Annuals
If you need a lot of color fast, we also offer unique and old fashioned annuals. We've chosen the ones that are the easiest for you to grow, but often hard to seed yourself. Our annuals have tremendous visual appeal, but are hard to come by at your local nursery. They are grown in packs of four and can be mixed with your perennial order.
Ageratum
The lively and beautiful sky blue buttons, are clustered above strong tall stems. A favorite of ours for cutting, easy to grow, prolific, and a lovely Victorian addition.
1210. Leilani Blue
Still my favorite Ageratum that is tall enough for cutting (1 1/2 ft.) but with a neat and compact habit. The vibrant blue fluffy flowers are self cleaning and bloom all summer long. Attractive to butterflies.
Centaurea Bachelor Buttons
The brilliant blue of the cornflower is probably the most eye catching flower a cottage garden can have. It is easy to grow and its playful nature makes it perfect for the cottage garden.
1230. Jubilee Gem
Packed with radiant blue flowers growing a foot high with a tint of silver on the bushy foliage. Excellent cut flower as well.
Cleome
Tall, airy, and graceful,these plants are adorned with huge flower clusters that open daily. They love lots of sun and are drought and heat tolerant. They fill out the back of the border beautifully or can stand on their own.
1240. Cherry Queen
An excellent cut flower at 3-4 ft. tall in our favorite shade of deep rose.
1250. Royal Queen Mix
A pretty mix that can include cherry, pink, violet or white.
Cosmos
To enjoy these beautiful flowers all season long, it is best to transplant them. If you start them from seed in the garden, you'll miss half the blooms! The intense colorful daisy-like blooms are profuse with delicate foliage. Tall, radiant and graceful flowers.
1260. Versailles
Giant 4" blooms with broad petals in vibrant shades of pink, crimson and white flowers cover extra sturdy stems. Grow 4 ft. and make an excellent cut flower.
1270. Sonata
A dwarf version growing only 24" tall and 15" wide making it easier to use in the middle and front of the border. Incredibly abundant 3" blooms in rose, carmine, and white.
Datura
The huge tubular bells of these old Victorian plants bring fragrant romance back into the garden. Handsome and easy to grow.
1280. Belle Blanche
Magnificent pearl white 7 in. fragrant blooms on plants reaching 3 ft. high. Grown 4 plants to the pack. Sometimes called Moon flower.
Heliotrope
These vintage, deep lavender flowers are making a comeback in the American garden. Understandably, as they toss a delicious fragrance of cherries into the sultry summer air.
1290. Marine
Deep purple blue flowers spreading 12 to 18 inches tall and wide. They bloom profusely all summer. Grown four plants to the pack.
Larkspur
Cheery and lighthearted, their popsicle colors stand out in the most whimsical way. In the country or city, their color and stature weave a spell throughout the garden. Once established, they will return year after year. Exceptional for cutting purposes.
1300. Exquisite Blue Bell
A fine and true blue annual delphinium.
1310. Exquisite Mix
Colorful spikes about four ft. tall, in shades of blue, pink, scarlet, and white.
Lavetera
Hibiscus like flowers adorn this season long bloomer. The vibrant pink flowers continued to bloom in our garden long into October!
1320. Silver Cup
A splendid addition to our garden this year. With satin silvery pink flowers and deep rose veins. Grows 2 ft. tall with lots of bushy branching to hold up its constant blooms. Grown 4 to a pack.
Lobelia
A mass of brilliant tiny blue flowers make these plants irresistible. We fill our window boxes with them,mix them through the garden edges, and in pots by themselves.
1330. Regatta Marine Blue
A trailing form that is excellent for baskets, window boxes, pots, or wherever you want this true blue flower to ramble free.
1340. Riviera Marine Blue
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A more compact form producing neat mounds 4-6" high. Sparkling blue flowers. Best along the edges of the garden, along walkways, or in containers.
Marigolds
Marigolds date back to before Victorian times. The aromatic leaves, feathery and fern-like, also repel deer and many insects. They are exceptionally easy to grow and look beautiful all season long.
