There are important differences between these two classifications of flowers. Whether you have nothing but time and prefer the perennials or are more of an “impatiens” kind of flower grower and prefer the annuals, this list will give you the pros and cons of each.
Annuals
Advantages:
- They grow more quickly and bloom longer (remember, they go from seed to flower in just one season so they’d better work fast).
- Their colors are generally more vivid and bright.
- You can change out the color scheme of your flower bed/garden from year to year.
- They’re easy to grow. Just plant them, be sure to water them and then sit back and enjoy them.
Disadvantages:
- There will be more of a cost to you because you are planting new flower seeds in your flower bed/garden every year.
- Annuals don’t do well with the cold. You must be sure the last frost of the season has occurred before planting them which will give you a shorter growing season and less time to enjoy your beautiful flowers. This is especially true if you live in one of the cooler Northern climates.
- If you live where there are very warm temperatures, you will need to water them once or twice a day.
- Insects tend to invade this type of flower more frequently.
Perennials
Advantages:
- First and foremost, this type of flower is good for the soil. Since their roots remain planted from two to four years, there is less risk of soil erosion from wind or rain. Also, they form channels in the earth that water can pass through and little openings where air can pass through (allowing for more oxygen).
- There is a longer growing season. Many pop out as soon as the last snow (or colder temps) have disappeared.
- Lower Maintenance because of their deeper roots (growing from year to year) thereby needing less watering. They are very tough.
- You can better plan the look and color of your garden because you know exactly what is going to grow from year to year.
Disadvantages:
- They generally take longer to start growing (but once mature, they grow more quickly in future years).
- More prone to disease since this flower isn’t rotated year over year.
- Requires more space. They have a tendency to spread out a little more each year, so they may need some regular thinning.