What is the difference between an annual and a perennial?
What is the difference between an annual and a perennial plant?
Annual plants live for just one growing season. They grow from seed, bloom, and die with the first hard frost in fall. Gardeners love annuals for their vibrant, nonstop color and variety—they’re perfect for containers, window boxes, hanging baskets, and seasonal garden beds. You can shop our annuals during the growing season here.
Perennial plants, on the other hand, come back year after year. Once established, they return each spring from the same root system, often growing larger or fuller with time. Perennials are a great long-term investment for garden beds and landscapes. You can shop our perennial plants during the growing season here.
Popular sun-loving annuals we carry include:
Geraniums, Marigolds, Petunias (including Wave Petunias), Lantana, Calibrachoa, Portulaca (Moss Rose), Verbena, Nemesia, Cosmos, Snapdragons, and Cleome.
Top shade annuals include:
Fuchsias, Impatiens, Coleus, Torenia, Begonias, Caladium, Browallia, Lobelia, and Polka Dot Plant.
At Mahoney’s Garden Centers, we offer a wide selection of both annual and perennial plants—carefully curated for New England gardens.