Annuals or Perennials---which are best?

Ahhh.....the age old question. Annuals only last for one summer and then they die. That's their down side. But then the produce lots of color all summer long and fairly cheap to buy at at nursery in the early spring. Some gardeners have great luck in starting from seed and save even more money.

Perennials, on the other hand, bloom for anywhere from two to maybe 6 weeks. Variety of plant and weather conditions control that. Perennials die back in the fall but return in the spring. They also cost a lot more at the nursery, and take more care to start from seed.

My answer has been to use both annuals and perennials. The blue and white bed in the photo is my tulip bed that I planted up with trailing Blue Lobelia, Sweet Alyssum and Love-in-a-mist.

In order to keep costs down, I only use annuals in a few favorite spots. That way I can keep color going all summer and really enjoy the performance of the majestic perennials as the show goes on......