Annuals in Fall--still gorgeous after all that heat.

These annual flowers are loving the cooler nights and are hanging on through

the fall, looking better than ever. You can enjoy annuals in fall!

Calendula

The calendula I planted as greenhouse-raised seedings in the spring have mostly gone by, but the seedlings that came up from seeds shed by last year’s plants have developed later and are looking fresh and lovely. They will survive the first few frosts and give me and the bees something to live for for days to come. I shall leave plenty of seeds heads on the older plants so they can repeat this action next year.

Red Rocket Snapdragon

This is a ‘Rocket’ snapdragon - the tallest, showiest of them and an absolute must-have for my garden. They come in assorted colors - all intense and brilliant. By removing the spent heads of their first flowers in early summer, you can encourage them to produce side shoots for a second burst that will also survive early frosts.

Verbena bonariensis

Verbena bonariensis. Not sure that it has a recognized common name, but it is another

essential for me. It fills gaps in perennial beds in a most obliging way as the plant itself takes up little room but the tall, strong and much-branched flower stems will come up through

everything else, and produce flowers that the bees love all summer and into fall. This particular plant is a self-sown seedling that found a safe spot under a railroad tie at the edge of a parking spot. The trick for gardeners is to recognize this excellent plant in spring. They don’t show color early, and are easily overlooked among the more precocious spring annuals.

Tagetes 'Lemon Gem' Marigold

This little marigold (Tagetes ‘Lemon Gem’) is another favorite that suffers in summer drought and heat and bounces back to life as days get cooler. The first frost will probably knock it on its butt, but I cherish it for its fall display and - perhaps most of all - for its wonderfully pungent foliage.

All of these flowers are beloved by pollinators, whose presence in my garden puts a second layer of reward onto my efforts. I regard the bees, butterflies and assorted hover flies and tiny wasps as low-maintenance pets, and hope that I can share some flowers with them for a few more days at least.