When I’m designing my annuals flowerbeds for the year I usually find myself putting short zinnias (especially the Profusion and Dreamland series) and marigolds in the front rows because they never fail me. I don’t want to risk trying something that might not bloom all summer long or will become a rabbit delicacy or will develop some weird fungus and then leave a huge gap in the front of the flowerbed when I get frustrated and yank it out.
I occasionally try new annuals in my front rows, but I only plant 3 or 4 of them in any one spot, and I always surround them with my go-to zinnias and marigolds just in case. But I can’t rely solely on zinnias and marigolds or my front rows would be dominated by shades of yellow, orange and pink. That why I also mix things up with the bluish-lavender flowers of ageratums like ‘Blue Diamond’ as well as some reliable, red salvias.
Two of my favorite short salvias are ‘Mojave’ and ‘Vista Red’. ‘Mojave’ grows 10 inches tall with rich, red flowers that appear above contrasting dark-green foliage. The plants begin blooming in early summer and if you keep them deadheaded the show will continue into fall.
‘Vista Red’ is a heat-tolerant salvia that grows 10-12 inches tall on bushy plants that really pack together those brilliant-red flower spikes.
Salvias are easy to grow. They are rarely bothered by pests or diseases, and the plants tolerate heat and drought. As a bonus they attract bees and hummingbirds to your yard. If you’re looking for a reliable plant for the front row of a flowerbed, and you’re already maxed out on zinnias and marigolds, add a nice splash of bright red with ‘Vista Red’ or ‘Mojave.’