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Spring Into May: The 5 Best Annuals for Your Garden

Royal City Nursery-Guelph-Ontario-Our Top Spring Annuals 2023-orange coleus

Spring has finally arrived, meaning it’s time to start thinking about getting your annuals in the ground. Here in Guelph, we care about the planet, pollinators, and our gorgeous gardens, so choosing the right plants is critical! However, before we pick the perfect annuals for our beautiful gardens and patio containers, we need to consider the different roles that they play. 

Thriller plants are tall and eye-catching, filler plants add texture and volume, and spiller plants trail over the edges of containers and beds to give them a lush, overgrown look. Don’t forget about what I call the “chiller” plant: this is the plant that lets your personality shine through in your garden, the one you see at the garden center and just can’t leave without! You’ll want to include all of these elements in your garden this year for some truly breathtaking displays. 

To help you become the envy of your neighbourhood, let’s go over a few of my all-time favourite annuals that fit perfectly into each of these four categories, along with their care and how they can make your garden or patio shine this spring!

Coleus

The coleus is an easy first pick for me. I’m a sucker for anything with a deep, rich, blackish-purple hue, and I absolutely adore the shape and texture of this annual’s leaves! Coleus is also incredibly versatile and comes in a variety of colours and patterns, making it perfect for adding texture and volume to your garden as a filler plant this spring. Certain coleus varieties–including my personal favourites, the Duck Foot coleus and Kong coleus – also make incredible thriller plants. In addition to being drop-dead gorgeous, coleus’ are low-maintenance, easy to care for, and can be easily grown in containers or the ground.

Fibrous Begonia

Fibrous begonias, sometimes called wax begonias, are annuals with a unique feature: their ability to thrive in either sun or shade. You’ll often see this plant at theme parks or other nicely curated public spaces in beds that stretch from sun into shade, looking amazing regardless of their conditions. Fibrous begonias require regular watering and well-draining soil, but they’re otherwise relatively low-maintenance annuals that add tons of texture as a filler. In addition to their versatility, they come in two beautiful leaf colours and three different flower colours, meaning you can mix and match to your heart’s content this spring.

Wave Petunia

Look, I know petunias get a bad rap, but give them a shot! They’re the easiest annuals in the world and are great for adding a splash of spring and summer colour to your garden as a spiller plant. You don’t need to dead-head or fuss with them at all, and they can handle full sun. However, the best feature of wave petunias has to be that pollinators absolutely adore them!

Sweet Alyssum

A sweet alyssum is a great option for adding a little fragrance to your garden as a filler plant alongside your early-spring annuals. They perform best at the beginning of the season while it’s cool and again in the fall. I like things with nice, subtle fragrances, and sweet alyssums absolutely fit that bill.

These delicate annuals attract pollinators and love the sun—they’ll go stringy in the shade, so make sure they get lots of sunshine. Sweet alyssum is relatively low-maintenance but requires well-draining soil, regular watering, and heavy feeding. Otherwise, just sit back, enjoy the pretty clouds of fragrant flowers, and watch the pollinators get to work!

Tropical Plants for Guelph

If you’re like me and prefer doing things a bit differently with your thrillers and chillers, consider adding some tropical annuals like palms or alocasias in your garden this spring. These plants are very striking and rather unexpected, meaning you’re sure to stand out from your neighbours! Sure, it’s not the traditional spike thriller, but it’s different and can provide lots of texture. For an extra bit of eccentricity, put some lights on them in the evening for a dramatic and unique display. 

After you’ve selected your dream annuals from Royal City Nursery comes what I consider the best part: designing your garden beds or pots. Remembering to include thrillers, fillers, spillers, and the odd chiller in your displays is crucial, as is making sure that whatever display you create reflects who you are and makes you happy. One last tip I always love to give folks is to think about how you can enjoy your annuals when it’s dark out! If you haven’t already, consider installing some patio or garden lighting in your landscape this spring so you can sit outside on the upcoming hot summer nights and take in the structural beauty of your annual garden. 

Above: Tanya’s mom, Doreen, the second generation owner of Royal City Nursery. Shown with one of her all-time favourite annuals, Zinnia. 

Spring is the perfect time to start planting your annuals. Whether you’re a casual gardener or a dedicated amateur horticulturist, we at Royal City Nursery in Guelph, ON, have you covered with some of the best spring annuals available this year. Happy planting!

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