Annuals are an excellent way to ensure colour in your yard all summer long.

Any plant that grows, flowers, produces seeds and dies over the course of one year is considered an annual. Annuals are an excellent way to ensure colour in your yard all summer long. Use in borders, in beds or to fill open spaces between immature shrubs and trees. They over flow hanging baskets and window boxes, as well as creep up walls or trellises. The variety of uses and colour combinations is endless.

You can purchase annuals in both seed and seedling form. Sow seeds either indoors or outdoors, depending on the growth requirements of the individual plants. Annual seeds that require a longer period of growth should be started indoors. These plants are identified in the chart portion of the Annual section. With Calgary's short growing season, it's usually best to plant annuals in seedling form after the last chance of frost.

Note: When choosing a spot to plant, consider the annual's growth habit. Position tall plants at the back of beds where they will not block the view of smaller plants.

Do you need some planting tips for your annuals? Click "Learn More" to head to our Annuals planting tips page:

Annuals Growing Guide

Plant Name	Botanical Name	Height / Spread	Colour	Sun / Shade	Planting Date	Description
AFRICAN DAISY	Arctotis	12/18 in. 30/45 cm	various	sun		Some hairy, smooth, or trailing leaves
AGERATUM	Ageratum houstonianum	6/10 in. 15/25 cm	mauve, blue, red, white	sun to part shade	Feb. 20-28/May 1-15	Compact plant with wispy flower clusters, remove spent flowers
ALYSSUM, SWEET	Lobularia maritima	8/10 in. 20/25 cm	purple, white, lavender, rose	sun to part shade	Mar. 15-30/May 1-10	Compact plant with dainty flowers; good edging plant, very fragrant; blooms from spring to frost
AMARANTHUS	Amaranthus caudatus	24/18 in. 60/45 cm	red	sun	Feb. 20-28/n/a	Drooping red tassel flowers; dramatic accent plant
ASTER, CHINA	Callistephus chinensis	6-24/8 in. 15-60/20 cm	white, blue, red, purple, pink	sun	Mar. 15-30/May 1-10	Blooms late in the summer with daisy and pompom flower forms, good cutting flower
BABY'S BREATH	Gysophila elegans	8-24/12 in. 20-60/30 cm	white, pink	sun	Mar. 15-30/May 1-10	Plentiful clusters of delicate flowers, good for drying
BACHELOR'S BUTTON	Centaurea cyanus	18/10 in. 45/25 cm	blue, pink	sun	Feb. 15-30/Apr. 15-30	Truly blue flowers that readily re-seed, frost tolerant
BACOPA	Satura cordata	3-24 in. 7.5-61 cm	blue, white, pink	part shade		Low spreading annual, tiny flowers
BEGONIA, WAX	Begonia semperflorens	8/6 in. 20/15 cm	red, pink, white	shade	Feb. 1-20/n/a	Colourful clusters of flowers; green or bronze fleshy leaves and fibrous roots
BEGONIA, TUBEROUS	Begonia tuberhybrida	14/12 in. 35/30 cm	red, pink, yellow, white	shade	n/a	Large showy double flowers; available as plant only
CLEOME	Cleome hasslerana	36/12 in. 90/30 cm	pink, purple, white	sun	Mar. 1-10/May 1-10	Clusters of flowers with a spidery appearance, tall stems, heat tolerant
COLEUS	Coleus x hybridus	12/10 in. 30/25 cm	varied, red/yellow	part shade to shade	Mar. 1-15/n/a	Grown for colourful foliage; a combination of multi-colored leaves
