Annuals have a lot to offer
Annuals grow quickly, come in all kinds of colours, and bloom from spring until fall. For would-be gardeners, annuals are among the easiest plants to grow, quickly covering newly-dug beds and filling in gaps between established shrubs. Experimental gardeners can change the look of the garden each year by playing with colour combinations, foliage texture, and plant shape. If you haven't decided what to do with your garden, or if you're looking for a change, use annuals for a new look.Do your homework
Before racing to the nursery the first warm, sunny spring morning, do your homework. Walk into the yard and decide where you need instant colour. Are you filling in gaps between shrubs, digging a new bed or covering a barren rock garden? Plant your feet firmly on the ground and look around. Will your annuals get sun or shade? Will their roots touch hard-packed clay or sand? Will they grow against a backdrop of soft cedar boughs or a harsh chain link fence? These conditions will determine suitable plants. Leaf through seed catalogues and gardening books and talk to gardening friends to find the right plants for your garden situation. Then, make a list of those plants that perform best in your garden, and with list in hand, attack the nurseries and plant sales!Designing an annual garden
Colour is the main challenge in designing an annual garden. With so much to choose from, it's hard to resist the temptation to try some of each -- but resist you must! You can always experiment with different plants next season.Avoid a spotty look by planting in large drifts of colour chosen from one side of the colour spectrum. On the cool side, choose blues, purples and pinks, and from the hot side, try combinations of orange, yellow and red. Give the eye a bit of a rest by weaving colours and textures together with blocks of soothing green foliage and annual grasses.
Three rules for choosing the right plant for the right place
The rules for choosing the right plant for the right place are simple.Rule number one: place tall plants at the back of the border or in the centre of an island bed. Medium-sized plants go in front of these while low, spreading plants can be placed at the front of the border.
Rule number two: plant sun-loving plants in the sun and those that shy away from the sun in the shade.
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