My Flower Garden Tour 2017, Part 2: Annuals

Last week I took you on a tour of the perennial flowers in my flower gardens. Today, I will be sharing the annuals!

In case you were wondering what the difference is, perennials come back every year (hopefully!) Annuals are only around for one season. I try to incorporate a good mix of both perennials and annuals in my flower gardens. The nice thing about annual flowers is that they can really change up the look of your garden from year to year if you plant different ones each year!

Next year, I am planning on really stepping up my annuals. The past few years I've focused mostly on perennials because they are cheaper in the long run and you don't have to keep replanting them! But, my annuals have really looked awesome this year, so I am going to do it up even more next Spring/Summer!

I really don't have that many gardens. Don't get the idea that I have acres upon acres of perfectly manicured gardens like Martha Stewart! Although, that is my goal one day! I have a few little areas around my house, garage, and creek that I've managed to put a border on and plant a few plants! They are always a work in progress and I still have plenty of space in all of them to plant more flowers next year, and even for years to come!

If all you have are a few containers on your apartment balcony or window ledge, that's a great start! In fact, that's how I got my start! And don't get discouraged if your plants didn't do so hot this Summer. There's always next year!

All the seeds that I planted this year. The Primrose and Phlox didn't happen this year.

Here is my back little garden area at the very beginning of Summer. It looks like weeds but about July or August it really starts to look like an actual garden.

Here it is today!

These are the Zinnias, which are one of my new favorite flowers.

An up close shot of one of the Zinnias. They are all so different, you never know what you're going to get!

A Sunflower just about to open.

These are Cockscomb that I originally got at the Johnny Appleseed Festival two years ago! I planted the seeds that fell from them and they have come back every year! They are technically Annuals but the seeds just replant them by themselves!

Twins! This year I am going to get another color to add to the garden! Maybe orange.

My creekside garden is so shady, so I planted Impatiens and they have really done well! I think they are going to be my go-to flower from now on since my yard is so shady.

I love ornamental or flowering cabbages!

Perfect for Fall!

A unique Begonia mix.

In the background is one of my fave plants, a Kong Coleus. The Asparagus Fern in the front I got on clearance for 50 cents and it has just grown like crazy! I love these Ferns!

Speaking of Coleus, the ones I planted from seed actually ended up blooming! It was touch and go for a couple months after a groundhog messed up this area. I will definitely be planting these again next year.

This is a Flowering Maple...it reminded me of a Hibiscus, so I had to get it!

And finally, my sweet peas! This was my first year growing them and clearly I have some things to learn! 1. Get the proper size! These are supposed to grow up to 7 foot tall! Way taller than my tomato cage trellis! It's still possible that these will bloom, so we will see!

This is my big old planter on my deck full of petunias, sunpatiens, verbena and a corkscrew plant.

Goodbye Summer! Til next year!