I used to be an annuals snob.

I don't know why -- maybe a marigold doesn't pose as much of a challenge as, say, an America rosebush.

But the older I get, the fewer challenges I need, so I've made a place in my garden for the "easy children" of the plant world. The ones who bloom nonstop around here from May into October. The ones who can tolerate a lot of sun, a little drought, even a week of constant rain.

Yes, these are the annuals, and I'm learning to respect them.

Because when June's roses, Scabiosa, cornflowers and columbine start to die back -- and before the Monarda, Heliopsis, Liatris, Hydrangeas and Echinacea deliver their riot of color, the annuals take the stage. This year, in addition to the geraniums, I've added marigolds, zinnias and scarlet salvia. I've also planted morning glories, but the Heavenly Blues (on the left in the photo above) have not yet delivered any blossoms.

So to keep color in my backyard English garden during that little July lull, I now rely on the old staples: the annuals.