Remember when you first started gardening? Perhaps it was some marigolds or impatiens that encouraged you forward. You were successful, and a new gardener was born. Then you learned about perennials and thought "Gee, I can just plant once and they keep coming back! No more annuals for me!!" So you planted perennials and established a pretty cool garden.

But back you come to annuals eventually. Sure you have to plant them every year, but they are in color from the minute you put them in til the last minute when Jack Frost takes them out.

I simply can not live without them. I planted 5 flats this week. Then started Friday looking at the new annuals that had arrived on my day off! I plant Fuchsia in the ground instead of only in hanging baskets. My perennial beds have Supertunias and Verbena wandering thru them. Climbing Nasturtiums are poised to grow up trellis. And oh the tropical Salvia. The hummingbirds love Salvia, especially the type called "Black and Blue". This variety grows to 3 feet tall and has spikes of cobalt blue flowers. I planted 7 this year, with a groovy new pink petunia called ‘Raspberry Blast’ dancing around their bases. I also love the Profusion Zinnias to tuck thru-out the garden- they are great for butterflies! I also plant Lantana for the butterflies. And tropical Butterfly Weed. And Cosmos. And Swan River Daisies. And more Verbena. :)

Annuals just get better and bigger- it is totally worth the effort as the summer grows on!

And I used to fret about the "waste" of money, having to plant new each year. But I finally found the thought to make me forgive myself for being addicted to plants: "I spend $75 a week on food and it is all gone in a week. I spend the same amount of flowers and they last for 6 months!" "Lunch out is like $10! And I am hungry 4 hours later!" "Hey man, I don’t buy jewelry!" (That’s the one I use on my husband!)

Hey whatever I can do to justify my love. :) ~Erica