In Praise of Petunias

Petunias have always been a favorite annual of mine. I have grown them for many years in several climate zones, and I have always had great performance from them. They are very hardy, blooming freely from early summer until a hard frost kills them. They come in many colors and sizes. Some are good for edging, others are good for bedding, and still others look their best in pots, window boxes, planters, and hanging baskets.


The Wave cultivars are amazing and take little care because they do not require deadheading to keep blooming.


In addition to the petunias' easy care and their lovely blooms and colors, they usually have a delightful fragrance to help perfume gardens, patios, and decks


They are also attractive to hummingbirds and to many kinds of bees, butterflies, and moths.


To get a nice splash of color around the garden, plant petunias in one-gallon and two-gallon pots and tuck them in beds where shrubs and perennials have finished blooming or even under trees with lacy leaves, so that they get enough light.

Used alone, they will look stunning, or you can combine them with other annuals to make planters, pots, and boxes with a little more interest.


Some people plant seeds. I don’t have the space to do that for the number of plants that I require, so I buy them by the flat.