Cold (Frost) Tolerant Annuals

One aspect of gardening that needs to be addressed when planning and using annuals, is furthering annual flower time with the onset of early frost. Mid October and November is really tough. Some days it's so cold outside, you'd think it was December. Other days, it's warm as September.

Outside of blowing huge budgets by replanting your beds with Kale and Chrysanthemums, there are other cold tolerant selections to choose in the spring when designing with annuals. Autumn in the greater Toronto area has rather cold spurts to start off the season, and with these choices, you'll be able to extend that bloom just a bit longer.

Here is a few examples in my photo collection:

Sweet William

Snapdragons

Dusty Miller

Licorice Vine

Trailing Vinca

Geraniums

Nasturtium

Ageratum

Dragon Winged Begonia

Many choices:

• Helichrysum petiolare - Licorice Vine
• Bidens ferulifolia - Gold Spark Bidens
• Ageratum houstonianum - Ageratum
• Pelargoniums - All annual Geraniums
• Senecio cineraria - Dusty Miller
• Salvia farinacea 'victoria blue' - Victoria Blue Salvia
• Dianthus barbatus - Sweet William
• Tagetes patula - Marigolds
• Salvia splendens - Red Salvias
• Viola x wittrockiana - Icicle Pansy
• Antirrhinum majus - Snap dragons
• Tropaeolum majus - Nasturtium
• Vinca major -Trailing Vinca
• Calendula officinalis - Field or pot Marigold
• Gazania longiscapa - Treasure Flower
• Lobularia maritima -Sweet Allysum 
• Begonia x dragon wing - Dragon Wing Begonia