Today gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in North America. People love to get their hands into the soil and enjoy the great outdoors. You too can have a rainbow of color in your garden. It’s easy and its fun and you don’t have to have a green thumb to grow beautiful plants. All you need is plant a few easy to grow plants that will bloom year after year. A little water and fertilizer once in a while is all it takes.

Self-Seeders

Traditionally annuals are plants that bloom for only one year. The following year you have to purchase them again. Many people don’t realize that there are annuals that are self-seeders. This means you don’t dead-head the plants in the fall. Instead you allow them to go to seed. The seeds will then be released into the soil and come up the following year. Let’s take a closer look at some of the top self-seeders.

Cosmos

These flowers come in a variety of colors and have fern-like leaves. They grow up to three feet high, are drought tolerant and prefer full sun. Plant the seeds in the spring following the last frost of the year. Allow cosmos to bloom and go to seed to have beautiful blooms the following year.

Bachelor Buttons

Bachelor buttons, also known as cornflowers, come in a wide variety of colors and bloom from early spring to fall. They like alkaline PH soil, enjoy full sun and self-seed if they are not dead-headed. Bachelor buttons grow at least a foot wide and need space to spread. They reach heights of three feet, depending on the variety you choose. Read the seed package carefully when buying bachelor buttons to ensure you purchase a species that will fit comfortably into your garden space.

Portulacca

Also known as moss rose, portulacca blooms from early spring to fall. It grows to a height of six inches and continues to flourish for the entire season. Portulacca prefer full sun and comes in hues of orange, rust, red and yellow. When left to propagate, seeds fall into the soil and the following year your garden will be filled with beautiful blooms.