Hardy Annuals or Half Hardy Annuals?
Annual Plant
An annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle in one year. It grows from seed, flowers, then finally sets new seed, and dies within that one year. Divided into hardy annuals and half hardy annuals with hardy annuals sowing may be made directly into the garden soil where they are to grow, whereas half hardy annuals require protection from the elements before being planted out to their flowering quarters.
| Types | |
| 1 | Hardy Annuals |
| 2 | Half Hardy Annuals |
| 3 | Both |
| PLANT NAME | TYPE | HEIGHT/WIDTH (cm) |
| Agrostemma, githago (Corncockle) A summer-flowering annual plant and known as a 'Cottage Garden' flower. Also useful as a cut flower. Magenta coloured blooms. |
1 | 90 x 30 |
| Alyssum maritima Low growing annual of white, purple or pink. |
1 | 25 x 25 |
| Amaranthus caudatus Also known as the 'Loves Lies Bleeding' plant. Tassel flowers of crimson on an upright and bushy plant. Pale green foliage sets of the flowers well. |
2 | 100 x 75 |
| Amaranthus tricolor aka 'Joseph's Coat' As Amaranthus caudatus but beautiful gold and crimson foliage. |
2 | 45 x 45 |
| Amberboa moschata (Sweet Sultan) Scented flowers of pink, white or yellow. |
2 | 60 x 25 |
| Ammi majus A slender annual plant bearing umbels of white flowers. |
1 | 50 x 30 |
| Anagallis monelli AGM A low-growing perennial but often grown as a half hardy annual. Saucer-shaped flowers of blue red or pink. |
1 | 10 x 40 |
| Antirrhinum majus. (Snapdragon) Various colours and a reliable favourite bedding plant. |
3 | 60 x 45 |
| Arctotis, (Harlequin Hybrids) Red, pink, white or orange flowers. |
2 | 45 x 30 |
| Begonia, semperflorens Wide colour range of single flowers of this classic bedder. |
2 | 30 x 30 |
| Begonia, tuberous Large various coloured blooms on this classic bedding plant. |
2 | 50 x 50 |
| Calendula officinalis Quick growing yellow, orange or gold marigold-like flowers. |
1 | 50 x 50 |
| Clarkia amoena (Godetia) Upright annual of single or double flowers of pink. Not grown as widely as times gone by but a worthy addition to the annual garden display. |
1 | 70 x 30 |
| Cleome hassleriana. (Spider Plant) An erect growing annual bearing racemes of spiky flowers purple, red, pink or white. Sweetly scented. |
2 | 100 x 45 |
| Cosmos bipinnatus. An erect and well branched annual with ferny folige and bowl-shaped flowers of red, pink or white throughout the summer. |
2 | 120 x 45 |
| Dahlia 'Unwins Dwarf'' A tuberous-rooted perennial but treated as a half hardy annual. Colours of red, white or yellow of semi-double or double form. A long flowering bedding plant of cheerful colours. |
2 | 60 x 60 |
| Dahlia variabilis Strictly speaking a half hardy perennial but generally grown as an half hardy annual. There are many varieites available and all are beautiful and long flowering in many colours and forms. |
2 | 90 x 45 |
| Eschscholzia californica AGM An annual of carpeting growth bearing cup-shaped flowers of red, yellow or orange shades. The 'Californian Poppy' is so to easy to grow and deservedly popular. |
1 | 30 x 15 |
| Eustoma grandiflorum An annual of branching habit. Grey-green foliage and bell-shaped flowers of light purple; well worth growing as a bedding plant of interest and performance. |
1 | 80 x 30 |
| Felicia heterophylla. 'The Blues' AGM A mat-forming annual plant of charming daisy-type flowers of pale blue throughout the summer months. Lance-shaped foliage of grey-green. |
2 | 20 x 15 |
| Gazania 'Talent Mixed' AGM Really a half hardy perennial but grown as HHA. Loves the sun and rewards with daisy type blooms of many colours. Filigree-like silver-white foliage. |
2 | 25 x 15 |
| Geranium (Pelargonium zonale). A half hardy perennial but grown as a half hardy annual. Needs little introduction; the ubiquitous geranium of pink, white or red shades, flowering from summer through to the autumn, still much loved and widely grown. |
2 | 30 x 22 |
| Godetia amoena. syn. Clarkia amoena An erect annual of lance-shaped foliage and flowers of pink and white lilac, or red. Great for borders and cutting and free-flowering. |
1 | 40 x 25 |
| Grass. Briza maxima. (Quaking Grass) A pretty grass that has fluffy seed heads that wave in the breeze. A real beauty and looks well combined with bedding plant displays. |
3 | 50 x 25 |
| Gypsophila elegans. An erect and well branched annual producing many sprays of white flowers suitable for cutting or display. Narrow lance-shaped leaves. Ubiquitously sold by florists. |
1 | 60 x 30 |
| Helichrysum bracteatum. Known as the Starflower. Crispy flowers perfect for cutting and drying; various colours. |
1 | 90 x 45 |
| Heliotrope (Cherry Pie) A half hardy bushy shrub but grown as a half hardy annual. Dark green veined leaves and mauve-purple highly scented flowers produced throughout the summer. The author's favourite bedder. Beautifully scented and shrub-like, great with geraniums. |
