What is your favorite annual and why?

There is so much variety in the annual flower kingdom and I am curious as to what you like and why? Can you grow them easily from seed? Sun or shade?
I bought one of those off brand 5 for a $1 package of seeds of a pink (dianthus) called Gaiety. I was expecting all the plants to look like the package. Boy was I wrong, they are all so different and it's great to see the huge color variations,pinks, reds, whites, purples, bicolors, just awesome and from that little twenty cents I probably ended up with 150 plants. I planted these early in the greenhouse and transplanted out. When I look at these little beauties from this tiny seed I am in awe of how can one not see a great God. Enough philosophy !!! Joann

this year I'd have to say my dahlias. (pics in journal) but not everything has bloomed yet. 95 cents, and I got all kinds of colors and they just bloom all the time.

Larkspur (annual Delpinium) this year is reseeding everywhere, and just the right places. Mostly blue and white, they bloom all season after a cut back or two.

this year, and last year, it was angelonia. It's still relatively new to me and I still want it everywhere. I will take cuttings and I will keep them in the GH over winter. I also love Tracheleum (sp) which I only occasionally find. I guess I like clear blues.

Well, Liz if you like clear blues, you would like the shrub lithodora and there is a little annual?(not sure if it is or not) called anagallis monelli. Some of the salvias are pretty blue too.

Lenjo - I've had lithodora for about 10 years, every year the color startles me. And I don't know how I originally lucked into anagallis because it usually looks like absolutely nothing in the nurseries in the spring.

As in any year, it would difinitely have to be the zinnias for me!

"eyes"

last year was my first morning glories. this year i'm in love with my first cleome. pink and white. I can't get over how delicage such a large flower can be. beautiful. i love all the colors of violas, how they shine on those crisp spring mornings and bring a smile to my face as i explore all there different colors and patterns.

It will always be night scented stock!

With you there notmartha! Though it's sooo difficult to choose. This year i have some rich purple 10 week stocks that are a wonderful scent too.

I love them all!

I'm with Baa....I love them all..Something new I tried this year and really enjoyed was godetia!!! BEAUTIFUL!

.........and I would have to add the Fushia Balsams, I got from Granny Lois last year!!

"eyes"

Vic, the Satin Mix godetia are really lovely.

Oh, Eyes! I'm so glad they've done okay for you! Do you have them in the sun or shade??

I have to say that my all-time favorite annual is zinnia. Butterflies love the beautiful zinnia. It comes in many colors and sizes. It looks great in a row at the edge of a vegetable garden or the middle of the garden or mixed in with other flowers. It's a great cut flower for bouquets. It's so easy to save seeds and then grow even more the following year. In my area, they even reseed (not a whole bunch like celosia, four o'clocks, and cleome, but just the right number). I mean, what more could you ask of an annual!

GrannyLois: Back in Indiana, many years ago, I would make a bouquet of zinnias andn put them in this old Fiesta Ware pitcher I had. It was really a beautiful sight.

i'm growing my first zinnias, from seed. by my vegetable garden. the first one bloomed today. a bright vivid pink. i'm in love.

Hi, Lejo and all...one of my favorites is the cornflower, or bachelor button (Centaurea cyanus). It is SO easy, and the pretty blue flowers! I just threw out some seed about a month ago and now they are in full bloom.

Venidiums

okay, changed my mind. coleus. getting into collecting as many as I can, I just love them!

Yeah, I am addicted to Coleus too. It's so easy to take cuttings on. I grab cuttings wherever I go, much to the embarassment of my friends and family. However, my favorite this year that was new to me is Salvia Victoria, a bushy blue blooming salvia.
TIG - wanna swap coleus?

Studley, I'd love to. let me make pictures tomorrow of what I have. maybe I'll have something you don't.

Lobelia. The tiny saphire blooms just shimmer! Planted from seed so not much of an investment except time.

I usually say Ageratum 'Blue Horizon'. This year the deadheading became too much. So I cut them down by at least half. They are springing back and reblooming very quickly. So it is Ageratum 'Blue Horizon'.

ok, whew! I was waiting for coleus to come up here. There are so many new and amazing kinds. A must for me next year is one called inky fingers. It is a tiny "duck footed" one. I have a duck footed one, but it is a burgandy color. They are so easy to root and yes , trade.
Studley , I went to a friend's house and asked for a really neat coleus. Very dark colored and almost fringed. She knows me well and obliged heartily. She has a very nice cane begonia growing that I gave her. Anyone you guys have the one called "tilt-a-whirl" ? again a very interesting leaf.
So, definitly with me this year it's coleus.

I would have to say coleus. I've collected as many varieties as I can this year. I continue to make cuttings and then group the sports by name as there are so many wonderful sports put out by coleus. The only once I couldn't find anywhere is the Chartreuse variety.

This year I would have to say torenia. My first year - started the seed inside and it has bloomed its heart out all season. Brenda

Better late than never lol.
I would have to say Cockscombs because they remind me of my mother.

This message was edited Sunday, Jan 26th 12:23 AM

Well, I'm a real (annual) vine nut, especially morning glories, but aside from that I really LUV the papaver somniferum poppies. They just take my breath away as in this grape/lavender one I grew for the 1st time last year.
Another favorite one is Flemish Antique with bicolored blooms!

Sandy

That poppy is a beauty.

Seedsower, that is one gorgeous poppy! I'm growing a dark red one, I only hope mine will look half as nice as yours does. So far so good, it seems to be growing nice in the spot where I planted it.

I can't decide if my favorite annual is celosia or lobelia. One is gaudy and bright and cheerful, and the other is the restful velvety color of the Pacific ocean. Glad I don't have to choose between the two and can have both!

I quite like the annual vines, Canary Bird, Ipomeas of all sorts, cup and saucer vine, Hyacinth Lab lab, .......the reason being is they create great infill for the containers, also there is verticality, which looks great! Elaine

You are so right about the annual vines, it is hard to beat good ole Heavenly Blue MG. I have had others but there is something that is intriguing about the true vivid blues in the garden.

OK, if I have to pick, I guess I really love nasturtium. They do so well here, and the foliage drapes so nicely, climbs up trellises and hangs down from containers. I especially like the marbled variegation on the leaves of the Alaska mix.

Wow Weez..those are the best nastursiums I have ever seen. I have planted them before..but they didn't get enough sun..so they got leggy and did nothing..I have a lot of shade in my garden.

Seedsower..that is a lovely poppie. I have grown a few red ones similar to that one, but not as pretty as yours.

Here is a pic of the Heavenly Blues that Lenjo mentioned.
They have quite a large bloom..and make a good show.

Last year my favorite was Heliotrope.
I bought two 4 packs ..and they grew tall and bushy.

Here is a close-up..I hope to find them again this year. Now if I can only remember at which garden centre I found them. LOL

Ah, Starzz, that's a lovely somniferum! I haven't tried growing the heliotrope, as yet, but it's definitely an annual here. Nasties have always done well here. They bloom late, but the foliage is nice, too, especially the Alaska mix.

Gee..thanks Weez..I had to look back and see that "somniferum"
Is refering to my poppie..I'm still new to the fancy names LOL but I am learning....

I tried potting up one of my heliotrope plants in the fall and bringing it inside...but it promptly withered and died..
I will just buy new plants this spring.