The fact that they are fast-growing and bloom profusely in a wide range of flower colours, sizes and shapes has a lot to do with it, but petunias are also undemanding, easy to grow and extremely versatile. We grow petunias in hanging baskets, moss planters, oak barrels and patio pots, in mass plantings along the boulevard, in formal borders and mixed with other flowers in the garden. Petunias bloom early, starting in May and continue to put on a non-stop floral show right through until frost. The already overwhelming popularity of these flowers however, has not stopped plant breeders from continuing to come up with new developments and improvements which will only serve to further endear petunias to gardeners everywhere. One, a better resistance to adverse weather conditions.
Petunias have a tendency to falter somewhat in their floral show after summer storms.
Heavy rainfalls can tear the blooms or cause them to become mushy, and while these resilient plants bounce back rather quickly, there is a lag of a week or so before new flowers open. Two, a more even growth habit. By late summer, petunias often look somewhat scraggly or lanky, and while this can be solved by pinching or cutting plants back to about one-third to half of their height, again there is a delay, this time of closer to two weeks, while the plants bush out and produce new flowers. Three, I would wish for even bright colours. Petunias already come in an impressive range of floral hues, but to me, brighter is better, and more vivid flowers create a breathtaking display.