Gardening With Annual Plants

Alcea Rosea "Nigra" Black hollyhock

The flowers of A. rosea, with their deep, dark red, almost black shimmer, have a distinctly magical effect. This marvel of dark color will look its fascinating best in large cottage or herb gardens. Hollyhocks are happiest in full sunlight and in moderately fertile, very well- drained soil. In exposed places, they need the support of a stick to prevent the flower spikes bending or snapping. In dry locations, ensure the plant receives plenty of water.

Bellis Perennis Lawndaisy

The cheeky little double flower heads, pink, white, or red, peer out of flowerbeds or containers in the spring. This sturdy cultivated variety looks nothing like the wild European daisy. A charming, somehow old-fashioned plant, it is cultivated as a biennial and loves sunny to semi-shady spots in well-drained, moderately fertile soil. You can extend the flowering period by removing the dead blooms. Little Be//is also looks very pretty in small bouquets or posies.

Campanula medium Canterbury bells

With loose racemes of large, bell-shaped flowers, double or single, in blue, white, or pink, Canterbury bells appear to be ringing in the summer. The lavish profusion of flowers of this popular cottage garden plant makes it a worthwhile addition to flowerbeds and borders in natural look gardens. But it also makes an especially decorative cut flower. It demands nothing more than a nutrient-rich, moist but well-drained soil and watering on dry days.

Dianthus Chinensis Hybrid "Charm Scarlet" Hybrid pink, Chinese pink

The single-flowered, compact "Charm Scarlet," one of the Charm series, has brilliant scarlet flowers on sturdy stems, and displays them throughout the entire summer. The numerous hybrids of the Chinese pink look their best when planted en masse in flowerbeds, particularly as borders or edging, or in containers. In a sunny location and a nutrient-rich soil, these biennials will need little care.

Dianthus Barbatus  Sweet  william

This splendidly colorful cottage garden plant is a grateful bloomer. However, its beautiful, old-fashioned, romantic look only really comes into effect when planted in a group. A bushy, short-lived plant, cultivated as a biennial, sweet william forms dense, flat clumps, 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 centimeters) across, composed of many small, single or double, sweetly scented, and often also two- colored flowers in white, pink, salmon pink, or scarlet. D. barbatus is an outstanding and long-lasting cut flower, and is very simple to cultivate. Propagate by seed—sweet  william tends to self-seed—or young seedlings. A frost protection mulch of brushwood is recommended for the winter. This plant likes a fresh soil rich in nutrients.

Digitalis Ferruginea Subsp. Ferruginea Rusty foxglove

The biennial rusty foxglove—in certain favored locations, it can be a perennial—is one of the largest Digitalis species. It develops a truly impressive flower head made up of innumerable exotic-looking, golden-brown, bell-shaped flowers, with reddish-brown veining on the inside. In the yard, the rusty foxglove prefers dry and sunny spots with nutrient-rich soil. In the first year after sowing, only a rosette of leaves will appear, but in the second year you can admire the marvelous flowers. This plant self-seeds. Take care: all parts of this plant are poisonous.