Enjoy vibrant color all season long with professional annual flower bed installation from Greenlawn Inc. Serving Ellicott City, Columbia, and Howard County since 1986.
Professional annual flower installation for Howard County properties
Call for FREE EstimateAnnual flowers provide something perennials can't match: consistent, long-lasting color from planting through first frost. While perennials bloom for 2-4 weeks then go green, annuals flower continuously for months with proper care. For Howard County homeowners who want vibrant color all season or who entertain frequently, annual flower beds deliver maximum visual impact.
At Greenlawn Inc, we've been designing and installing annual flower beds throughout Ellicott City and Columbia since 1986. Our 39 years of experience means we understand which annuals thrive in Maryland's heat and humidity, how to design color combinations that complement your home, and how to time installations for longest bloom periods. We offer both spring and fall annual installations, allowing you to enjoy color nearly year-round in Howard County.
Spring annuals are planted in April-May and provide color through summer until heat or frost ends their display:
The workhorse of summer color, petunias bloom continuously from May through October in Ellicott City. Modern wave and supertunia varieties are heat-tolerant, disease-resistant, and self-cleaning (no deadheading required). Available in every color imaginable, petunias work in beds, containers, and hanging baskets. They thrive in full sun and tolerate Maryland's summer heat beautifully.
Perfect for Columbia's shaded areas, impatiens provide continuous color where sun-loving annuals fail. These shade champions bloom prolifically from late spring through fall, creating carpets of color under trees and along shaded foundations. New Guinea impatiens tolerate more sun than traditional impatiens and offer larger flowers with attractive variegated foliage.
Tough, reliable marigolds handle Maryland's heat and humidity while providing cheerful orange, yellow, and red blooms all summer. These low-maintenance annuals resist pests and diseases, making them ideal for Howard County gardens. French marigolds stay compact for front-of-bed plantings, while African marigolds provide height and drama in back rows.
Wax begonias and Dragon Wing begonias excel in Ellicott City's part-shade locations. These versatile annuals bloom continuously with minimal care, tolerate heat, and maintain attractive foliage even when not blooming. Begonias work beautifully in mixed plantings, providing consistent performance through Maryland summers.
Classic geraniums provide bold color and attractive foliage from May through October. These sun-lovers handle heat well and require minimal deadheading. Geraniums are perfect for formal beds, containers, and window boxes throughout Columbia. They're also deer-resistant—a valuable trait in Howard County gardens.
Fall annuals are planted in September-October and provide color through autumn and often into winter:
Fall isn't complete without mums providing rich autumn colors throughout Ellicott City. These reliable fall bloomers offer deep reds, oranges, yellows, and purples that complement fall foliage. Garden mums planted properly in September often survive Maryland winters and return as perennials, though most homeowners treat them as annuals for consistent display.
These cold-hardy annuals are planted in fall and bloom through winter into spring in Columbia. Pansies and violas tolerate freezing temperatures, providing cheerful color during Maryland's gray winter months. They bloom best in cool weather (fall and early spring), taking a pause during coldest winter but resuming bloom with first warmth.
These unique ornamentals provide texture and color through fall and winter in Howard County gardens. Their colors actually intensify with cold weather, becoming more vibrant after frost. Ornamental cabbage and kale tolerate snow and freezing temperatures, maintaining attractive appearance well into winter when other plants have faded.
Fall asters provide masses of daisy-like flowers in purple, pink, and white through September and October. These late-season bloomers attract butterflies and provide nectar when few other flowers remain. While technically perennials, many gardeners use them as fall annuals for consistent performance.
For homeowners wanting year-round color, we offer seasonal rotation programs:
Most popular in Ellicott City and Columbia, two-season programs include spring annual installation (April-May) and fall annual installation (September-October). This provides vibrant color from spring through early winter, with only a brief summer gap during peak heat. Many customers combine annual beds with perennial plantings that fill the mid-summer period.
For maximum color, three-season programs add mid-summer replacement. Heat-sensitive spring annuals are replaced in July with fresh heat-tolerant varieties, ensuring continuous color through Maryland's challenging summer. This premium program delivers constant perfection for properties where appearance is paramount.
Our maintenance programs include regular deadheading, fertilization, and replacement of declining plants. These services keep beds looking perfect all season. Learn more about our garden bed maintenance services.
Professional annual flower installation for Howard County
Schedule Your InstallationProfessional annual bed design considers multiple factors:
We design color schemes that complement your home's exterior and existing landscape. Monochromatic designs (variations of one color) create elegant, sophisticated looks. Complementary colors (opposites on color wheel like purple and yellow) create vibrant, energetic displays. Analogous colors (neighbors on color wheel) provide harmonious, soothing combinations.
Proper layering creates dimension and ensures all plants are visible. Taller varieties go in back (or center of island beds), medium heights in middle, and low growers along edges. This layering maximizes visual impact and ensures no plants are hidden behind others.
Mixing fine-textured plants (small flowers, delicate foliage) with bold-textured plants (large flowers, substantial leaves) creates interest and prevents monotony. Texture variety is as important as color variety in professional designs.
