Summer's flowers are the brightest and the boldest in the garden, as radiant as the sun itself. Most need heat (the two most popular, marigolds and zinnias, come from sunny Mexico), and they shouldn't be planted until the weather swears to stay warm.

Two of the brightest summer annuals—marigold and gloriosa daisies—come in many forms. There are small-flowered French marigolds, big American hybrids, and just about every size between them. Summer's flowers aren't quite as easy to grow as those of spring. Warm weather brings out bugs and disease that may bother them, and regular watering becomes more critical, but they are a tough lot—born to grow in the sun. The following is a list of some of the best annuals for summer.

Ageratum: Flat, fuzzy clusters of violet-blue flowers cover this foot-tall plant throughout the summer. Good as a filler, or in the front row. Best planted from packs or pots.

Sweet Alyssum: As good in the summer as it is in the winter and spring, it grows in low mounds of white or purplish flowers. 'Midnight,' a dark purple variety and 'Wonderland,' a pinkish-purple one, are less likely to fade in summer's heat. Dwarf kinds are dense, stay under four inches. Best grown from seed.

Cosmos: Bushy plants with vivid, daisylike flowers on long, thin stems. There are two distinct kinds, one with brilliant yellow or orange flowers and one with flowers in shades of pink, mulberry, and white. Both have the same airy effect in the garden, growing to three feet tall or more. Easy to grow from seed, packs or pots.

Gloriosa Daisy: Huge daisy flowers on tall but graceful plants growing to four feet. Flowers usually golden, often with dark mahogany markings, though some are completely mahogany in color. Irish Eyes has a bright green center. Easily grown from seed, packs or pots.

Lobelia: six-inch-tall plants, often with dark reddish foliage and bright blue to violet flowers. A good filler that contrasts nicely with summer's many golden flowers. Best grown from packs or pots.

Marigold: Summer's favorite flower hardly needs describing. They come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Marigolds are easily grown from seed, packs or pots.

Portulaca: Low-spreading succulent plants with shimmering flowers almost too brilliant for the garden, in shades of yellow, orange, red, cerise, coral, and white. Loves hot weather. Easy to grow from seed or packs.

Verbena: Usually planted as annuals, except in warm climates. The kinds sold as bedding plants have rounded clusters of white, pink, red, or violet flowers, grow under a foot tall, and should be planted two feet apart. They are seldom out of bloom. Very useful in the foreground of the garden. Best grown from packs or pots.

Vinca: The best annual for really hot weather, it is also long-lasting, well into cool weather. A foot tall with neatly growing white flowers with red eyes or rosy pink flowers. Best grown from packs or pots.

Zinnia: The brightest of summer flowers, zinnias come in many sizes, forms and colors. All come in brilliant shades of yellow, orange, pink, rose, scarlet, cream, and violet. Prettiest when planted as a mix of colors. Easy to grow from seed or packs. Will become root-bound in pots.

Plants listed subject to availability.

Before transplanting annuals to the garden, or direct-sowing seeds there, it's a good idea to prepare the soil. In general, annuals prefer well-drained soil with a pH between 6.3 and 6.7. Digging in a good quantity of peat moss or compost will help to build up the soil's organic matter and allow the plants' roots to spread quickly and get off to a good start.

Set out young plants at the recommended spacing, to prevent them from crowding each other once they have grown and matured. If you've purchased plants in flats from a garden center, the plants will likely be somewhat potbound when you remove them from their cells or containers. Before placing them in the planting hole, gently break apart the root mass; this encourages roots to spread quickly into the surrounding soil. Fertilize at planting time with an organic or slow-release fertilizer.

You need to pay attention to whether a particular plant is hardy, half-hardy, or tender before deciding when to purchase and transplant it. Some nurseries sell plants with labels that identify hardiness; when in doubt. put your annuals out after all danger of frost has passed. Another crucial factor, of course, if whether a particular plant prefers sun or partial shade.

If you need to hold plants in flats for more than a couple of days at home, be sure to water them and keep them in a partly shady, protected spot like a porch or under a tree. Don't leave them in a garage or other structure where you store cars or gasoline-powered machines, since ethylene gas can cause flower damage and leaf drop. The best advice is to transplant annuals to the garden as soon as possible after bringing them home.

Colorful bracelets decorating your windows—Window Boxes!

Actually, window boxes, window baskets, window shelves with pots: you name it, they will spice up a window every day of the year! Anyone can have a floral window display. Some of you may be apartment, condo or loft dwellers, and the only space that you have available is off your window! No problem! We have the perfect products for you to begin your window garden design.

First you must start with the container choice that will become home to your small urban garden. We have a fabulous selection available for you—wire baskets, steel baskets, wooden boxes, window ledge-width glazed, clay or metal pots!

If you choose a wire or steel basket, we also have coir mat liners for the natural look. Also, we carry several different mosses, which will hold the soils in, but let water drain from the basket. Plus, with wire baskets, you can have plants on all outer surfaces. These baskets are simply beautiful!

Whatever your container choice, you will be creating your own garden masterpiece right outside of your window. You may want to have seasonal flower color to cheer you up each day. Or instead, multi-color and -texture foliage plants to last the entire year. And vegetable gardeners or avid cooks: of course you can create your very own herb garden, ready and waiting right outside your window!

Next, think about the design of your new garden. You will want plants that are upright, plants that are billowy, plants that are spiky and plants that will trail downward. The key elements of garden design for your window gardens remain the same as in a landscape.

Remember, you must select a high quality potting mix, and do not forget to mix in a controlled release fertilizer. Also, remember that moisture retention is frequently a problem with containers, so mix in a soil polymer that will hold on to the moisture between watering.

Now who needs a plot of land? Not necessary at all. Just create your own flowering or foliage window garden design. Now is the time to begin. You’ll bring a garden to your view each time you gaze out your windows! Lucky you. We’ll be waiting for you, here in our gardens!