Morning Glory

It’s quite a gift to have plants that deposit themselves in your garden effortlessly. About this time of year, when I’m exhausted from all the garden work, I have a love affair with annuals and perennials that reseed themselves. It’s such a source of delight to see fresh new dill plants in late summer because I let some go to seed. The same goes for cilantro and arugula. It’s a sustainable and cost-effective way to maintain my garden. 

Self-seeding plants naturally drop seeds which germinate and grow into new plants without intervention. If you end up with plants in the wrong spot, simply remove or move them. The key is to avoid deadheading so they can produce seeds, and to be ferocious about weeding in spring in case you don’t recognize seedlings. 

Annuals complete their life cycle in one year, dying after the seeds are spread. Perennials, on the other hand, may spread from the crown or may also strew seed about the garden. The plant dies back to the ground in winter but comes back the following spring. 

Poppy

Incorporating self-seeding perennials and annuals into your garden can bring a sense of spontaneity and low-maintenance beauty. The magic of self-seeding plants makes a garden more vibrant with each passing year.

Zinnia

A few self-seeding perennials that thrive in our area: 

black-eyed Susan, columbine, coneflower, coreopsis, fall anemone, lupine, primrose, yarrow

Coneflower

Annuals: cosmos, flowering tobacco (nicotiana), larkspur, love-in-a-mist, morning glory, Mexican verbena, poppy, zinnia