Fill your flower beds and garden pots with these new annual flower varieties for colorful blooms all season long.
Grant Webster
Each year, theBetter Homes & Gardens Test Gardengrows new plants coming onto the market.
So we can help gardeners figure out which varieties are truly outstanding, based on their real world performance.
Credit:Grant Webster
The flowers also attracted plenty of pollinators.
SweetSunshine Blueberry Vein Petunia
Blueberry Vein is a new color in Ball’s SweetSunshine line of double-floweredpetunias.
These vibrant pinkish purple petunias feature darker veins, creating an eye-catching two-tone effect on these petal-packed flowers.
Credit:Sandra Gerdes
“This well-branched sunflower was covered in cheery flowers all summer with alittle deadheading,” says Gerdes.
“Pollinators had no problems finding this multi-flowered beauty,” she adds.
Give itfull sunwith good drainage and youll be smiling all summer," says Gerdes.
Credit:Grant Webster
The patterns on the petals form little hearts that add a touch of romance wherever you grow them.
“We grew these colorful charmers inhanging baskets,” says Gerdes.
“The plants formed tidy mounds of foliage that were constantly covered with flowers,” she adds.
Credit:Grant Webster
Its wands of purple flowers are pollinator magnets, and keep blooming from midsummer into fall.
Deadheading will promote blooms all summer, giving you plenty of dark additions for bouquets," Gerdes says.
‘Gold Leopard’ is a new addition to the collection, offering yellow petals with orange spots.
Credit:Grant Webster
Plus the plants are more compact, growing 3-4 feet tall.
She recommends keeping them well watered, and deadheading the faded flowers to keep the blooms coming all summer.
Crazytunia Black & White
The Crazytunia series is known for its bold color combos and large flowers.
Credit:Grant Webster
‘Black and White’ is exactly what it sounds like: Pure white flowers with a black eye.
Black veins radiate out from the center to create a striking contrast against the snowy petals.
Several colors are available, and ‘Lychee’ is one of the newest.
Credit:Sandra Gerdes
Several colors are available and ‘Itsy Pink’ is one of the newest.
“You wont need more than a couple of these plants to fill your hanging baskets.
Small, but mighty in flower power, Itsy Pink bloomed all summer withoutneeding to be deadheaded.”
Credit:Grant Webster
Credit:Sandra Gerdes
Credit:Grant Webster
Credit:Grant Webster