Repeating key plants throughout beds creates unity and cohesion. Rather than using every variety once, we select focal plants and repeat them in groupings, creating rhythm and intentional design rather than random chaos.
Our annual flower installation ensures long-lasting, beautiful displays:
We install spring annuals after last frost (typically late April in Howard County) when soil has warmed and weather is stable. Fall annuals go in September-early October before first frost. Proper timing prevents frost damage and ensures longest possible bloom period.
We refresh soil with compost and slow-release fertilizer before planting. This preparation provides nutrition through the season and improves soil structure. Annual beds benefit from fresh mulch installation with each planting, suppressing weeds and conserving moisture.
We source premium annuals from reliable growers. Quality plants establish quickly, bloom sooner, and perform better throughout the season. We select plants in appropriate sizes—large enough for immediate impact but young enough for vigorous growth after planting.
Annuals are spaced closer than perennials since they won't be expanding year to year. We plant densely enough for immediate fullness but with adequate air circulation to prevent disease in Maryland's humid summers.
Spring-planted annuals typically provide color from May through first frost in October or early November—about 5-6 months of bloom in Howard County. Fall-planted annuals like pansies and ornamental kale can provide color from September through the following April, though bloom pauses during coldest winter months. With a two-season rotation program (spring and fall plantings), you can enjoy fresh color from April through November and again from November through April, providing nearly year-round color on your Ellicott City or Columbia property.
Both have advantages, and many successful gardens combine them. Annuals provide constant bloom all season and can be changed seasonally for variety, but require replanting each year. Perennials return annually and cost less long-term, but bloom for shorter periods and take 2-3 years to reach maturity. We typically recommend perennial gardens for foundational structure with annual beds in high-visibility areas like entryways where constant color matters most. This hybrid approach provides the benefits of both—reliable perennial performance plus seasonal annual impact—without the expense of all-annual beds.
Annuals require moderate maintenance for best performance. Regular watering is critical, especially during Maryland's hot summers—most annuals need 1-1.5 inches weekly. Many benefit from deadheading (removing spent flowers) to encourage continued bloom, though modern varieties like wave petunias and supertunias are self-cleaning. Monthly fertilization keeps annuals blooming vigorously through long growing seasons. We offer maintenance programs that handle deadheading, fertilization, and replacement of declining plants, ensuring your beds look perfect all season. For DIY maintenance, spending 30-45 minutes weekly on watering and deadheading keeps most annual beds beautiful.
Many annuals thrive in shade, making them perfect for Columbia properties with mature trees. Impatiens are the classic shade annual, blooming prolifically with as little as 2-3 hours of sun. Begonias, coleus (grown for colorful foliage), torenia, and browallia all perform excellently in shaded beds. While shade annuals may bloom slightly less abundantly than sun-lovers, they still provide excellent color and actually benefit from shade protection during Maryland's intense summer heat. The key is matching plant selection to your site's actual light conditions. During our consultation, we assess sun exposure throughout your property and recommend annuals appropriate for each bed's conditions.
For spring installations in Howard County, we typically plant in late April through mid-May after last frost danger has passed. Planting too early risks frost damage; planting too late means missing weeks of prime bloom time. Fall plantings happen in September through early October—early enough for plants to establish before hard frost but after summer's peak heat has passed. We recommend scheduling 2-3 weeks in advance during peak planting seasons when our calendar fills quickly. Many customers schedule their fall installation while we're completing spring installation, ensuring their preferred timing for both seasons. Call us in March to schedule spring plantings and in August for fall installations.
When transitioning between seasons, we remove spent annuals, refresh the soil with compost and fertilizer, and install new seasonal plants. Spring annuals are removed in late fall after frost kills them, and fall annuals are removed in spring before new plantings. Some customers leave fall pansies through spring since they continue blooming into April, then remove them for summer beds. The bed itself remains, with only the annual plants changing. If you're on our seasonal rotation program, we handle all removal and replanting as part of the program. If you prefer, you can also leave beds empty during off-seasons, though most Ellicott City and Columbia homeowners prefer maintaining color year-round.
Annual flower bed installation pricing in Howard County depends on:
Most Ellicott City and Columbia residential annual installations range from $400-$1,500 per season depending on bed size and plant selection. Seasonal rotation programs provide better value than one-time installations. We always provide detailed estimates before beginning work.
Enjoy vibrant color all season with professional annual flower installation from Greenlawn Inc. Our 39 years serving Howard County means we understand which annuals thrive in Maryland's climate and how to design displays that provide maximum impact with your home and landscape.
Whether you want spring color, fall displays, or year-round seasonal rotations, we have the experience and plant knowledge to create annual beds you'll love. Call us today to discuss your color preferences and schedule your installation for the upcoming planting season.
Professional annual flower installation for Howard County
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Serving Howard County families since 1986
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About Greenlawn Inc: Since 1986, Greenlawn Inc has provided professional annual flower installation and garden services to homeowners throughout Ellicott City, Columbia, and Howard County, Maryland. Our experienced team creates stunning seasonal displays that provide vibrant color and enhance your property's curb appeal.