Good Bedfellows

I don't believe that annuals deserve to be isolated in containers or sequestered in beds along the driveway. Heck no! I love using them in my perennial beds to punch up areas that need a little extra SHAZAM! 

I think the most important part about using annuals in with the big boys is to use a grouping of the same plant. I don't live by the "3, 5 or 7" rule but depending on the space, be sure to sign yourself up for more than two of whatever you choose. Using just one Artist^® Purple Ageratum would be like using just one ornament on the Christmas tree. So pick an area or space accordingly and fill it! 

Annuals carry their own weight in the garden with their non-stop blooming, but I also like to use them to fill a spot near perennials that have not yet reached their full size. So, I have planted the perennial appropriately (let's say its a Hosta) and its pretty small this year. Why not plant a few Colorblaze^® Alligator Tears^™ Coleus between that Hosta and the next plant over to make it look full until it fills in?

Here are a few annual/perennial combinations that are awesome together:

• Perennial: Efanthia Euphorbia, Annuals: Flambé^® Yellow Strawflower, Flirtation^® Orange Diascia

• Perennial: Purple Pearls^™ Beauty Berry, Annuals: Señorita Blanca^™ Cleome, Artist^® Purple Ageratum 

• Perennial: Stratosphere^™ White Gaura,  Annuals: Diamond Frost^® Euphorbia, Angelface^® White Angelonia

Since annuals don’t aren’t a permanent fixture, you can afford to go a little crazy when using them in a design. Try a whole bunch of combinations and see which ones really get you going!

^© 2012 Proven Winners, LLC.