Few things have the power to make your property shine like a lively display of annual color. Whatever the season, a burst of colorful blooms can brighten your entire landscape, accentuating existing features and bringing new life to your space. They can soften hard areas like patios or decking, cover-up gaps left by hibernating perennials, and help your home or business stand out from the crowd.
But what are the best annuals for commercial landscapes? And what are the benefits of annuals over perennials?
In this article, we’ll explore what an annual plant is, the benefits of this type of flower, and highlight some ways an annual color display can work for your landscape.
What Is An Annual?
Annual flowers start and end their life cycle in a single growing season, and need to be replanted at the beginning of each new year. Despite only living for one year at the most, annuals are known for their bright, showy blooms and long-lasting flowers.
Annuals are normally divided into three categories: summer annuals, fall annuals, and spring annuals. For winter we add holiday decor to flower pots.
Benefits Of Annual Color Displays
As mentioned earlier, annuals are the showstoppers of the plant world. Known for their colorful, showy blooms and extended flowering periods, they are key to creating a bright, beautiful-looking flower display, whatever the season.
As well as their aesthetic appeal, annual plants come with a host of other benefits, including:
- Annual flowers grow fast and bloom for longer than perennials
- Annuals are available in a variety of colors
- Annual plants are inexpensive compared to perennials
- Most annuals are very simple to grow and require little maintenance
Fall Annuals In Pennsylvania
When it comes to fall annuals in the Greater Lehigh Valley, there are two main options for adding seasonal color.
One of the most popular options is to plant pansies, which will flower in the fall and may return in the spring depending on the winter weather conditions. It might sound counter-intuitive, but heavy snowfall helps to insulate and protect pansies from the colder temperatures, increasing the likelihood that they will bounce back when the sun returns. With this option, we remove the pansies once they stop flowering in May and replace them with petunias. The biggest benefit to this option is the potential for stunning spring blooms, with a steady flow of color throughout fall, spring, and summer.
The second option is to plant a combination of chrysanthemums and kale, which will produce some of the most vibrant fall colors out there. The only downside is that these annuals will need to be pulled at the end of the season, so they don’t provide any color in the spring.
As well as being a good season for annual flowers, fall is also a fantastic time to get creative with fun seasonal accents. Some of our customers enjoy adding seasonal décor like pumpkins and hay/straw bales to their landscapes to create a more festive atmosphere. This is also a good time of year to add extra blooms to any plant pots or flower boxes.
Winter Decor Displays
Of all the seasons, winter is the one that can most benefit from a splash of annual color. It’s a common misconception that this chilly season is too harsh for plants to flourish, but in reality, there are plenty of cold-tolerant annuals that thrive in cooler weather.
The first week of December is prime time for adding winter greenery to large flower pots along with holiday decor. Accents like greenery boughs are a popular option for property owners looking to make their corporate entrances feel more festive. These are then removed in the first week of January.
Summer Annuals In Pennsylvania
Summer is another high point for seasonal color here in the Greater Lehigh Valley, with lots of gorgeous warm-weather blooms to choose from. Petunias are one of our star performers and begin blooming shortly after planting in early May. Not only are they very tolerant to hot, dry weather, but they also don’t need to be dead-headed, making them a low-maintenance and colorful option for commercial landscapes.
This is also a great time of year to plant flower pots. As the weather starts to warm up at the end of spring, we take the opportunity to fill pots with gorgeous blooms like coleus, geraniums, and marigolds, as well as perennials like coral bells and hostas. These pots look lovely placed at entrances and on hardscape areas and can make an area look warm, welcoming, and more inviting to potential customers.
Color Your Life With Annuals
The simple addition of annual color displays can transform the experience of your property. The positive atmosphere created by a beautiful landscape helps to attract more customers, boost your reputation, and incentivize people to stay longer at your facility. Flowers not only revitalize the property but also the community around it.
At emi landscape, we have been transforming landscapes for more than 35 years. Our annual color service provides two seasonal change-outs to keep your grounds looking fresh and cared for, and involves planting, maintenance, and removal at the end of the season.
To discover what we could do for your commercial property, contact us for a free personalized quote.