Part of the African Daisy family, Osteospermum sport gorgeous wide, full flowers with spectacular colors that fade into the next like a sunset. Short and mounding, they are excellent container plants and fill up a pot easily and with little maintenance. Full sun to part sun exposure will yield you the best blooms! Osteospermum can […]
A Moonfire staff favorite, the Nasturtium has whimsical vines that will trail and climb with ease. They sport wavy green stems, soft, five-petaled flowers and adorable lily-pad leaves. Their pastel blooms are edible and add a peppery flavor to salads. Nasturtiums can climb up to 5’ with a trellis or crawl along the ground just
Marigolds have globus puffballs of orange and yellow flowers that stand out like blazing suns! Stemming back to Aztec traditions honoring the goddess of the dead, the Marigold is considered sacred and utilized as iconic symbols of life, death, and connection, especially during Dia De Los Muertos celebrations. Plant them near vegetables and herbs to
Tiny flowers often seen in electric blue or purple shades, lobelia clusters and crawls, making your hanging baskets feel abundant. Deadheading is not necessary for long lasting blooms. Plant in part to full sun and watch them grow up to 6-12 inches tall and spill 24 inches! Zone 9-11.
Nothing beats the soft, tangy scent of lemon verbena. For those of you with mosquito problems, It acts as a bug repellent! Lemon verbena blooms are white and dainty and add an elegant texture to your garden. Enjoy them muddled in a cocktail or mixed into a baked good for a fragrant treat! Planting them
Lantana is a tough annual with rough leaves and some of the most unique flower shapes. The petals are actually square and come in a variety of warm sunset colors reminiscent of sherbet. Due to their cat tongue like texture and astringent smell, deer tend to stay away! A unique feature of Lantana is that
Ipomoea, otherwise known as sweet potato vine, are annuals that sport vibrant chartreuse or maroon foliage and are excellent trailers that will reliably spill from a pot to create an attractive and lush cascading look. They’re a brilliant addition to cover bare spots in your planters and can tolerate full to part sun. Watch them
Impatiens, otherwise known as touch-me-nots, are dreamy, perfectly shaped rosette flowers with creamy pastel petals that contrast perfectly with their dark green leaves. They’re a must in your shade garden for the growing season. They’re particularly great for edging and container gardens because of their low height and spreading habit. Zone 10-11.
One of the most prolific sources of fragrance among annual flowers. Hanging baskets feel full and colorful when geraniums are present. Their mounding habit fills up a pot like no other and you’ll never get tired of that smell! With some deadheading, they tend to outlast every other hanging annual basket! They can tolerate sun
Also known as african daisies, gazanias boast bold yellow and orange petals with fun black stripes. Named after the Greek scholar Theodorus Gaza, Gazanias are a popular choice for summer landscapes. They thrive in fun sun, well-draining soil, making them hard to mess up in our high desert environment! Their big blooms open in the
An annual so drop dead gorgeous, they named a color after it! First discovered in the Caribbean by botanist Leonard Fuchs, fuchsias produce robust green foliage dripping with purple, pink or white jewels of flowers, ruffled and dainty like frilly skirts. They are absolute stunners in hanging baskets, and can dangle to 24” long. Fuchsias
Indigenous to hot and dry areas of the Mediterranean, dusty miller or silver ragwort, is a demure and non flashy addition to your garden bed. Its icy grey foliage provides a refreshing alternative to the sometimes tired colors of common plants and its wavy, soft and textural foliage really adds an enchanting backdrop to a
One of the most mesmerizing flowers in the garden, the dahlia is hard to beat. Its complex, mandala like, winding pockets of petals create a satisfying puff ball bloom that’s sure to make you do a double take! Find a space in your garden that gets full sun exposure and plant dahlia bulbs in the
A cold tolerant annual? Yes please! Cyclamen can be found all over the world from the Mediterranean, Spain, Africa, Somalia and can even tolerate our cold weather in Bend! Cyclamen boast a sweet pea like flower that pokes up from tight clusters of variegated leaves. Their tendency to rebloom in the winter months makes them
While they appear delicate, like fluffy pink and white skirts wafting above tall thin stems and lacy green leaves, cosmos are actually quite tough. These full sun lovers bloom for a long time with regular deadheading. Pollinators love them just as much as gardeners do. Try scattering them in an empty area of your garden
Strong, architectural and spiky, cordyline is an annual powerhouse. Imagine two angular modern pots at each side of your front steps, bursting with the energetic fronds of cordyline! A sure fire way to add a taste of the tropics to your central Oregon garden is planting these spiky annuals! And do not fret, they are
Reminiscent of prehistoric foliage, this annual is sure to dazzle with its many patterns and colors. A member of the mint family, coleus are long lasting and tall, with identifiable serrated leaves. Snip the flowers to keep the foliage looking its best. Found growing naturally from Southeast Asia to Australia, there’s a coleus out there
Feathery, vibrant and luscious, celosia are sure fire ways to bring life and whimsy into your garden. Its name comes from the Greek word “kelos” which translates to “burned”, referring to the flame like appearance of its flowers! These sun lovers perform great in a container surrounded by trailing groundcover, or planted in your beds
Otherwise known as million bells, the calibrachoa is the quintessential bedding plant. Their small but bold blooms resemble a tiny petunia and bring instant color to your garden with little care. They are native to Brazil and Uruguay and are actually a member of the nightshade family. Water, fertilize and watch them thrive, no deadheading
This versatile annual brightens up your hanging baskets, window baskets and landscaping with long lasting golden, sunburst shaped blooms. They provide a taller annual option than the spilling plants, growing up to 14” tall and 12” wide. Bidens are pollen-rich–perfect for attracting pollinators! Prefers full sun. Zone 9-11.
