Cold + Bold Canada^™ - Flexible Annuals for Shifting Light Conditions

Solenia^® Series of Begonias

You’re probably familiar with older types of begonias that only grew well in the shade. Solenia begonias are far more versatile, combining the best traits of tuberous and fibrous begonias in plants that thrive in sun and shade.

These begonias are prolific bloomers, flowering in rich colours including Solenia Apricot, Solenia Chocolate Orange, Solenia Scarlet and Solenia Yellow. They are sturdy plants, mildew resistant and genuinely sun tolerant, which is a rare trait in the begonia world. Whether you use them as fillers in containers or to edge your garden beds, these low maintenance annuals deliver non-stop colour with very little fuss.

Care Tips for Solenia begonias:

• Plant in well-drained, evenly moist soil. Avoid soggy soil; these plants do not like having wet feet.
• Feed weekly with water soluble plant food.
• No deadheading is required for these self-cleaning flowers.
• Once established, Solenia begonias are surprisingly drought tolerant.

ColorBlaze^® Series of Coleus

Bold ColorBlaze coleus varieties bring drama to the garden through their foliage rather than flowers. In fact, they were bred not to bloom at all or to flower late in the season so their foliage stays nice for far longer than many other coleus.

There are large, robust kinds of coleus as well as mid-sized, finer-textured varieties and trailing types. All of them flourish in both sun and shade, making them ideal for garden spaces where the light shifts through the seasons. ColorBlaze coleus varieties resist fading in bright sun and are colourful in shade. Whether used as a thriller, filler or spiller in containers or as a focal point in garden beds, they hold their colour and shape beautifully all season.

ColorBlaze coleus comes in many vibrant colours and patterns including shades of deep burgundy, crimson red, copper and chartreuse. Explore the whole ColorBlaze collection.  

Care Tips for ColorBlaze coleus:

• Plant in rich, well-drained soil.
• Keep plants evenly moist, especially if grown in full sun. Avoid soggy soil.
• Feed every 1 to 2 weeks with water soluble plant food for lush growth.
• Plants are naturally tidy but can be pinched back if a bushier shape is desired.
• If flowers do appear, it is best to pinch them off until late in the season.

Summer Wave^® Trailing Series of Wishbone Flowers (Torenia)

For those tricky spots that swing between sun and shade, try Summer Wave Trailing Large Blue or Summer Wave Trailing Large Violet wishbone flowers. Unlike some varieties, this series is heat tolerant, mildew resistant and blooms continuously all season in cool, vibrant colours. Their trailing habit makes them perfect for growing in hanging baskets, window boxes and patio planters as a spiller plant. They also make a beautiful, easy care annual groundcover as pictured here.

Care Tips for Summer Wave Trailing wishbone flowers:

• Plant in consistently moist, well-drained soil. Take care not to let plants growing in full sun dry out.
• Feed weekly with water soluble plant food.
• No deadheading is required for these self-cleaning flowers.

I hope you will give these northern garden heros a try in your own garden like I have. Since our growing season is relatively short, we need plants that don’t wait for the “perfect” light to come around. Solenia begonias, ColorBlaze coleus and Summer Wave Trailing wishbone flowers shine in the shifting sun-shade patterns that are common in Canadian zones 2-4. If your garden starts the season sunny and ends in the shade - or if the reverse is true - these resilient annuals will deliver dependable, all-season colour.