With the popularity of today's designer annuals, grown in individual pots and often sold at a premium, we may forget how simple (and inexpensive) our grandparents considered annuals to be. Just about everything an annual needs to sprout, grow, flower and set seed again is packed into a tiny little seed - just scratch it into the earth, water liberally for a few days and presto, they start to grow.
Certain annuals, such as June flowering poppies and bachelor's buttons, return year after year without any effort on the part of the gardener. Could it be any easier?
Self-seeding annuals are among the easiest and most reliable flowers to grow. In fact, they are often so successful, you may find yourself subtracting the extras from the garden rather than having to add purchased plants from the store. When allowed to set seed, they create meadow-like colonies of flowers that fill the nooks and crannies of the garden and mark our passage through the days of summer: Johnny-jump-ups, forget-me-nots, cornflowers, poppies, phlox, larkspur, pot marigolds and coneflowers are just a sampling of the old-fashioned favourites that fall into this category.
Last spring, my daughter-in-law Amy planted a flat of mixed, self-seeding meadow annuals. The seed sprouted and quickly formed a mat of seedlings. The trick was how to put them to use -our gardens were pretty full, but we had planted a courtyard garden (on a shoestring budget) that needed a little boost. I simply teased the mat apart and then planted little clumps of annuals between permanent plantings of ornamental grasses and later blooming coneflowers. That summer, flashes of red poppies, blue cornflowers and pink cosmos enlivened the permanent plantings of deep-purple sage, violet catmint, border sedum, coneflower and variegated feather reed grass, to wonderful effect.
Calmed by a staid privet hedge, the garden is now entering its third year. An exuberant troupe of vibrant red poppies dances above a blue sea of cornflowers, salvia and catmint as summer begins.
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The fuzzy green buds of red ladybird poppies (Papaver commutatum) begin their June dance somewhat silently, with their heads bent humbly to the ground. As if on cue, one by one the plump buds gather up the strength to stand tall when it's their turn to perform. Ever so gently, scarlet satin-like petals unfold themselves and stretch in the morning light. Before long, they begin to sway, keeping time with a soft breeze that is whispering its way through the garden. Nearby, a crowd of bachelor's buttons (Centaurea) mirrors the colour of the June sky. The silky skirts of the Ladybird poppies appear translucent as they catch the sunlight and gently float above the garden. Glints of silvery Russian sage (Perovskia 'Little spire') and silvery-pink plumes of feather reed grass (Calamagrostis 'Overdam') enliven the setting. In the shadows, plump buds of echinacea and sturdy sedum ready themselves for their mid-summer display.
Self-seeding annuals can be both a boon to gardeners and a thorn in their sides. While self-seeding annuals offer a quick, economical and easy solution to filling gaps in a garden's borders, they can can (and will) propagate shamelessly throughout the garden if left to their own devices. It's a good idea to learn how to recognize the plants by the shape of their leaves. Once you recognize the different leaf shapes, it's easy enough to root out seedlings as they emerge in the spring.
Here are a few self-seeding annuals to try:
* POPPY (Papaver) Interesting varieties include Opium poppy (Papaver Somniferum) with soft, blue-green foliage and pom-pom like blossoms; Shirley poppy (in soft pastel shades), and California poppy (with very short stems and tangerine-orange blooms). Plant poppies in a sunny, well-drained bed. Each flower lasts only a day, so you need a patch for a nice display. Deadhead the plants to keep seedlings in check. Poppies make lovely (although short lived) cut flowers - sear freshly cut stems with a flame to seal the end and prevent the white sap from oozing out. Set the seed heads aside for dried flower arrangements.
* BACHELOR'S BUTTONS (Centaurea) are quite hardy; sow the seed as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring, subsequent sowings will produce several crops over the course of the summer. Like poppies, they dislike being transplanted. Plant in a sunny, well-drained bed, annual poppies make a delightful companion.
* DILL AND FENNEL Their lacy, fragrant leaves look (and smell) wonderful in the flower border, and you can snip the leaves to use as a seasoning or garnish. Both plants are butterfly magnets. Dislike being transplanted, sprinkle seed in the garden where you would like them to grow.
* BROWN. EYED SUSAN (Rudbeckia hirta) can be found in the perennial aisle at the garden centre. Seed sown in the spring will flower the same year (usually in the early fall). Plants self seed, though not prolifically. Daisy-like, golden yellow, orange and bronze flowers are long-lasting in both the garden and the vase. Plants will spread to form a nice clump within a few years. They dislike severe drought or wet feet, but are otherwise trouble free; they don't mind being transplanted.
* BRAZILIAN VERBENA (Verbena bonariensis) Masses of tiny purple balls seem to dance on tall, wiry stems. Butterflies love this plant! Don't let them seed too tightly - they'll just get tangled together and look messy - give them room to spread out. They can be transplanted as seedlings if handled with care.
* LARKSPUR (Annual delphinium) Lovely spires of pink, violet and white enjoy a sunny, well-drained site. I once saw a stunning planting that had self-seeded over the years along the side of a gravel driveway. Larkspur are good cut flowers and bloom along with the early roses.
