Plant these easy-care, full-sun annuals, and youll have a months-longflower show.
Theyll bloom right through whatever summer throws at them.
Blazing heat, humidity, or dry soil poses no problems to these durable plants.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Angelonia
Dont let angelonias delicate-looking flower spikes fool you.
Its one of the best full-sun annuals for containers in hot, sunny locations.
Some celosia varieties can get quite large, so place them where theyll have room to expand.
Credit: Justin Hancock
Easy to grow from seeds planted in late spring, cosmos begin blooming in midsummer and keep goinguntil frost.
Cosmos occasionally need staking to remain upright.
Sensation Mix is anheirloom varietywith bright, clear-colored flowers; Sea Shells has rolled flower petals.
Credit: Bob Stefko
are full-sun annuals that have what it takes to make it through a long, hot summer.
Cultivars flower in all shades of red and pink, as well as bright white and orange.
New cultivars combine the best of common Zonal geraniums with trailing ivy geraniums.
Credit: Jon Jensen
The result is new hybrids that flower prolifically and boast vibrantly colored flowers.
Look for the upright and clump-forming Calliope and trailing Caliente series.
This full-sun annual is drought- and heat-tolerant and begins blooming in early summer and continues until frost.
Credit: Justin Hancock
The Luscious series is prized for its prolific flower production.
Lucky Red has striking red-yellow flower clusters and tolerates humidity easily.
Grow compactFrench marigoldsnear the front of a border or in a container.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
TallerAfrican marigoldworks well in the middle of a garden display.
Big Duck hybrids are exceptionallylong-blooming African marigolds.
Hot Pak series of French marigolds have excellent heat and humidity tolerance.
Credit: Doug Hetherington
Their scented foliage makes marigolds deer-resistant, too.
Evolution and Victoria are two cultivars prized for their rich purple blossoms.
If plants become gangly, cut stems back by one-third their length to encourage dense growth and new flowers.
Credit: Lynn Karlin
The Wave series is prized for spreading 4 feet or more.
The Supertunia series includes many bicolor varieties, such as Raspberry Blast, shown here.
Vinca is a wonderful full-sun annual since its exceptionally heat tolerant and forgiving in times of drought.
Credit: Kim Cornelison
you could find upright-growing varieties as well as trailing varieties.
For example, the Cora vinca series features many colors and upright and trailing varieties.
Plantzinnia seedsdirectly in the garden after the chance of frost passes.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
State Fair mix produces big flowers on long stems.
Thumbelina grows just 6 to 10 inches tall; try it along a walkway as acolorful edging plant.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
