fall/winter/spring annuals

Cool Wave Pansies: This newer variety of pansy looks like a viola but it trails beautifully in a container or at the edge of a flower bed. We grow Wave pansies for fall planting and they are typically fast growing and hardy bloomers throughout the winter and spring and into early summer.

Panolas: A hybrid cross between the pansy and the viola, the panola is taller than the viola, shorter than the pansy, and has some of the outstanding qualities of both. It combines the flower size of the pansy with the hardiness and "wildness" of the viola. 

Pansies: These amazing annuals, grown in nearly every color combination, are winter hardy. Plant them in the fall, and they will bloom throughout the fall, winter, spring, and into early summer. This annual is typically the star of the fall season planting.

Violas: the late Lisa Stanley often referred to the viola as the "mother plant" from which all the pansy-type flowers were bred. Also called Johnny Jump-ups for their facility to pop up nearly anywhere, violas are hardier than any of their hybrid cousins (pansies, panolas, and wave pansies) and the shortest in stature. They feature a heart-shaped "face" with subtle markings. Here at Stanley's we grow around a hundred varieties of pansies, violas, panolas, and wave pansies, so we have color combinations that will suit any garden or landscape. Tip: yellow violas and blue/purple violas have a deliciously fragrant scent; check out the 'Popcorn' variety which is a prolific bloomer and can feature 17-20 blooms on one plant.

Spring/summer annuals

Angelonia: A heat- and sun-tolerant annual that is upright in shape with rather snapdragon-like flowers. Its popularity grows each season. Flowers bloom in shades of white, purple, pink, and blue. Try Angelonia for those hot, sunny dry areas in the garden.

Whopper Begonias: This plant is truly unbelievable; you really have to grow it yourself to understand the qualities of this begonia. Super-sized red or pink flowers sit atop a big, vigorous plant, and bloom from spring to the end of fall. Whopper begonias are a real showstopper, and best of all, they have excellent heat-tolerance against our long Southern summers.

Coleus: Stanley’s featured two new Coleus varieties in Spring 2017—‘Rose Wizard’ and ‘Black Dragon’. Rose Wizard is a reintroduction with leaves that have a bright pink center that breaks into cream and is outlined in lime green. Black Dragon sports large curled and serrated leaves that have red centers outlined with dark black-purple edges. All coleus varieties are easy to grow and add wonderful contrast to the garden. Most varieties grow best in part-shade, but we also carry sun-loving coleus varieties as well.

‘Bounce’ Impatiens: This series of impatiens work best in shade and offer a disease resistance that old-fashioned impatiens varieties do not have. While not available in as many colors as the ‘Walleriana’ variety, Bounce plants more vigorous growers. This year we will feature these plants in cherry, bright coral, pink flame, violet, and white.

Marigolds: This classic garden flower is experiencing new life due to our “Hot Pak” series. Developed for heat-tolerance in the South, this series stays compact and continues to flower without stretching throughout our long growing season.

Petunias: ‘Night Sky’ petunias were a new variety and highly anticipated variety of petunia offered in Spring 2017 and it lived up to its expectation--stunning dark-blue flowers with intermittent specks of white resemble the stars on a warm summer night. With its truly out-of-this-world flower, this petunia is stunning in both pots and hanging baskets. ‘Heartbeat’ has a unique heart-shaped, rosy-pink pattern on a white background. 

Salvia: ‘Summer Jewel Lavender’ completes the sun-loving ‘Summer Jewel’ series with an unusual color that would make a lovely complement to ageratum, melampodium or marigolds.

Sutera (Bacopa): The ‘Betty Series’ of bacopa blooms continuously even in the hottest part of the summer. We will have this beautiful, draping container plant available this spring in blue, pink, and white. Bacopa is a very popular, mounding annual with a mature height of 6-8”, with a 10-12” spread.

These selections are only a few of the wonderful annuals you will find at Stanley’s. Come in and prepare to be amazed by the variety and beauty--then take some color home with you to enjoy!