When it comes to annual flowers, Proven Winners is ahead of the game. Even though they are not the only name on the market, they have upped everyone else’s quality by competition. In other words, becuase they do so well, it makes everyone else better. In the past, I was not as fond of annual flowers as I am now. But now I use them, especially the Proven Winners annual flowers. But I do have my favorites.
When choosing Proven Winners annual flowers, I look for a variety of attributes. They need to be drought tolerant, have a long bloom period, moderate wind resistance (toughness), and be pollinator friendly (if possible). Flower power, or colors and long bloom period is probably farther back on my list, but they are important when choosing color schemes for the landscape. Just like picking other annuals, I will separate into 3 categories: thrillers, fillers, and spillers. I will try to note where I like to use each plant.
Thrillers
When it comes to thrillers, there are plenty of Proven Winners annual flowers. And they add more every year, as trials are finished and plants released. Of course, salvias are probably my favorite for thrillers, or houseplants. One thing about using houseplants is that they often have a more tropical look for a container. In-ground annual beds need more durable plantings.
- Cuphea ‘Vermillionaire’ has been one of my favorites for a long time now. Its application can be either in the ground or in a container. It loves full sun and heat and has been one of the few annuals which can survive for weeks without water. And the red tubular flowers attract hummingbirds.
- Cyperus ‘King Tut’ & ‘Prince Tut’ are both grass-like Proven Winners annual flowers which actually to not produce colorful flowers. They are green and often confuse people. But they work well in either ground or containers and can take wet or dry conditions.
- Gomphrena ‘Truffala Pink’ is one of the showiest annual flowers for the in ground beds. It gets too big for containers. I have observed a number of butterflies and bees on the flowers.
- Sunflower ‘ Suncredible Series’ have the flower power one would expect from a sunflower. They bloom all season long. And they provide nectar for bees and butterflies. Plant these in the ground or in large containers.
- Pennisetum ‘Fireworks’ & ‘Purple Fountain’ are grasses which explode on the scene in bright tones of either pink/white/green or rich purple. These grasses can be used in mass in the ground or individually in large containers surrounded by other Proven Winners annual flowers.
- Salvia Rockin & Unplugged Series are 2 great series of annual flowers. I love using salvia as my thriller plants because they are tough, heat & drought tolerant, and provide nectar for bees and other pollinators. They come in a variety of colors and sizes suitable for containers or in ground plantings.
- Verbena ‘Meteor Shower’ is my last thriller, but not my last go-to plant. It is a deep lavender flower which attracts pollinators and can be planted in the ground or in a container.
Fillers
Some of the Proven Winners annual flowers listed below could also be used as thrillers, though I am less inclined to use them for that. But fillers can be used either in containers to fill the gap between thrillers and spillers, or even along the ground as a border.
- Angelonia Angelface Series can be used either as a thriller or a filler. But I prefer to use Angelonia as a filler. It comes in a variety of colors, but I prefer the blue, white, and pink for my use. While Angelonia is not great for pollinators, it makes a great filler in containers, especially paired with ‘Fireworks’ pennisetum.
- Caladium Heart to Heart Series creates a splash of color for the shady parts of your landscape. These plants shine in shade! The leaves come in a variety of colors and my favorites are ‘Bottle Rocket’, ‘White Wonder’, ‘Raspberry Moon’, and ‘Splash of Wine’. I like to use then in the ground or containers.
- Coleus ColorBlaze Series has cornered a market on coleus. These leafy annuals are another great choice for shade, but can take morning and midday sun as well. Use them in the ground or in containers as either a filler or thriller, all depending on the size of each variety.
- Lantana ‘Berry Blend’ and ‘Marmalade’ are some of the toughest fillers out there. I have never liked lantana much because of their strong odor, but pollinators love the flowers. And they grow in the toughest spots, either in ground or in containers.
- Bidens Campfire ‘Marshmallow’ is one of my newest favorites. I planted it along my driveway in 2024 and it went from May through October, blooming without any moisture beyond rain. And we had a period of drought from September 1 to October 22nd with no measurable rain. Plus, the pollinators loved it!
- Sedum ‘Lemon Coral’ has been a very versatile plant in the landscape. Though it does not flower, the striking chartreuse foliage stays in a tidy clump about 12 inches in diameter and 8 inches tall.
Spillers
You do not always need spillers in the landscape, but they are almost always needed in containers. I really like the ones which trail to the ground. One spiller which breaks the in ground rules are supertunias. These are usually aggressive and must be placed carefully, or they will crowd out other plantings.
- Supertunia Vista and Mini Vista series are outstanding spillers for containers or the ground. I have really become fond of Mini Vistas despite many customers not taking to the smaller flower size. But they are filled with flower power! Mini Vista ‘Yellow’ is my favorite. In the Vista series, how can you go wrong with the original ‘Bubblegum’? I also love ‘Latte’, ‘Persimmon’, and ‘Silverberry’.
- Thunbergia ‘Tangerine Slice-A-Peel’ is a newer black-eyed Susan vine with multi-colored flowers. It does not just trail but will consume a large area on a trellis or pergola. Plant it where it can grow up for best results.
- Dorotheanthus ‘Mezoo Trailing Red’ has been one of my most used spillers, because it is super drought tolerant. It is a succulent vining plant, which spreads or drops down about 3 feet each season. With variegated foliage and bright red flowers, it fits well in containers or even in the ground.
- Superbells belong in containers. In fact, they were made for it. Do not put them in the ground unless you have an irrigation system handy. My favorite colors are ‘Double Amber’, ‘Evening Star’, and ‘Lemon Slice’.
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vines are my final spillers. They come in so many sizes and colors now it can be hard to choose, even among the Proven Winners. But I really look to ‘Tricolor’, ‘Margarita’, and ‘Sweetheart Mahogany’ for their performance in both landscape beds and large containers.
Conclusion
Using Proven Winners annual flowers in the landscape means adding success to your beds! They not only are drought resistant and tough, but many of them provide pollinator friendliness to the garden. Add them wherever you need a pop of brightness in the garden!
Happy planting!
