How to grow annuals

Annual plants complete their entire life cycle — germination, flowering, seed set and death — within a single growing season. That brevity is their superpower: annuals respond to care with almost instant reward, making them perfect for gardeners who want colour fast. Sow in spring once frost risk has passed, and many will bloom within eight to twelve weeks. Cosmos, zinnias, sunflowers, sweet peas and nasturtiums are all annuals you can grow from seed on a windowsill. Because they self-seed freely, a single packet often keeps a border going for years. Use annuals to fill gaps between slower perennials, pack a cutting garden, or transform a bare patch of earth into a sea of colour before summer ends.