Winning Annuals

Garden Clippings for May 17, 2026

Queen Victoria must have been a wicked gardener. She chose the Monday preceding May 24 as a national holiday to celebrate the last day that frost might fall on Southwestern Ontario soil.

Wrong on all counts.

Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 to 1901. She is credited with shaping Canadian Federation and naming Ottawa as our Capital. In 1845 we officially honoured the Queen by choosing her birthday as a national holiday. But since Canadians prefer Mondays as holidays, we opt for the Monday preceding May two-four as Victoria Day.

Coincidentally, in our corner of Canada, we mark the May two-four weekend as day we get the green light to plant flowers because no more frost is expected. Fingers crossed.

For our backyard containers, we will be planting our annuals the following weekend because Cheryl has other commitments, and I won’t have the nerve to choose plants without supervision.

Here’s my list of must-haves that I hope will be available in a week or two when we are ready to plant our 20-odd containers.

Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia): A low-growing ground cover with golden leaves. Plant it at the edge of the container and it will spill comfortably over the edge.

Hibiscus: This tropical sun-loving annual has large showy flowers that are short-lived producing new blooms every morning. Available as a bush or tree form.

Lantana: Bright flowers in ranges of yellow to orange. Growing about 2 feet high and wide, Lantana is sure to draw hummingbirds and bees. Full sun.

Dipladenia: A favorite with glossy green leaves and abundant bell-shaped blooms in pink, red, white or yellow. Will grow as a vine if given a trellis. Dipladenia is hardy, versatile, and will forgive you if you forget to water for a day or two.

Caladium: Vibrant colourful foliage is the reward. Plant in shade, protected from severe winds.

Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea): A vigorous growing foliage plant that can dominate its neighbouring plants. New varieties, also in black, are more obedient growers.

Coleus: A blast from the past with its upright bush shape and a riot of foliage colour. Performs nicely in sun or shade.

Superbells: A new twist on the traditional Petunia. Smaller, but more plentiful flowers. Fertilize and water faithfully for incredible blooms all season.

Juncas: This little-known water-loving plant has grass-like upright foliage. ‘Blue Arrow’ will be my favorite, to be planted in the centre of a mix of trailing plants. Juncas ‘Spiralis’ has corkscrew stems and should be planted on its own to appreciate its unique habit. Both are fond of water.