers.  Others, like the ruffled drama of Antirrhinum majus 'Double Azalea Red' or the silky petals of Papaver hybridum ‘Lauren’s Grape’, add a touch of elegance and flair. Annuals can grow almost anywhere since they don't have to survive cold winters but always check your growing zone and the recommended USDA growing zone for your plants.

 

Easy Care and Quick Rewards from Annual Plants

One of the biggest advantages of growing annual plants is instant gratification: they germinate quickly, grow fast, and bloom abundantly. Many thrive in full sun, though some tolerate partial shade, and most do best in well-draining soil with regular water. A side dressing of compost and deadheading will keep the flowers coming. And yes—annuals like Centaruea (Bachelor's Buttons) and Lathyrus (Sweet Peas) make wonderful cut flowers and are stunning in flower bouquets! Whether you’re growing Lathyrus odoratus ‘Cupani’ for its intoxicating fragrance, Papaver commutatum ‘Ladybird’ for its bold red pop, or Lobelia erinus ‘Monsoon’ for cascading baskets of blue, annuals deliver variety and charm like no other.

What's the Difference Between Hardy Annuals vs. Tender Annuals

Wondering about hardy annuals versus tender annuals? Hardy annuals, like Layia platyglossa, and Eschscholzias (California poppies) can shrug off a little frost and be planted earlier in the season. Tender annuals, like many snapdragons and cosmos, prefer cozy, frost-free conditions and should be planted after any danger of frost has passed. Either way, these one-season wonders guarantee a garden that’s anything but boring. Shop Annie’s collection of annuals and let your garden reinvent itself every year in spectacular color!

Annual plants and annual flowers bring joy, whimsy, and biodiversity to your garden! Easy to grow and bursting with flowers, annual plants will provide vibrant color that lasts all season long and will also help attract and feed a wider range of pollinators (bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, etc.).  Whether you are creating a drought-tolerant landscape, a vibrant cottage garden, a sun-loving bed for cut flowers, or a work of garden art that is uniquely your own, rest assured that Annie’s Annuals & Perennials will have the perfect plants for you. Shop our online selection of annual plants and flowers today.

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FAQs: Annie's Annuals

What are annual plants?

A true annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle within a single growing season.
Annuals germinate from seeds, grow, flower, produce seeds, and then die, all in one year.

What is the difference between annuals and perennials?

The key difference between annuals and perennials is their lifespan. Annuals live for one growing season, although some annual plants re-seed, thereby prolonging their benefits past a single season. Perennial plants live and bloom for multiple years, sometimes many years, and can thus serve as key anchor or focal point plants in gardens and landscapes. Another difference is that true annuals will bloom throughout the their entire season; whereas, perennials may bloom intermittently during or between seasons.

What are the advantages of growing annuals?

Annual plants are a terrific, budget-friendly way to change your garden’s appearance every season- adding variety and vibrant color that lasts ALL season long! Adding annual plants and flowers to your garden also promotes biodiversity and environmental health. While they bloom, annuals provide valuable food sources for many pollinators – butterflies, bees, moths, hummingbirds, and others. When they have reached the end of their season and decompose, they contribute vital soil nutrients, and they also provide important nesting materials for pollinators and wildlife.

When should I plant annuals?

In most regions, the best time to plant annuals is in the spring after the last frost date. This provides them with a long growing season to take root and flourish. Hardy annuals can tolerate cooler temperatures, and can thus be planted earlier in spring or even fall. Tender annuals require warmer soil and air temperatures and should be planted later in the season.

What's the ideal care routine for annuals?

Annuals generally require regular watering to keep the soil consistently moist. They thrive in well-draining soil and benefit from occasional fertilization. Deadheading, the removal of spent flowers, encourages continuous blooming.

Can I grow annuals in containers or pots?

Yes, most annuals are well-suited for containers, making them ideal for small spaces, and/or areas where you want to add a burst of color. Make sure the pots are large enough, have good drainage, and provide proper care.

Do annuals require full sun?

Many annuals do best in full sun, which typically means at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. However, some varieties can tolerate full or partial shade. Be sure to review each specific plant's sun requirements and choose those best suited to your garden's lighting conditions.

Can I use annual flowers for cut flower arrangements?

Absolutely! Many annuals, such as zinnias, sunflowers, and snapdragons (Antirrhinums), are fantastic for cutting and arranging in bouquets. They bring a touch of your garden's beauty to your indoor spaces.

What are tender annuals?

Tender annuals and tender perennials are plants and flowers that cannot survive in cold weather without human intervention and extra care. They should be planted only after the last frost date and when both soil and air temperatures have warmed.

What are hardy annuals?

Hardy annuals are plants that complete their life cycle within one season and can withstand light frosts. They can often be planted in the fall or in early spring, depending upon your USDA growing zone.

What are some types of annual plants?

1. Flowering Annuals are the most popular annuals, prized for their vibrant, seasonal blooms. Examples include, marigolds, sweet peas (Lathyrus), clarkias, some lupines (Lupinus), nasturtiums, nemophilas, snapdragons (Antirrhinums) poppies (Papavers), cosmos, bachelor’s buttons (Centaureas), zinnias, violas and sunflowers.

2. Herbaceous Annuals are often grown for foliage, fragrance, or culinary uses. Common herbaceous annuals include basil, cilantro, and dill.

3. Climbing Annuals like sweet peas (Lathyrus) are perfect for adding seasonal, colorful height to your garden. Make sure you stake them to a trellis or fence as they grow.

4. Bulbous Annuals like freesias, narcissus, and ranunculus grow from bulbs and produce stunning flowers during the growing season before dying back.

5. Cool-Season Annuals will grow in cooler temperatures and are often planted in the early spring or fall in regions with mild winters and no significant snow or frosts. Examples include poppies (Papavers), certain violas, and sweet peas (Lathyrus).

6. Spring Annuals like sweet peas (Lathyrus), clarkias, poppies (Papavers), layias, lupins (Lupinus) will provide vibrant color throughout the entire spring season.

7. Summer/Warm-season Annuals love heat, and they grow in the summer. Varieties include sunflowers, cosmos, celosias, zinnias, straw flowers (Helichrysum) and marigolds.

8. CA Native Wildflower Annuals like California poppies (Eschscholzias), are plant superheroes! They are perfectly suited to their environment, easy to grow, and they can help minimize the need for both water and pesticides. They are true biodiversity champions, attracting the largest number of beneficial pollinators – birds, bees, butterflies and other insects.

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