1350. Durango Bolero
Absolutely beautiful colors. 2 1/2" yellow flowers are speckled with red creating constant color for pots, boxes or the garden border. Grows 10-12" tall.
1360. Lemon Gem
The blossoms are small single yellow flowers borne in profusion all season long on 12" high plants. Unlike traditional marigolds these have a lemony fragrance. Perfect for the cottage or herb garden.
1370. Tangerine Gem
The same lemon scent but with color of a fresh tangerine that adds vibrancy to the garden or a clay pot.
Mirabilis or Four O'clocks
An heirloom flower introduced long ago in the United States. In 1876 it was described as "A great favorite combining beauty of foliage, profuseness of bloom, of rich and varied colors, and delicious fragrance." It's common name comes from the flowers opening in the later afternoon. Its latin name Mirabilis means "wonderful" and so it is.
1380. Marvel of Peru Mix
We are not only grateful for their easy to grow habit, beauty and fragrance but their ability to repel deer. Instead they attract hummingbirds and butterflies: just what we want! They grow to about 2 1/2 to 3 feet tall and are hardy in the warmer zones while reseeding in colder climates. Flowers come in multiple shades of pink, violet, red, yellow and white.
Morning Glory
This popular American classic is easy to grow and tolerates low fertility. Let it ramble up a rural mailbox, porch trellis, or lamp post where it smothers the object with large saucer shaped blooms.
1390. Grandpa Ott
Thank goodness this heritage variety has recently resurfaced. It has shimmering deep blue/purple flowers with a burgundy star at its center. The coloring is truly spectacular. Another wonderful aspect of this flower is that it initiates blooms very early in the season and continues until the frost.
1400. Heavenly Blue
Large cheerful sky-blue blooms and creamy white throats. Fast-growing, large vines with attractive foliage. Height 8'. Easy to grow. Grows best in full sun. Blooms later in the season and into fall. A classic American favorite.
Nasturtiums
Thanks to our daughter Esperanza, who has her own growing projects, Nasturtiums are now a regular feature in our garden. They have all the features you want in a plant: carefree, edible, and most importantly colorful vibrant flowers. They quickly fill an area with lush tropical growth with plenty of extra to add zing to your salad with the leaves and flowers. Grown 4 plants to the pack.
1410. Alaska
This variety has lovely variegated foliage with trumpet shaped blossoms in brilliant colors of yellow, cherry, salmon and crimson. Another favorite of hummingbirds. Can grow in full sun or part shade.
1420. Empress of India
An heirloom variety with leaves as lovely as the flowers. Scarlet red blooms surround the plant. The leaves and flowers are perfect for adorning your salad.
Nicotiana
This is an ornamental species of tobacco. Sweet smelling, pest-free, the 2- 1/2 " star shaped flowers bloom in profusion all summer long. They enjoy sun or shade and especially the summer humidity.
1440. Fragrant Cloud
The alluring large white clustered flowers produce an enticing fragrance every evening. The strong stems grow to 3 ft.
1450. Perfume
Colorful upward facing flowers of rose, red, and lime with a delicate scent. Grows to 2 ft. or more.
1460. Only the Lonely
Their fragrance is glorious, drifting through the evening air all summer long. Elegant at 5 ft. with multiple white trumpet shaped blooms.
Nigella
Intricate and colorful flower petals are surrounded by feathery foliage. Excellent cut flowers when cut in bud, or mixed in the cottage garden border. When the plants have finished their bloom season, you are left with marvelous seed pods that can be used in your dried flower arrangements for the winter.
1470. Miss Jekyll
Exquisite blue flowers wrapped in a mist of delicate sepals reaching a foot or more high.
Pansy
The cheerful faces of the pansy family have been a cottage garden mainstay since before Victorian times. We've chosen varieties that combines old fashion style with performance and grow persistently well in all climates.
1479. Acquarelle Mix - NEW
These tough pansies have hundred of different shades and designs. The 2-3 inch blooms grow on 10" robust plants.
1480. Beaconsfield Panola
Stunning violet purple center becoming light in color at the edges.