COSMOS	Cosmos bipinnatus	10-36/24 in. 25-90/60 cm	pink, white, lavender, yellow/red, chocolate	sun	Apr. 1-10/May 10-20	This plant has feathery foliage with daisy-like flowers, needs staking
DAHLBERG DAISY	Thymophylla tenuiloba	4-8/6 in. 10-20/ cm	yellow	full sun	n/a	Low-growing daisy with ferny foliage, can reseed, good for edging
DAHLIA	Dahlia pinnata	12-24/10 in. 30-60/25 cm	various	sun	Mar. 10-20/May 10-20	This late summer bloomer adds color to a garden in late summer and early fall, good cut flower
DATURA	Datura spp.	4/2 ft. 1/.5 m	white, yellow, mauve	sun	Mar. 10-20/May 1-10	An exotic plant, with large trumpet flowers. All plant parts poisonous
DIANTHUS/CHINA PINK	Dianthus chinensis	12/8 in. 30/20 cm	red, pink, white	sun to part shade	Mar. 1-10/May 1-10	Fringed flowers, similar to carnations; fragrant and frost tolerant
DRACAENA	Dracaena indivisa	36/24 in. 90/60 cm	green foliage	sun to part shade	n/a	Grown for its foliage and rosettes of sword shaped leaves; frost tolerant, available as plant only
DUSTY MILLER	Senecio cineraria	8-16 /8 in. 20-40/20 cm	silver foliage	sun	Feb. 1-10/n/a	Grown for its white foliage, this plant has hairy, divided leaves; drought and frost tolerant
FOUR O'CLOCK	Mirabilis jalapa	30/20 in. 75/50 cm	various	sun	n/a/June 1-15	Trumpet-like flowers open in late afternoon and stay open all night. Available as seed only
FUCHSIA	Fuchsia hybrida	2 ft. 60 cm	red, purple, pink, white	part shade to shade	Mar. 1-10	Woody shrub with bi-coloured, drooping flowers. Great for hanging baskets
GAILLARDIA	Guillardia pulchella	18-36/12 in. 46-90/30 cm	yellow, orange, crimson	sun	Mar. 24/n/a	Brilliant daisy like flowers
MARIGOLD, AFRICAN	Tagetes erecta	12-36/12 in. 30-80/30 cm	orange, yellow	sun	Apr. 1-15/May 15-30	Tall plants with lacy leaves and large flowers
MARIGOLD, FRENCH	Tagetes patula	6-18/6 in. 15-40/15 cm	yellow, orange	sun	Mar. 10-20/May 15-25	Solid and bicolor flowers
MARIGOLD SIGNATA	Tagetes knuifolia	6-8/6 in. 15-20/20 cm	gold, lemon yellow, tangerine	sun	Mar. 10-20/May 15-25	Lacy foliage with a citrus fragrance, grown as much for the foliage as the tiny flowers
MEXICAN HEATHER	Cuphea hyssopifolia	24/18-36 in. 30/45-90 cm	purple, lavender, white, pink	part shade		Long stems topped with dainty flower heads
MONKEY FLOWER	Mimulus x hybridus	10/6 in. 25/15 cm	red, yellow, orange	shade	Mar. 10-20/May 15-20	Bi-coloured flowers suitable for moist shaded area
NASTURTIUM	Tropaeolum majus	10/10 in. 25/25 cm	red, yellow, orange	sun to part shade	Apr. 1-10/May 1-10	Dwarf plants with edible foliage and flowers; easy to grow from seed, do not fertilize
NEMESIA	Nemesia strumosa	12/6 in. 30/15 cm	various	sun to part shade	Mar. 1-10/May 10-20	Flowers resemble miniature orchids, grow in a cool location
NICOTIANA	Nicotiana alata	12-36/10 in. 30-90/25 cm	red, wine, rose, lavender, white	sun to part shade	Mar. 1-10/May 1-10	Fragrant, star-shaped flowers; also known as flowering tobacco
NIEREMBERGIA	Nierembergia caerulea	4-8/12 in. 10-20/30 cm	white, dark purple	sun to part shade	Mar. 15-30/June 1-15	Flower has a golden eye, plant forms a neat dense mat that is covered in flowers; frost tolerant
PANSY	Viola x wittrockiana	6-8/6 in. 15-20/15 cm	various	shade	Feb. 1-10/n/a	Hardy and frost tolerant, these short plants grow best in shaded, moist areas, cool season bloomers
