Grow Annuals and Tropicals for an Interesting Garden
Posted: Thursday, April 19, 2007
by Thomas Andrews
Park Seed Company
Most of us know the difference between annuals and perennials. Perennials either grow all year round or they come back every year, while annuals germinate, grow, a nd die all in one season. Perhaps less familiar are the plants known as tropicals—those plants that would, in a warmer region, thrive year-round, blooming, producing fruit, and growing to sizes they'd never reach in your garden. Used appropriately, annuals and tropicals can both add special zest to your gardening year.
Annual flowers will pop up in the spring with really bright colors and loud fragrances to attract pollinating insects and humming birds. They exist only to mature to seed, then they die and start the cycle all over again.
Fortunately, we gardeners also benefit from those showy flowers and sweet aromas. Annuals will supply the full spectrum of the rainbow for those who really want to try their hand at color theory in garden design. From the deep reds of canna and salvia, the bright yellow marigolds, to the deep blues and violets of asters, lobelia, and ornamental cabbages, annuals are the perfect way to quickly change the look of your garden. It could be different every spring.
Many of the plants we grow as annuals are technically perennials, and they would continue to grow if they were either in a warmer climate or not harvested to be consumed. However, there are a few true annuals, some whose whole life cycle lasts only a few weeks. The really short-lived plants are usually desert plants that spend most of the year as a seed, until the rainy season comes. And, there are a few annuals that are popular for gardening that will last most of the growing season, most of those being grown for food.
The Difference between Tropicals and Annuals
Unlike true annuals, tropical plants can be grown in containers, brought inside during the colder months, and put back in the sun for the warm spring and summer. The most popular tropicals are often grown as house plants. Succulents like sedum, aloe, aeonium, and jade are popular tropical house plants that are very easy to grow and have very appealing architecture. Cirtrus and banana trees are popular tropical plants that must be grown in a container just about anywhere above USDA zone 10. Water garden plants like watercress, juncus, iris, papyrus, and elephant ears are also tropicals. Similar varieties, closer to the equator, will grow to enormous sizes, but in most of the US, we just have to hope they will come back the next season.
Annuals and Tropicals Are Loved by Many
Though they may be temporary, many gardeners could not live without their spring annual flower bed. For some it seems like a lot of work for a small reward, but annual flowers can be some of the most beautiful flowers. They add the best color to your garden, and they are also excellent for making interesting flower arrangements. Tropicals may require a little extra work in the winter time, but having your very own lemon tree or owning an ancient jade plant is well worth the effort.
Thomas Andrews is a garden writer for ParkSeed.com.
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