Annual flowers are the most colorful flowers that will bloom all summer. Especially grown in Hanging Baskets or Container Gardens for enjoyment on your porch or patio. Annual flowers are also used in flower garden ground beds, usually in the form of 6-pak bedding plants. Again, colorful flowers all summer long.
Variety Evaluations
After careful evaluation last summer, the very best flower varieties for growing in Colorado were selected last fall. Then our imaginative combination of flower recipes were designed and now our plans begin to take shape. Planting has begun and we are off and running for another season. Early spring is always an exciting time at Creek Side. So here we go!
Every flower variety has its own unique characteristics in addition to flower color. The very best varieties of Annual flowers for Colorado gardeners require a degree of genetic vigor built into the plants to withstand the warm temperatures and dry conditions we experience. To still grow big and strong all summer long. Selecting these particular varieties for Creek Side designs helps you be successful growing big, beautiful pots of flowers!
Thrillers – Spikes & Cordyine
Use Dracaena spikes or red leaf Cordylines as the central focal point in your summer annual flower container garden. Other options include various grasses, including the ever popular King Tut papyrus. Or try Cannas for a tropical look with colorful flowers.
Fillers – Geraniums
Don’t under-estimate the importance of geraniums in your Colorado garden flower pot design. Creek Side designs depend upon their reliability to hold up the design in the center of the container and remain colorful all season long! We welcome the beginning of the season with the arrival of over 8000 geranium plants planted in House 2, including 30 different varieties to be planted before the end of the month of January. Stop by to check them out!
Our most popular geranium variety is Calliope Dark Red because of the dark red color. Calliope’s are popular because that have especially strong dependable growth with big colorful blossoms that really shine in our Colorado climate. In addition to the classic Dark Red Calliope that everybody loves, look for Calliope Scarlet, Rocky Mountain Dark Red, Americana Red and lots of other colors.
You will not find another annual flower that will withstand the heat and the drought of geraniums and still continue to grow and bloom successfully all summer long with a minimum of maintenance. Just deadhead the old past flowers to keep your geraniums looking fresh and colorful all season long. If you are not sure how to deadhead, stop by and we will show you. It’s easy.
Fillers/ Spillers – Petunias
Petunia, Calibrachoa and Verbena are the flowers that will mound and cascade over the edge of the pot. Breeders continue to work overtime to introduce loads of new colors, including quite a few bi-colors or flowers exhibiting patterns of color on the blooms. This year look for a new petunia/ calibrachoa hybrid series Petchoa SuperCal, including colors Sunset Orange, Purple Dawn and Premium Yellow Sun. These new colors will help to make our design selection fun, exciting and interesting!
Next to geraniums, petunias are as heat and drought tolerant as they come for summer annual flowers. Regular deadheading is not required as all the new varieties are sterile and the plants will continue to bloom non-stop all summer. However, deadheading may be performed to keep the plants looking their best for your next summer party or gathering. Some people actually find it a little therapeutic.
Petunias often do require a mid-summer trimming to keep the stems from getting long and stringy. Right around early July is a good time for a “haircut”. Use sharp pair of shears and perform a bowl cut all around the pot about halfway up. Not sure how to tackle this chore, stop by the store and we will show you just how easily it is done.
Spillers – Colorful Foliage
Spillers cascade over the edge of the container or basket offering the complete form. Often colorful foliage is used in Container Gardens and Hanging Baskets to create this effect. Also adding texture and form in a different way than just flowers. This year look for several different types of foliage plants in our combination designs right along side the colorful flowers for a big, bold design that will look great all season long! Including Ipomeoa also know as Sweet Potato vine.
Shade Plants
Even though we live in a sunny climate, there are plenty of applications for shady annuals, especially including the big three – Begonias, Impatiens and Coleus. Creek Side is featuring the brand new Downy Mildew resistant series of impatiens Beacon. Look for Creek Side shady designs that incorporate the big three shade annuals, along with a handful of terrific shady accent plants this spring season.
Updated January 13, 2022
