They are old fashioned in the true meaning of the term. It is a wonderful ground cover - so exquisitely pretty - and the thing is it flowers for most of the year. Here in Australia we have so many perennials which flower many times over during the year. I would never be without this gorgeous flower, even if I kept it in a pot which I have done many times. If you are growing them by seed, sow them several weeks apart and you will be in for a continual show. Lobelias, Portulacas, and many others are in the small size group. can be grown as an Annual or as a Perennial Flower, depending on where you live. Even in the sub-tropics where I live we still have to wait and wait for spring to bring us the flowering  bulbs, and the annual plants which we plant from seed. the Plumbago bush. On our first real winter night the temperature went to -12 C and the horse troughs froze over. Scroll down to see a list of all my favourite Annual Plants, and also Annuals you can grow in Australia as well as great Winter Flowers for Australia. Examples of true annuals include corn, wheat, rice, lettuce, peas, watermelon, beans, zinnia and marigold. The first year is devoted to growing the stems, roots and leaves, and then the flowers and seeds appear and develop in the second year. They are not polluted by any modern hybridizing, they keep their good old original colours and fragrance and in the case of fruits and vegetables, they retain their delicious taste. Flowering tobacco prefers full sun and well-drained soil. And if you want to know the secret of growing real old-fashioned Annuals like they do in England, the following book has taught me one thing, and for that one thing I thank Lisa Mason Ziegler: Sow your seeds earlier than even you thought possible. The Lowest Temperature of Marigold Plants→, The Best Container Flowers to Grow in Phoenix→. Was my garden information worth a $1.00 to you? Annuals germinate, grow, flower, seed and then die. I love Portulacas. I have lived in several towns which are above 700 metres and had the joy of finding beautiful cold climate plants I had never seen. Note: This book is not just for the cut flower trade. a list of all my favourite Annual Plants. They prefer full sun and grow 6 inches to 3 feet. The taller varieties usually need some support, especially in windy conditions. Lobelias take a surprising amount of sun, as long as moisture is present. One caveat, in my own experience, is that these newer breeds can melt out about midseason. An annual is a type of flower that completes its life cycle in only one growing season. Tuck your annuals in between these exquisite jewels.