Show your favorite annual that is really "taking off" now!!

Rosie,

I needed that "femme fatale" pic of Nigella to get me laughing this morning! Last night I had an allergic reaction to heart meds (new for me!) that was HIVES! My lips are swollen so much I almost cracked them laughing at that pic!!

LOL Connie - Don't want you to think that I wear a get up like this in the kitchen. What's a dress look like anyway? I only ever wear jeans these days. Sorry about the meds Connie - hope you feel better soon.

:-))

Connie, Our impatiens always make mounds. Never have to prune them or do much of anything to them. They are a trouble free winter annual here. They rot in ground in the heat of summer, but, will survive in containers.

Wow...how hot does it get there? I've had mine here all summer....most days over 100 a bit...and no rotting. They are still gorgeous. Of course our winters in the 40's and sometimes 30's kill them.... :-( This pic was taken in July, but they are now twice this size, but still don't have the perfect symmetry that yours do! What fertilizer do y'all use?

I now realize that when DH and I visit Naples every year around March, your huge plants are in the middle of their WINTER flowering. I never realized that. So what is planted in those spaces in the hot summer?

I was hoping to hear that convuvulus could take some shade.

Connie, we plant coleus or begonia, usually.

I like the coleus, you can do alot with mixed colors.....

Or just a single outstanding color....

I used to think coleus were boring, blotchy-colored plants. But look at them now! I definitely want coleaus next year. Thank you for these lovely pictures.

Betty, the breeders and collectors have advanced the color selection.

Nice shots Dale; I've some pretty fair coleus stands now too, this one is named 'Glennis' or something close to that:

My current favorite (it's name I don't know).

another:

I think this one's name has 'volcano' in it.

Jmorth, lots of folks have to know the varietal name, I am content with the color as a name....

I can go with -- it is pink>

Very pretty, everybody. There is a college down the street that should be called It's Only an Annual College - they use EVERYTHING, from daffodils, through tulips, begonias, impatiens and now mums with kale as annuals! I keep hoping I'll catch them on the day they're swapping out the daffodils for tulips and say "before you throw those away, mind if I take 20 or 30 home with me?" The begonias would have done me for another month or so, too!