Cheap and easy...

No, not your date....I'm talking about colorful annuals. It's a pretty easy way to spruce up your yard without having to break the bank. When you go to the garden center you may be overwhelmed with choice and may be tempted to buy the prettiest, newest or more exciting plants but if you're like me (lazy) it's best to choose plants that give you the most color for the least amount of effort.

If you want lots of color without having to deadhead or water like crazy you should look for "self-cleaning" annuals. Such as Wave petunias, Million Bells (Calibrachoa), celosia, wax begonia, moss rose (Porulaca grandiflora), ornamental grasses, and impatiens. My mother swears by imatiens and puts them in each year.

If you live where summer's are hot and dry you might try some annuals that can handle dry conditions. Some of these might be: Blanket flowers (Gaillardia x gradiflora), California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora), verbena (Verbena x hybrida), and African daisy (Arctotis and Dimorphotheca species)