As David Bowie sang Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes – it’s time to change out your cool season annuals for those heat lovers of summer.

I know – some of your plants may still look really good and it’s hard to dig them up.  Planting summer annuals now allows them to establish a good root system that is so important in our summer heat.

Here’s some of our favorites:

Sun

Vinca –

Upright blooming plants in vivid colors that bloom non-stop.  Don’t overwater them and make sure they are in well drained soil and they won’t let you down.  Here’s a hint, if they get too tall and leggy you can cut them back by half their height, feed them with water soluble fertilizer (Schultz) and they will come back compact and blooming.

Profusion Zinnia –

Aptly named they bloom profusely until our first frost.  Making mounds of blooms, these hardy plants are easy to care for.  Requiring no trimming or cleaning.  One of my favorites!

Bronze Leaf Begonia –

The old standby.  Leathery leafed plants that can even make it all the way through a mild winter.  These grow in sun and shade so they are perfect for those “is it sun or is it shade” areas.  These short, round mounds of blooms are so versatile – bedding plants, hanging baskets and containers.

Annual Salvia –

all colors and shapes of annual salvia.  Most are tall, upright plants with spikes of color blooming throughout the season.  Great to use in the back of beds to create height or as thrillers in containers.

Penta –

Excellent butterfly and hummingbird attractors.  These plants are compact and bushier than most annuals and covered with clusters of red, pink, violet or white flowers.  Perfect for beds and containers.

Sun Coleus –

Known for it’s bright foliage colors in all colors and shapes.  Another compact bushier annual that will handle the sun.  If it gets too tall you can cut it back and it will grow out a new top.  So many varieties to choose from – a go to plant of mine.

Shade

Impatiens –

Mounds of flowers, forever blooming in so many colors.  Great as a stand alone or can be used as borders or planted as a ribbon of color throughout a bed.  Used in beds, hanging baskets and containers.  These plants don’t mind morning sun, but like the shade in the afternoon.

Torenia –

2 types available – an upright variety that has multiple blooms on each plant or a trailing variety that is good for hanging baskets or containers.  Either of these do well in shade and can tolerate some morning sun.

Green Leaf Begonias –

Cousins to the Bronze Leaf variety, but these will only do shade.  They have the same mounding characteristics and bloom colors.  Good in beds, baskets or containers.

Shade Coleus –

Bright foliage that grows best in shade.  A newer variety, Kong Coleus, has been a great addition to our shade gardens.  The large, brightly colored leaves get your attention. Use in beds or containers.

Caladiums –

Graceful and colorful these shade and part sun loving plants can be used in beds as mass plantings, as a border or plant several in a small cluster.  These are a great choice for container plantings also.