DU Gardeners/Flower Children. Need Help Quick!

[Bunny]

What kind of flowers could I put in a planter (outside of my house) that will be colorful, very tolerant of direct sunlight, and bloom all summer? I love tulips, but I understand this would not be the best choice. Anything besides impatiens? They are okay, but kinda boring. Thanks.

[ironflange]

1. Pansies

Very nice looking, and hard to kill. Don't even consider impatiens in a sunny area.

[mondo joe]

2. Bloom ALL summer? You'll need a mix.

I'd suggest a mix of perennials, evergreen (so it will look good i n winter too) and annuals.

Perennials: Try some sun rose or some osteospermum (african daisies).

Evergreen: You might try some New Zealand flax - nice and spikey and no flowers but nice evergreen foliage. If not that, some type of Hebe.

Annual: You'll get the most flowers here probably - try Million Bells or Diascia (twinspur) - either will hang overthe side of the pot and flower for a long time.

Lastly, the basic recipe for a nice planter is 1) something spikey; 2) something mounding); 3) something hanging.

[carols]

3. Pentas do really well, but you would need to keep them trimmed

as they can get tall and stalky.
Carol

[TriadLeftist]

4. I like Lantana

Very drought resistant and very pretty.

[liberalitch]

5. Drought resistent... idiot proof....

Geraniums..... When each individual flower is done blooming "dead head" it.... pinch the dying flower off so that the plant will still think it has a job to do and keep blooming.

Pinks (dianthus) and vinca are good too.
Or try some petunias (dead head these too)
If you get a lot of sun, stay away from white flowers, they brown when they get "baked"

[WFF]

6. Marigolds, zenias

They do well in sunlight

[liberalitch]

7. Arm loads of Zenias!

I love to grow zenias..... if you cut them they'll keep blooming all summer too.
I love a big vase of zenias in the house.

[Bunny]

8. Are zenias different than zinnias?

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone!

[denverbill]

9. Geraniums.

Easy to grow. Drought tolerant. Bloom all summer. We even took ours in the house last fall and they're still blooming.

[Red State Rebel]

10. Moss Rose, Geraniums, Zinnias, Snapdragons, Petunias

I like a mix of things in containers. Put something low growing like Moss Rose around the bottom (or Petunias - preferably Wave Petunias) then add in some taller plants like the Zinnias or Geraniums. In the center you could put a Dracena Spike for a tall green look.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Where do you live? That makes a bit of difference as to what will grow

even in a planter.