Why Annuals are Worth the Effort
Annuals have a bit of a granny reputation. They’re the flowers people remember spilling out of front gardens in the 1950s, planted in neat rows alongside regimented marigolds and sweet peas. But just as names like Enid, Elsie, Olive and Ada are enjoying a fashionable revival, I think it’s high time we gave annuals the same treatment. They’re traditional, yes, but they’ve endured for a reason.
If you want the best shot at colour all year, it isn’t shrubs or perennials that will carry you. It’s annual plants. This has never been more evident than this year when the dry, hot summer meant that perennials finished flowering much quicker than expected and the grass turned a sickly shade of yellow.
Annual plants (or bedding plants) are plants that flower, set seed and die within one season. Usually summer bedding plants go in at the end of May and Autumn ones in September or October. If you can wait until October, you can tuck spring bulbs like crocus, snowdrop, daffodil or tulip underneath them for extra impact in the cold months after Christmas.
Of course there’s a cost involved and it will take a few hours to put them in, but the payoff is extraordinary. Annuals allow you to experiment in ways no other plants do. You can change your mind every year without committing to a permanent colour scheme or planting structure. One year you might want frothy whites and blues, the next a carnival of fiery reds and oranges. If you have children in your life they’ll love helping to plant them. Annuals give you the freedom to play, and that sense of playfulness is part of what makes gardening so restorative.
The practical advantages are worth considering too. Annuals often have a much longer flowering period than perennials, which means you can stitch colour through the duller months. They’re also excellent for containers, entrances, and gaps in borders where something permanent might feel heavy-handed.
Annuals don’t have to be everywhere, just in key places where they’ll bring the garden to life. A couple of containers by the front door, a burst of colour in a seating area, or a strip in a border where nothing much else is happening can completely transform how the whole garden feels. They’re great for filling in gaps when needed.
And there’s another bonus: annuals give you instant feedback. Want to try bolder colour combinations? Curious about how a particular tone works against your brickwork or patio? Annuals let you test-drive ideas without long-term commitment. That freedom can make you a more confident gardener, and sometimes, the experiments lead to something wonderful you’d never have dared with permanent planting.
So, while perennials and evergreens will always provide the backbone and stability, don’t underestimate the power of a few well-chosen annuals. If your garden’s feeling a little stale, take a leaf out of granny’s book, and bring them back with pride.