PHLOX	Phlox drummondii	6-8/6 in. 15-20/15 cm	various	sun to part shade	Mar. 1-10/May 1-10	A compact plant with a long lasting bloom period, good cut flower
POPPY, CALIFORNIA	Eschscholzia californica	16-24/6 in. 40-60/15 cm	orange	sun	Apr. 10-20/May 1-10	Saucer-shaped flowers all summer, grayish-green foliage
POPPY, CORN	Papaver rhoeas	16-24/18 in. 40-60/45 cm	red, pink, white, salmon	sun	Apr. 10-20/May 15-30	European wild field poppy, also known as Flanders or Shirley poppy
PORTULACA	Portulaca grandiflora	4/6 in. 10/15 cm	various bright colors	sun	Mar. 1-10/May 10-20	Succulent plant with rose-like blooms for hot, dry areas, close on cloudy days
SALPIGLOSSIS	Salpiglossis sinuata	24-36/12 in. 60-80/30 cm	rose, orange, purple, red, yellow	sun to part shade	Mar. 15-25/May 10-20	Petunia-like flowers with veined petals; back of border, good cut flower
SALVIA	Salvia spp.	6-24/15-60 in. 30/30 cm	red, blue, salmon, purple, white	sun	Mar. 1-10/n/a	Erect, bushy plant, uniquely shaped flowers in vivid colours, good cut flower
SCAEVOLA	Scaevola aemula	8/10 in. 20/25 cm	blue, pink, white	sun	Apr. 1-10	Tiny blue flowers, great for hanging
SCHIZANTHUS	Schizanthus x wisetonensis	12/12 in. 30/30 cm	white, red , blue, pink, purple	sun to part shade	Mar. 1-10/May 10-20	Spectacular show of lacy leaves and orchid-like flowers, good container or hanging basket plant
SNAPDRAGON	Antirrhinum majus	6-36/12 in. 60/30-90 cm	various	sun, part shade	Mar. 1-15/May 10-20	Flower spikes bloom from base up, shear for second bloom; good for edging to back of border; frost tolerant
STATICE	Limonium sinuatum	18/12 in. 45/30 cm	blue, yellow, purple, lavender	sun	Mar. 10-20/May 10-20	Flower spikes with papery petals; good for dried flowers
STOCK, NIGHT SCENTED	Matthiola bicornis	14/8 in. 35/20 cm	lavender	sun to part shade	Mar. 20-30/May 10-20	Flower spikes with four-petaled blooms forming a cross, scent strongest in evening
STOCK, TEN-WEEK	Matthiola incana	30/8 in. 75/20 cm	various	sun to part shade	Mar. 1-10/May 10-20	Long, dense, flower spikes; good cut flower, very fragrant
STRAWFLOWER	Helichrysum bracteatum	24-36/8 in. 60-90/20 cm	various	sun	Apr. 10-20/May 10-20	Daisy-like flowers with straw-like naturally dry flowers
SUNFLOWER	Helianthus annuus	1-12 ft./1-3 ft. 30-360/30-90 cm	gold, amber, burgundy, red	sun	April 1/May 10-20	Many varieties of tall stemmed flowers with large heads, tall varieties need staking
SWEET PEA	Lathyrus odoratus 'Knee High'	24-30/8 in./60-75 cm	various	sun	April 1/April 15-20	Shorter sweet peas for garden beds, good for cut flowers, easily grown from seed
TORENIA	Torenia fournieri	6/8 in. 15/20 cm	burgundy, white, blue	part shade	Mar. 20	Wishbone flower, does well in baskets, keep moist
VERBENA	Verbena x hybrida	12/12 in. 30/30 cm	various	sun	Feb. 20-28/May 10-20	Both upright and trailing varieties available, round flower clusters in bright colours; good border plant
WEE WILLIE	Dianthus barbatus	4/6 in. 10/15 cm	pink, red, white	sun	Mar. 1-15/June 1-15	Bushy, flattened heads of colourful flowers in June and July, good border plant
ZINNIA	Zinnia elegans	6-36/15-60 in. 30/30 cm	various	sun	April 1-10/May 20-30	Showy, with round flowers; likes hot dry areas