Most annuals grow well with average soil moisture and partial or full sun, though some can take full shade giving the home gardener more options for use in the landscape. Annuals, with their blast of color, are used for edging, mass of color, filling in spots between established shrubs, trees and evergreens and as groundcovers.

Annuals can be grown directly in the ground, in containers for patios and decks or in hanging baskets. Mixed containers are in vogue, often a blend of annuals, perennials, ornamental grasses and even tropicals to take the urn, window box or decorative planter through the spring, summer, fall until frost.

Many annuals that flower can flourish in years of average temperatures, average rainfall, or an overall average climate although many of these same plants can also do quite well in years with below average and above average temperatures, below and above average rainfall. Some of these bedding plants are native plants and have evolved to handle a fairly wide range of weather extremes for short periods of time, have a wider tolerance for diseases, and are generally more insect resistant. 

While many plants have varying degrees of resistance to deer, often depending on the part of the country you live in, a dependable flowering plant seems to be largely unattractive to deer everywhere.  Black-eyed Susan is a wonderful native deer resistant annual that prefers to be kept on the dry side, so growing in containers works well.

Floss Flower, while native to Mexico, can be safely planted to withstand deer browse. Flowers come in shades of purples, lavenders and blue, but also white and pink. They are surprisingly cold tolerant in fall and winter in the Southern US.

An up-and-coming flowering plant is Treasure Flower. Tolerant of a wide range of moisture conditions from dry to wet, Treasure Flower is also adaptable to partial sun or full sun and since it needs to dry out between rain and waterings, grow it in a container.

To view learn more about Annuals for average moisture conditions, please visit Virtual Plant Tags.