They flower heavily in order to produce seed before they die. Examples of familiar annuals include pansies, petunias, impatiens, marigolds, and snapdragons. Annuals are chosen for their incredible displays of eye-catching colors especially when massed in beds. Some commercial buildings in Tallahassee always have beautiful beds of pansies or petunias from fall until spring. Annuals are easy to grow with a little soil preparation and basic care during the growing season.
Some annuals perform best in summer heat while others flower vigorously only in cool weather.
Frost kills warm weather annuals while heat melts out cool-loving ones. Learning which flowers grow best at the right time of year and their preference for sun or shade is the key to success. Annual flowers love rich soil loosely dug eight or more inches deep. Adding peat humus, compost or other organic material to the existing soil will greatly benefit their growth. They respond quickly with regular feeding using a balanced fertilizer.