Annuals


These plants bloom once, then die. The good news about these plants is that they often have spectacular blossoms in jewel-like colors. Examples of annuals are impatiens, dianthus, pansies, dahlias and nasturtiums. Nasturtiums do double duty by being edible as well as beautiful. The saucer-shaped leaves have a peppery taste. Marigolds are planted in vegetable gardens to discourage pests. A gardener shouldn’t feel too badly about annual plants though, for many of them self-seed so abundantly that they still come back year after year.

dahlia

hanging basket

Plants for Hanging Baskets

Plants for hanging baskets have a cascading habit that allows them to spill over the rim of the pot for dramatic effect. They include fuchsia, spider plants, ivy, ficus pumila, bougainvillea and shrimp plant. Another good thing about hanging baskets is that they can be brought indoors during the cold weather, a must if the plant is native to the tropics.

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