Plants for the Tipsy-Topsy Planters

Hardy Annuals

• Hardy annuals are the most tolerant annual plants to cold temperatures and mild frost. They're most often utilized during the fall and early spring periods. However, they do not tolerate heat and warm temperatures well. Cornflower, pansy, foxglove and larkspur are some of the most common hardy annuals.

Half-Hardy Annuals

• Half-hardy annuals do not require warm soil and can tolerate damp and cold temperatures. These plants cannot survive a frost and, for this reason, require planting in the late spring after the last frost. While it may appear that half-hardy annuals fade in the warm summer heat, they will often bloom a second time in early fall if watered and left to germinate. Baby's breath, forget-me-nots and snow-on-the-mountains are among the most common half-hardy annuals.

Cool- and Warm-Season Annuals

• As with all flowers, there are some annuals more conducive to growing in warm temperatures and some in cooler temperatures. As the name suggests, cool-season annuals grow best when the daily temperatures range from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Geranium and petunia are the most common cool-season annuals. Warm-season annuals thrive when the daily temperatures range from 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and nightly temperatures of 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Blue-daze and four-o'clocks are some of the most common warm-season annuals.

Biennial Flowers

• Although biennial flowers grow over a two-year time frame and only produce leaves in the first year, they are grown and nurtured as annuals. However, these plants are able to survive throughout the winter months and will begin new growth in the spring. Among the most common biennial flowers are hollyhock and Sweet Williams.