Annual Flowers in Ohio

Impatiens

• It's hard to top impatiens when it comes to showy blooms that pop in a variety of colors ranging from red, white, salmon and hot pink. Used as border plants that typically reach heights of 8 to 12 inches, impatiens create a thick bushy foreground of blooms that look particularly stunning next to a well-manicured emerald green lawn. Ohio's impatiens require shade and the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association recommends generous mulching and plenty of water to keep impatiens moist, especially when they are surround by large trees, which are known to compete for water.

Heliotrope

• Heliotrope features large bluish-purple flowers that can easily tolerate Ohio's humid summers. The fragrant flowers grow in mounds on leafy stems that reach 18 to 24 inches. The corrugated green leaves on the stems give the heliotrope a bushy appearance that thrives in full sun and also tolerates some shade. Heliotropes will expire at the first hint of frost, but their vigorous growth and sweet scent during the summer months makes them a popular choice in Ohio's gardens.

Wax Begonias

• Wax begonias are low maintenance bedding annuals that reach heights of 5 to 6 inches and require part shade for optimal growth opportunities. Wax begonias feature glossy green leaves that support petite blooms in red, pink or white. Though the flowers are small, they bloom abundantly and don't require any deadheading, which makes them showy and convenient for people who are limited for time in the garden. Begonias have tendency to get "leggy" and sometimes require cutting back in the late summer.

Four O'clocks

• Four-O'clocks are annuals that bloom (aptly) in the afternoon. They reseed and flourish well beyond one growing season, which makes them a popular choice as backdrop plants that reach heights of 2 to 3 feet in Ohio gardens. Four o'clocks prefer full sun and bloom in a variety of colors including white, yellow and varying shades of pink. Tubular blooms resemble petunias and often spring out in dual color patterns such as pink with yellow tipped petals. According to research at Garden Pro, four o'clocks were popular garden staples until the 1950s. But because the flowers don't open until late afternoon and then close by the following morning, they fell out of style for a few decades. However, nowadays many people don't get to enjoy their gardens until the end of a long work day. Coming home to the sweet lemony scent of four o'clocks makes a hard day at the office worth the effort.

Morning Glory

• The morning glory features sky blue flowers that can reach sizes of 4 to 5 inches in diameter. These vining plants are considered annuals, but often reseed and flourish for a few seasons before replanting is necessary. Morning glories are are easily grown from seeds that sprout climbing vines that know no limits within a couple months. Popular along yard fences and trellises in Ohio, morning glories require full sun and bloom for a few hours in the morning. In addition to the sky blue creamy blooms commonly associated with morning glories, purple, hot pink, and white variations are also readily available.