Best Flowering Annual

[JennieAtkinson]

I'm not going to follow Piglet with his "Veg Gold Standard", but it would be helpful when going through the seed catalogue next winter, to know what are good earners in the annual league.

Planting out the last of my Sirenes and Salvia this afternoon, they all look pretty sickly, including the Cosmos which is normaly a dead fire winner. So perhaps I need to rethink my annuals, given how much time and effort I put into bringing them into the world.

So......

how about recommendations for annuals which

• are good germinators;
• bulk up well;
• are a good cut plant;
• give a long period in the border and ......

well I'll leave it open to you to add any other interesting details

[Snadger]

Bombproof is the word I think you're looking for Jennie!

Two that perform for me are Calendulas and Nasturtiums!

Nasturtiums are no good for cutting but have a host of other uses and always perform well!

[valmarg]

Jennie,I think two plants that fill all four of your criteria are asters and dahlias.

Sweet peas are an essential for cut flowers.

The Noverna series of Sweet William, that can be grown as an annual, rather than a biennial are also good.

valmarg

[nick the grief]

Theres a variety of Wallflower called Vivaldi that flowers the same year as well - maybe you could but a couple of packets & sow in your P/tunnel and extend the season ?

How about everlasting flower - Stattice, Helichrysum & Acrolinea (sp?) then you could dry some for the winter.

[pigletwillie]

cosmos. rudbeckia, any daisy and dwarf sunflowers all are fabulous for colour and for cutting. The first two are especially prolific.

[Flummery]

The only annuals I grew this year were calendula and nasturtium. Mainly because they are part of my salads but also because my Mam can see them well. Her eyesight isn't what it was but yellows and oranges stand out for her.

[HappyMouffe]

I'd agree with PW: Cosmos and Rudbeckia always give a long flowering season for me. I also like candytuft - no effort required and trhe first plant I ever grew.

[Two_Sheds]

I find dahlias really problematic...the snails and earwigs done for mine this year.

Scabious are great...they go on and on, and mine seem slightly perennial as well as seeding themselves everywhere. I've got a nice scarlet one this year that has white bits "floating" above the petals. Sorry no pix