2 | 100 x 45 |
| Hibiscus trionum. An erect growing plant with trumpet-shaped flowers of cream and a chocolate brown centre. Great in containers or bedding. |
2 | 75 x 45 |
| Impatiens (Busy Lizzie) A half hardy perennial but grown as a half hardy annual. So versatile for summer bedding. Pinks, reds, white and orange! |
2 | 25 x 20 |
| Ipomoea. (Morning Glory). Great summer climber to cover trellises and walls. Purple, blues and red.Grown extensively in France. |
2 | 300 x 100 |
| Kochia. Burning Bush. Burning Bush. A 'dot' plant, place it where you will. Green leaves change to red late in the summer. Grown for its foliage only. |
2 | 90 x 45 |
| Larkspur (Consoilida ajacis) A 'Cottage Garden' favourite of pastel colours but mainly blue shades. An erect growing bedder of flowering spikes and palmate leaves. |
1 | 50 x 40 |
| Lavatera trimestris An old fashioned cottage garden favourite known as Mallow. Swift maturing annual of pastel colours, flowering throughout the summer. |
1 | 60 x 25 |
| Lobelia erinus compacta AGM Well known as a summer edging plant. Bears small flowers of deep blue-'Crystal Palace' or 'Mrs Clibram', or of pale blue-'Cambride Blue'. Trailing type is lobelia pendula for baskets and planters. |
2 | 15 x 15 |
| Marigold, African. Tagetes erecta ('Discovery Mixed') AGM Well known orange and lemon coloured tall bedding plant. 'Discovery Mixed' is shorter than many varieties but has double flowers that are weather resistant. |
2 | 25 x 12 |
| Marigold, French. Tagetes patula ('Honeycomb') AGM Fast growing bedder of oranges and yellows. Cultivar 'Honeycomb' bears double flufy flowers of vibrant and rich colours. |
2 | 25 x 12 |
| Mesembryanthemum criniflorum syn. Dorotheanthus. A carpet-growing bedding plant of daisy-like flowers that opens fully in sun, various colours. |
2 | 8 x 15 |
| Mimulus aka Monkey Flower. ('Andean Nymph') AGM Really a half hardy perennial but grown as a half hardy annual. 'Andean Nymph' is a spreading and exotic-looking annual with blotched petals of pink and white. |
2 | 20 x 30 |
| Nasturtium. Tropaeolum majus. ('Alaska Mixed') AGM Grows so easily covering ground quickly. Marbled leaves with cream stripes and flowers of red, orange or yellow. |
1 | 20 x 50 |
| Nemesia. Another easy to grow summer bedding plant of various colours; sheer flower power. |
2 | 20 x 15 |
| Nicotiana langsdorfii (Tobacco Plant). AGM A half hardy species of rosette forming with lime-green tubular flowers. A beautiful bedding plant! |
2 | 90 x 45 |
| Nigella damascena. (Love in a Mist). An annual of feathery foliage with pale blue flowers in summer. |
1 | 45 x 35 |
| Osteospermum. ('Hybrida Mixed') Daisy-like flowers of pastel colours produced freely throughout the summer months. |
2 | 40 x 35 |
| Petunia. A brilliant bedding plant in a wide range of colours. Generally bushy and compact in growth and widely popular as a summer bedding plant. Lightly scented. |
2 | 30 x 20 |
| Phlox drummondii. Free flowering bedder of pinks and violets and blues. |
2 | 30 x 15 |
| Rudbeckia hirta. Long flowering period of mainly orange flowers with dark boss(eye). Good as bedder or containers. |
1 | 45 x 25 |
| Salpiglossis sinuata. Regaining popularity as a bedding plant. Alstromeria-like flowers of various colours and a compact growtrh form. |
2 | 30 x 23 |
| Salvia splendens. ('Red Arrows') AGM Well known red bedding plant of reliable flowering performance. 'Red Arrows' is an excellent bedder of vivid red flowers and dark green foliage as a great foil. |
2 | 30 x 20 |
| Statice (limonium sinuatum). First class bedder for drying and cutting in a wide range of colours. |
2 | 60 x 30 |
| Stock (Matthiola incana). Fragrant 'Cottage Garden' favourite. Pastel colours and ultra reliable plant of sweetly scented flowers. |
2 | 30 x 15 |
| Stock (Matthiola longipelata). 'Night Scented Stock'. Very fragrant small flowers of the evening. |
2 | 30 x 15 |
| Sunflower (Helianthus annus). The widely-grown Sunflower needs no introduction. |
1 | 150 x 15 |
| Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus). T The ubiquitous Sweet Pea of cut flower fame and heavenly scent. The author recommends sweet pea 'Cupani' as the best scented sweet pea available. |
1 | 180 x 15 |
| Verbena x hybrida. rigida syn. venosa AGM A great bedding plant of dense clusters of scented purple flowers for bedding or containers. |
2 | 30 x 15 |
| Zea Mays An annual grass much used by Gertrude Jekyll in her many planting schemes. Lance-shaped leaves of mid green with cream stripes. Small clusters of flowers but mainly grown for its foliage. |
1 | 90 x 60 |
| Zinnia, elegans Blooms rather like Dahlias but on shorter growing compact plants. Long lasting flowers of various colours. Well worth growing as a handsome bedding plant. |
2 | 60 x 15 |
