When selecting salvia for the garden, be sure to check the tags for information on plant height. Salvias should be deadheaded and fertilized regularly to keep them blooming. Verbena is another annual that is undergoing great changes. New varieties are now much easier to grow and more resistent to powdery mildew than older types. Verbena has tight clusters of small flowers and comes in a wide range of colors.
Some varieties are trailing, others are mound-forming.
Verbenas do best in full sun. Vinca is an annual that is incredible when we have a hot, sunny summer and struggles when we don't. It offers large flowers of white, pink, pale purple and rosy-red. Plant it in full sun and well-drained soil. Zinnias come in a wide variety of plant heights and colors.