For more information about soil, fertilizing, watering and general care of Annual flowers are welcome additions to our yards because they add a wide variety of color to the garden.  Unlike most perennials, annuals will often provide colorful flowers throughout the growing season in Minnesota. Unfortunately, annual flowers are not hardy in Minnesota and must be replanted each year. But planting these colorful gems can be a fun activity for every member of your family. So, let’s review how to find the best annuals and how you can best use them in your garden.

There are numerous varieties of annuals to choose from and they are relatively easy to grow.  But before buying your annual flowers, consider what you are looking for - size, color, full sun or shade, landscaping enhancement, pollinators, container appropriate, zone or just a favorite flower. 

Annuals that attract Pollinators

If you are interested in annual pollinators to complement your perennial pollinator garden but don’t know where to start, take a look at this University of Minnesota Extension study of more than 30 annual flower varieties. The study found nine flowers that attracted the most pollinators:

• Music Box Mix sunflower (Helianthus anuus ‘Music Box Mix’)

• Lemon Queen sunflower (Helianthus annuus ‘Lemon Queen’)

• Summer Pink Jewel Salvia (Salvia coccinea ‘Summer Jewel Pink’)

• Purple Fairy Tale Salvia (Salvia verticilliata ‘Purple Fairy Tale’)

• Orange Fudge Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta ‘Orange Fudge’)

• Prairie Sun Black-eyed Susan(Rudbeckia hirta ‘Prairie Sun’)

• Showstar Butter Daisy (Melampodium paludosum ‘Showstar’)

• Dakota Gold Sneezeweed (Helenium amarum ‘Dakota Gold’)

• Envy Zinnia (Zinnia elegans ‘Envy’)

Click on the study, above, for more information about the characteristics of these annuals. For a longer list of annuals that can be grown in Minnesota, look at this list provided by the University of Minnesota Extension.

Top Performing Annuals in Minnesota

There are so many annuals to choose from and it can be hard to know which will grow best in Minnesota. Fortunately, the University of Minnesota Extension has conducted trials on various cultivars. You can find lists of the top performing annuals and their features in the flower trials between 2018 and 2024 here. Here are the top ten for 2024: 

• Begonia x hybrida Adora Velvet Red

• Celosia plumosa Bright Sparks Bright Red bronze Leaf

• Coleus Premium Sun Crimson Gold

• Dahlia Virtuoso Pinkerific

• Impatiens x hybrida SunPatiens Vigorous Purple

• Kwik kombo Picnic in the Park Mix

• Lantana Shamrock Rose Gold

• Lobelia Heatopia Dark Blue

• Marigold Pretty Yellow

• Salvia Sallyfun Pure White

  
  

Annuals for Container Gardens

Annuals for Container Gardens

If you would like to grow annuals in containers, the options are endless.  Container gardening provides opportunities to be creative, to experiment with different flowers, to plant flowers with family or children, to enhance your landscape and to add beauty to your garden. Containers are also great way for those who don’t have a yard in which to plant, to add color to their world  Containers work great for small spaces like decks and patios.  (Note, also, that perennials can be incorporated into your annual containers for an interesting look.)

Enjoy the process with container gardening.  Before you get started determine what container you will use.   A container can be almost anything that will hold soil and has drainage.  But the material that they are made of can affect how your plant will grow. Click on this article to learn about the benefits and variables of different kinds of containers.   You also need to decide where the containers will be located. Do they need full or partial sun or shade?  How big a container do you need? 

Selecting plants for your containers

Will you combine plants or have a single type of plant in the container? If plants are combined, select plants that flourish in the same soil, and have the same watering and light needs.   

Determine plant size, shape and number of plants for various impacts in the garden - color, interest, complementary to the landscape.  Consider the color of the pot that is being used in conjunction with plant selection.     

An easy way to design a container is to use plants that are ‘thrillers, fillers and spillers.’ 

• ‘Thrillers’ are the focal point and are usually bright, tall plants.

• ‘Fillers’ are often round, mounding, lower growing plants that make containers look full like begonia, coleus, and geraniums.

• ‘Spillers’ are plants that hang over the side of the container, like calibrachoa, nasturtium, and sweet potato vines.

  
  

 your containers, here is an article to review. 

With a little bit of effort this spring, you and your whole family can enjoy the pleasures of annuals in your garden. A little research on your part can result in the best annuals for your yard. 

Photo credits: University of Minnesota Extension (1), Shari Dugstad (2-4)