Gardening Question of the Week:
What’s a Hardy Annual?

One of the most enjoyable things about being a gardener is that there is always something new to learn. Just when you think you’ve got things mastered, a plant will surprise you. Who am I kidding? What gardener ever thinks s/he’s got things mastered. Nature just doesn’t work that way, even when you think you’re in control.

I guess that’s why so much gardening terminology is contradictory. Why isn’t partial shade the same as partial sun? Why is a 7.0 pH considered neutral when the scale only goes to 8? Is there really such a thing as blue foliage and flowers? And what the heck is a hardy annual? By definition, shouldn’t an annual die at the end of the season and shouldn’t a hardy plant make it through winter?

Well, I found at least one answer - more or less. It seems the terms hardy, half-hardy and tender annual, although seemingly oxymorons, are British gardening terms to define the cold tolerance of seeds. Oh, that makes more sense, doesn’t it. Here’s the breakdown.

Photo: © Marie Iannotti. Dianthus 'Arctic Fire’.

It seems I found 2 answers. I was half kidding about the pH scale only going to 8. While I've heard it goes to 14, you never see numbers that high on a pH soil test kit. David Henderson, of Turf Tamer, Inc., was kind enough to remind me that the pH scale is used for other things, besides soil testing. I guess I have to stop being so focused and get out of the garden once in awhile. Thanks, David.