These annual garden plant ideas are excellent to try in any size growing space located in hot weather. Here is a brief gardener’s guide about these pretty flowers.
Annual plants with blue flowers are still different enough to catch the attention of most gardeners, away from the common flowering plants usually found in summer gardens. Then there are new hybrid annuals; one an interspecific cross of a verbena and phlox and one a zinnia that has double flowers all summer.
Blue Annual Flowers
Bacopa is a trailing plant, commonly growing with white flowers, often used as plant filler in hanging baskets. Bacopa sutera ‘Copa® Double Blue’ is the first double flowering bacopa, with blue flowers that gardeners find is an added value. This Bacopa is early flowering continuing all summer with a thick strong growth habit. The plant is disease tolerant and appropriate for full to part sun gardens.
Dianthus chinensis ‘Diana Blueberry’ is the first blue colored pinks. The two to three inch diameter blooms are barely fragrant but still worth planting in a walkway garden. The bright green compact plant is upright growing to ten inches tall in part sun. This type of pinks tolerates heat, rain and windy sites.
Verbena and Phlox Hybrid
Verbena Velox™ Series is an interspecific cross between Verbena and Phlox. This hybrid annual plant grows six inches tall with a trailing habit. Like the Bacopa, it should be added to a gardener's list of plants for hanging baskets.
This plant roots easily, like other garden verbena, is heat tolerant with long-lived flowers like perennial phlox and very mildew resistant. For hot weather locations, this is an excellent summer annual.
Zinnia for Hot Summer Gardens
Zinnias love hot summers but are unfortunately susceptible to powdery mildew. For this reason, good air circulation in the garden is necessary. It is important when sighting this annual to space the plants apart as stated in the planting directions.
Zinnia Distance™ Series is a hybrid plant introduced two years ago that has improved tolerance for long hot summers. The full and semi double flowers bloom in descriptively named colors like grape, orange and cherry. The Zinnia ‘Distance™ Cherry’ has hot pink colored blooms. The plant grows well in containers or as an edger for planting beds. This Zinnia grows up to 16 inches tall.
Gardeners are always looking for new or unusual summer-blooming annual plants to try. Blue flowered Dianthus and Bacopa, a Verbena hybrid and new Zinnia are a few to consider growing.
For annual plant gardens located in hot summer weather, gardeners grow the perennial Rudbeckia hirta, as well.
Permission received for all photos used in this article.
Chris Eirschele - Chris writes on plants grown and gardens explored; she is a member of the Garden Writers Association.
Join the Conversation