Grow a Rainbow! 7 Annuals with Bold Color
By Chris Edmunds
Bring an explosion of rainbows to your garden with these annuals in every color of the spectrum!
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Minimalism is SO last year, so for 2021, we’re all about filling our yards with an explosion of bold color! Annuals are such an awesome way to bring some vivacity to the garden. Their short, yet vigorous growing season means you can experiment with bold color and vivid palettes without having to commit to anything long term.
Plant the Rainbow Spectrum: 7 Annuals with Bold Color
Can’t decide on just two or three colors to make up your garden color palette this year? Why choose when you can have them all? Transform your garden into a technicolor dreamscape with plants that boast each color of the rainbow. Try these 7 different annuals to create a rainbow of bold color.
Red Impatiens
What are the best annual flowers for shade? The answer is most definitely New Guinea impatiens. They’re one of the best shade-tolerant annuals for yards with a lot of tree cover, and the red varieties are perhaps the most vibrant of them all. Not only do they bloom brightly in shade, but they’re also pest and disease resistant. They bloom continuously throughout their growing season, and they require zero deadheading, resulting in long-lasting, bold color with little maintenance required. They have a lush, mounding growth habit that makes them great for filling in gaps in container arrangements and garden beds.
Orange Snapdragons
These impressive bloomers are always a hit—especially with kids! Their flower stalks are covered with adorable blossoms that can be popped off and played with like a little dragon puppet. Orange snapdragons are our particular favorites because there’s so much dimension and depth to the color. Varieties like Orange Scarlet have an ombre effect, with subtle hints of coral pink and yellow. Plant in the spring and remove spent flowers to encourage a second round of blooms in late summer.
Yellow Marigolds
Who could resist these cheerful drops of sunshine in the garden? Marigolds never fail to brighten up the landscape, and on top of having amazing bold color, they have powerful pest repelling properties too. Planting marigolds in your garden will help to repel nematodes, whiteflies, aphids, thrips, and even pesky mosquitoes! Be sure to water them at the base of the plant, not directly onto the plant, which could cause powdery mildew to develop. You don’t need to deadhead them necessarily, but if you do, it may very likely promote continuous reblooming.
Green Sweet Potato Vine
For some lively lime green foliage that stands out from the rest, the sweet potato vine is a must-have. This trailing vine doesn’t typically have any blooms, but that doesn’t mean it pales in comparison to the other superstars on this list! Sweet potato vine leaves have such bold color; they almost look electric. It makes a fabulous border plant, especially in container arrangements, as the leaves trail down like a tapestry. The vines can reach up to 10 feet long, so feel free to get creative with cool trellises or structures to train your plant around.
Blue Lobelia
It’s hard to find true blue flowers in the world of gardening, but lobelia totally nails the look. There’s a distinctly magical and mesmerizing quality about them—perhaps because of the rarity of their cool, bold color. While some lobelia varieties have more of an icy pastel blue cast, we love the rich royal blue varieties that spill down the sides of their containers like an ocean wave. These continuous bloomers can be used as groundcovers or border plants, as they have a shorter height and wider spread. Newer varieties, grown from cuttings, are much more heat tolerant than the older varieties grown from seed. We recommend ‘Hot Waterblue’, ‘Anabel Blue Hope’ and ‘Techno Upright Dark Blue’.
Celosia Deep Purple
These stunning annuals have beautiful, yet peculiar blossoms that look kind of like lit torches. While the more fiery shades of celosia tend to have a look that’s more fun and festive, the deep purple variety seems much more luxurious and elegant by comparison. But don’t be fooled by their fancy appearance, because these annual plants are super low-maintenance and easy to cultivate. It comes from Africa, so it can handle blazing hot temperatures and periods of drought like a total champ.
Truffula Pink Gomphrena
Remember that Dr. Seuss book “The Lorax?” You can add tiny little truffula trees into your own yard with the truffula pink gomphrena! This species of amaranth has adorable round blossoms that really do look like they were imported from Whoville. It’s quite attractive in containers, as its growth is quite full and balanced. Blooms in the center of the plant will go straight up on their tall, skinny stems, while the ones around the edges will hang down, creating a spherical shape.
There’s something so carefree and uplifting about being in nature, surrounded by a spectacular rainbow of color. Make this year memorable by beautifying your garden with these unforgettable annuals! Looking for more new annuals for 2021 to bring bold color to your landscape? Visit Kaw Valley to see all the amazing seeds and starter plants ready to go home today.
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