1490. Bolero Flamenco
Each large semi double blossom is fringed at the edge in a traditional assortment of blotched colors including blues, roses, violets and burgundy.
1510. Ultima Morpho
Like a beautiful butterfly with wings of clear blue and a golden center. An award winning pansy that sold on sight at our local farmers market.
1520. Mariposa Peach Shades
Lovely shades of peach colored blossoms embellish the compact plants.
Petunias
Although some consider this a common flower, its American roots go way back to the 1830's and by 1870 the grandiflora types were offered. One of easiest plants to grow, they fill the garden with color all summer long.
1530. Dreams Mix
Every evening, we were greeted with the petunia's lovely fragrance at the entrance of our home. They will provide gorgeous displays of Burgundy, Midnight Blue, Rose Morn, and Sky Blue flowers steadily until a heavy frost. From our picture window we could see the hummingbirds feed on the flowers.
Salpiglossis
The trumpet shaped blooms contain some of the most unusual and intricate colors and designs of all the garden plants. Miss Lippencotts garden catalog from 1896 describes them as such: "The metallic gloss and distinct veining of the petals present almost the appearance of jeweled enamel." The throats of these flowers are veined in yellow; the flower cups are red, yellow, orange, rose, purple, or mustard.
1540. Royale mix
A rich mix of colors with contrasting veins growing to 3 ft. tall. Yet another plant that the hummers love!
Salvia
These hardy annuals come in many habits and colors. We've chosen two distinctly different varieties though each has its own remarkable qualities.
1550. Victoria
Fleuroselect winners for their intense blue-violet spikes on compact plants. They are 18" high and 14" wide. The lovely blue flowers continued to give our garden color right into November.
1560. Hummingbird Mix
Provides masses of small trumpet shaped blooms that hummingbirds love! A blend of varietal colors including Coral Nymph, Lady in Red, Snow Nymph and Forest Fire. Grows to 12-15". Hardy in the South.
Scabiosa
An absolutely stunning and exquisite flower that everyone will inquire about. The petals form a round ball with the yellow stamen protruding from each petal appearing like pins in a cushion. Prefers full sun. Sold in packs of 4 plants.
1570. Olympia
An excellent color mix including shades of rose, coral, crimson, purple, lavender, and blue on stems that are 2-3' tall, Great for cutting and have a delightful fragrance.
Schizianthus
Known as the poor mans orchid for its intricate petal coloring, it is an easy to grow yet rarely seen annual. The foliage is deeply cut giving it a fern-like appearance. They prefer sun but in hotter climates they do better with some shade to keep them cool.
1580. Angel Wings
Butterfly like flowers on compact bushy plants grow to about 18" at most. Distinct gold centers contrast with the vibrant colors. Perfect for a spot of color here and there or to grow as a pot plant.
Snapdragons
Among all the annuals of the cottage garden, this one is the queen. It is so hard to find the tall varieties at nurseries. We offer our favorites for the garden, both grow to 30" tall.
1590. Rocket Mix
We chose a mix because all the colors are so beautiful and useful that we could not decide on just a few. Growing 30-36" tall, they are heat tolerant and bloom all summer in a wide range of colors including: Red, orchid, lemon, rose, and cherry. It seems the more we cut, the more they bloom.
1600. Madame Butterfly
Statice
These versatile flowers make up the bulk of the color for our dried flower bouquets. They are just as beautiful growing in the garden with their clustered sprays of papery flowers rising 2 ft. above their green rosette.
1610. Splendor Supreme
Produce abundant flowers early and through the entire growing season in shades of blue, pink, white, yellow, and apricot. Pick them for fresh bouquets or for drying by hanging them upside down out of direct light.
Stock
Hardy annuals with a delicious perfume emitted in the morning, evening, and after a rain shower. They form branching columns of double blooms. Excellent performance in beds and borders as well as for cut flowers. Grown 4 plants to the pack.
1620. Vintage Mix
Traditionally grown in cooler climes, hence it's frequent use in English gardens. This newly developed form withstands heat so we can enjoy the fragrant blooms all summer. Offered in antique shades of rose, blue, carmine, yellow,red, and lilac Grows a foot high.