Eight Awesome Annuals that Add Instant Impact

It’s all about annuals. If you want to make a dramatic difference in your garden this spring, you gotta get annuals. Flowering annuals have long been the gardener’s favorite. They are affordable and produce a bounty of brightly colored blooms from spring to frost. Large or little, formal or festive, bold or blah – whatever your landscape style, adding annuals is almost effortless and enormously effective.

Annuals are flowers that you must plant every year. Seems like a lot of work? Not when you see the pay off. Annuals can magically transform a bare patch of soil into a glorious garden. And they constantly color your landscape all summer long. No matter your soil or sunshine, annuals are the answer for beautiful blooms that keep the garden alive with a dazzling display of color. Here are 8 awesome annual choices, all new this spring!

BabyWing® White Begonia (right) This pretty little hot shot is a brand new pure-white, easy-care variety that performs all season long with an endless show of color. These upright, mounding marvels have a controlled habit ideal for landscapes and containers. This baby isn’t fussy at all – it’s extremely heat-tolerant and stands up to stressful conditions. Plant them in partial shade. Grows 12 to 15 inches tall spreads 10 to 12 inches. Also available in BabyWing Pink.

Pacifica Burgundy Halo Vinca (left) This garden “angel” features a heavenly burgundy halo that surrounds a large white center of the flower. A trouble-free delight in the garden, this hearty vinca begins blooming extra-early with big flower faces, then keeps on giving through almost any heat and humidity! Pacifica Burgundy Halo received the All-America Selections Award for 2007, a testament to its great garden performance! Plant in full sun in the garden or patio pots. Grows 10 to 14 inches tall, spreads 6 to 8 inches. 22 additional colors available.

Fiesta™ Salmon Double Impatiens (right) Plant a pretty petal party in your garden! If you like miniature roses, you'll love this double-flowering impatiens. The bloom sits high above the foliage showing off eye catching color bursts galore. This flawless flower shines in the shade and is known for its big, bold, brightly colored blossoms. Grows 10 to 16 inches tall, spreads 12 inches. Plant in partial sun to shade. Also available in 14 additional colors.

Landmark™ Rose Glow Improved Lantana (left) This trouble-free, drought tolerant, blossoming beauty will add a glorious glow to your garden. There are tons of bi-colored blooms all over this lush, vigorous plant. Bred specifically for use in the landscape, plant Landmark in full sun for an easy way to get loads of long lasting color with little effort. Grows 15 to 20 inches tall, spreads up to 2 feet. Also available in Landmark Peach Sunrise Improved, Gold, Yellow, Flame Improved, Pink Dawn and White.

AngelMist® Basket Pink Angelonia (right) Sometimes called “angel flower” or “summer snapdragon,” this garden sweetie loves full sun and thrives in well-drained soil. The frothy blooms of AngelMist set amidst spike-like leaves are heavenly in pots and gardens offering a bountiful “mist” of color all summer long. Plant in full sun. Grows 6 to 10 inches tall, spreads 16 to 20 inches. Also available in AngelMist Basket Purple, Basket White and 12 upright AngelMist varieties.

Live Wire Isolepis (left) One of the hottest grasses available this spring is the new Live Wire Fiber Optic grass. This groovy grass is the perfect complement to any mixed container - inside or out! As a young plant, Live Wire grows upright and then drapes as it matures. Each blade of grass looks like a fiber optic strand – that’s where the plant gets its name. Live Wire will surely electrify your landscape and spark your interest! Plant in a sunny to partly sunny location, performs well in wet conditions. Grows 6 to 8 inches tall, spreads 18 to 20 inches.

Maracas Brazilian Fireworks (right) Whether you use this tropical temptress in containers or in a shady garden spot, Brazilian Fireworks is fantastic! With its long, angular leaves of green and silver striping and its center cluster of spiky purple and pink blooms, it explodes with bursting rich color and fascinating foliage. This trendy tropical blooms all summer, likes it hot and humid and prefers the shade. It is sure to be the talk of the town! Grows 6 to 8 inches tall, spreads 8 to 10 inches.

Fusion Glow Improved Impatiens (left) Get your garden glowing in the shade with this unique impatiens. What would a shade garden be without impatiens? No other flower delivers color throughout the entire growing season and is so undemanding. Gardeners take impatiens for granted, but they truly are amazing little flowers – and now they’ve gone exotic! Fusion Glow Improved shows off a bright yellow color with an orange center, giving an orchid-like effect. This one’s a real show stopper! Plant in partial sun (morning sun and afternoon shade is best). Grows 10 to 16 inches tall and wide.

As you can see, this spring it’s all about awesome annuals! Try something new in your garden this spring that’ll keep the sizzle throughout the season. The Simply Beautiful® collection from Ball Horticultural Company is available exclusively at independent garden centers. Developed from superior plant genetics, the collection provides great gardening results with minimum fuss. Find local retailers, plant information and gardening tips at www.simplybeautifulgardens.com