• Annuals are the ideal plants to add a wide variety of textures, colors and forms to any garden. They grow, bloom and die in one year, allowing you to experiment with plant placement. Annuals are low-maintenance plants that brighten up the garden. When these flowers are combined with perennials, your garden will have flowers blooming all year long.
  
  

Full-Sun Annual Garden

• A variety of annuals thrive in areas of the garden in full sun. Bachelor's buttons bloom in colors such as mauve, blue, white, purple and rose from late spring into the fall. The blanket flower, also called Gaillardia, blooms from July to first frost in reddish-gray or yellow with purple centers. Bachelor's buttons, blanket flowers and zinnias are good cut flowers for flower arrangements. African marigolds and four-o'-clock flowers bloom in mid summer to late fall and are good border plants in the garden. Other full sun plants that bring color to your garden are calendulas, calliopsis, browallias, lupines, geraniums and California poppies.
  
  

Shade Gardens with Annuals

• A garden in the shade or in partially shady areas makes the ideal place to grow annuals. China aster, with its rose, white, lavender, crimson or pink blooms, brighten the garden in August and September. Impatiens brighten shady spots with pink, white, red or yellow flowers from spring to late fall. New Guinea impatiens' blooms are brightly colored and measure 3 inches in diameter. Sweet alyssum is another border plant that likes partial shade. It blooms from June to September in purple, white or pink. Salpiglossis, also called painted tongue, can be planted in the middle of a flower bed as the focus or as a background plant. The rich velvety colors of this flower provide a summer-long centerpiece in your garden.
  
  

Annual Color Themes

• Experiment with annual flowers to create color themes in the garden. A blue and white theme can bring the feeling of the coolness of winter on hot summer days using baby blue eyes and sweet pea flowers. Spice up your garden with vivid, eye-catching flowers such as tree mallow in red, yellow snapdragons and orange African daisies. Add a rainbow by growing violet phlox, lavender blue ageratums, blue lobelias, green mignonettes, yellow strawflowers, orange French marigolds and red cockscomb. Different shades of one color such as pinks, purples, blues or reds can also create a striking display in the garden.