Top 5 Annuals for Beautiful Blooms in Full Sun Garden Spots

With summer just around the corner, it’s time to plan for your annual flower garden! An annual is a plant that will only survive one season and must be replanted each year. They may be started from seeds early in the spring, or bought as plants from a local nursery. There are many choices in annual flowering plants but there are a few that will produce fabulous blooms in your sunny spot. In a sunny spot the heat may become too intense for many plants that cannot adapt properly. Whether you are planting a border, hanging baskets, or in a garden, the following flowers will shine in full sun conditions!

Petunias are my top pick for an annual flower. They produce bountiful, bright, large flowers endlessly! Petunias can be found in almost every color, as well as many different shapes and growing habits. Blues, bright pinks, reds, and whites are just a few of the many Petunia colors you can find. They come in compact varieties as well as trailing varieties known as “The Wave Petunias”. They excel in hanging baskets, or any spot in your home landscape!

Marigolds are another classic annual flowering pot that can withstand the heat of sunny garden spots. Bright yellows and oranges are the standard marigold colors, but you may find pink, white and brown varieties as well. Marigolds are an excellent flower to plant throughout your vegetable garden to keep rodents and other pests away! They have a distinct odor that is pleasant to humans, but not to other animals.

Another great sun-loving annual is Vinca. Vinca produces dainty flowers and 6 inch tall stalks. This flower adapts very well and can sustain a variety of growing conditions. While is can flourish in dry, hot conditions, it will thrive in wet and partly shady conditions as well. Vinca is a great choice for a flower border in your home landscape!

Moss Rose is a succulent type plant that loves hot, dry conditions. If you want a flower that will produce multiple blooms in almost any color pick this annual. It is almost a plant-and-forget about flower! The flowers are beautiful rose-type blooms that bloom continuously throughout the growing season. The flowers can be found in many shades of pink, yellow white and orange.

The final top pick for your annual sunny garden spot is Verbena. Verbena is a fairly new flower to the Midwest. It is a spreading annual that produce clumps of flowers. Known for its rich pinks and purples, and soft white and yellow shades, this is a favorite for hanging baskets. The blooms will spill over the side producing a waterfall of color. When paired with trailing petunias the combination is a winning one for sure!

Now that you have a few ideas for your sunny flower spot, why not make a trip to the nursery and check out the choices they have. These 5 plants are sure to produce loads of beautiful blooms that will stand up to the dry heat of summer. I hope you enjoy these flowers as much as I do!