Gardening: A choice of two really wonderful annuals
Annuals should be going into the ground now, since all danger of frost has passed. Two of my favorites, not as well known as impatiens and petunias, are angelonia and calibrachoa.
Angelonia, often called Summer Snapdragon, is not daunted by the kind of humid heat we have here during Island summers and will bloom well into fall. The plants have an upright habit, come in shades of lavender, all the way to a really deep purple, as well as pink. They work well in window boxes and planters, especially when paired with plants that “fountain” or spill over. They also do nicely in beds and there I routinely pair them with impatiens and they blend perfectly with almost any impatiens tint.
The various types range in height from 18 to 24 inches, and for the most part should be considered as a part of the mid-border. They’re billed as deer-resistant, but it’s always best to use as much protection as possible. They, like most annuals, should be fed and watered regularly. Bear in mind that when you bring a flat of plants home from the nursery, they most likely have been fed daily. If you don’t feed, you can expect a good deal of shock. Angelonia make good cut flowers and another of their charms is that, unlike many annuals, deadheading is not required.
New to gardening? Deadheading is that process by which spent blooms are removed, thereby increasing bloom. I once asked an Hispanic helper to deadhead and when he looked at me blankly, I had the fun of explaining. Dead? Muerto, yes? Yes. Head. Tapped it. Yes? Yes. Dead head. And watched the grin spread across his face as he caught on. When you deadhead, don’t simply snip off the withered flower. Trace the stem back to its point of origin and make the cut there.
Calibrachoa has a simpler name — it’s usually called Million Bells and sometimes Mission Bells. The blossoms look like tiny little petunias and, as the name suggests, the plant flowers copiously. Although it does best in full sun, it will tolerate light shade. It is drought tolerant as well. Flower colors include shades of violet, blue, pink, red, magenta, yellow, bronze and white, and plant height is usually well within 9 inches. It does not need deadheading, although if the plant becomes “leggy,” it will benefit from being cut back.
Annuals can be planted as “bed-fulls,” and they can also be planted in companion plantings — when two plants that complement each other occupy a bed together. Either of these are perfectly acceptable, depending mainly on personal choice. When choosing companion plantings, make sure both plants have the same requirements — don’t pair a shade lover with one requiring full sun. Some annuals, although very few, run the gamut and will bloom in almost any light.
One of these is impatiens, which is why the man who originally hybridized them made a fortune. Claude Hope, who died at the age of 93 in 2000, hybridized a white flower he first observed in Costa Rica, which became the first in the F1 Elfin series of impatiens. This was followed by the Super Elfin series. According to the New York Times, “There are an estimated 900 species of impatiens, in numerous colors and, increasingly, varying shapes” in existence today. Do note, however, that if you plant impatiens in full sun, they will need additional water.
The only real problem with annuals is the abundance of choices — choices, choices, choices!
