Planting heat-tolerant annuals ensures that your borders bloom all season long.

If your perennial garden starts to fizzle as soon as hot weather arrives, then you need a plan to keep your beds blooming. Try interplanting your perennials with annuals that love hot weather. You can experiment each season until you find combinations that suit you, your garden, and your climate.

Amaranthus (amaranth) Height: 18 in. to 6 ft., varies with species Color: Red, orange, gold, green, purple Notes: Resents transplanting. Direct-seed. Can't Tolerate: Wet soil; shade	Arctotis hybrids (African daisy) Height: 1 ft. to 2 ft., varies with cultivar Color: Red, pink, orange, yellow, white Notes: Direct-seed after frost. Can't Tolerate: Humidity; high night temps
Catharanthus roseus Height: 4 in. to 24 in., varies with cultivar Color: Red, pink, lavender, white Notes: Difficult to start from seed. Buy plants instead. Can't Tolerate: Temps below 60 degrees F	Celosia spicata (wheat celosia) Height: 2 ft. to 4 ft., varies with cultivar Color: Red, pink, purple Notes: Good cut flower, fresh or dried. Can't Tolerate: Cold soil; cold water
Cleome hassleriana Height: 3 ft. to 5 ft. Color: Rose, pink, purple, white Notes: Easy to grow from seed; self-sows. Can't Tolerate: No problems	Cosmos bipinnatus Height: 2 ft. to 5 ft., varies with cultivar Color: Crimson, pink, white Notes: Easy to grow from seed; self-sows. Can't Tolerate: Rich soil (yields few flowers)
Cosmos sulphureus Height: 1 ft. to 4 ft., varies with cultivar Color: Scarlet, orange, yellow Notes: Easy to grow from seed; self-sows. Can't Tolerate: Rich soil (yields few flowers)	Cuphea micropetala Height: 3 ft. to 4 ft. Color: Red Notes: Buy transplants. Can't Tolerate: No problems
Eschscholzia californica Height: 6 in. to 15 in. Color: Red, pink, orange, yellow, cream Notes: Resents transplanting. Sow seed; deadhead for continuous bloom. Can't Tolerate: Rich soil; wet soil	Euphorbia bicolor Height: 18 in. to 24 in. Color: White bracts Notes: Milky sap is toxic. Easy to grow. Can't Tolerate: Rich soil (yields floppy stems)
Gazania hybrids Height: 6 in. to 15 in., varies with cultivar Color: Red, pink, bronze, orange, yellow Notes: Good for hot, windy spots. Can't Tolerate: Rain; wet soil; humidity	Gomphrena (globe amaranth) Height: 12 in. to 30 in., varies with cultivar Color: Rose, orange, purple, lavender, white Notes: Good cut flower, fresh or dried. Can't Tolerate: Cold soil; poor air circulation
Ipomoea quamoclit Height: 6 ft. to 25 ft. Color: Scarlet Notes: Resents transplanting. Easy to grow from seed; self-sows. Can't Tolerate: No problems	Lantana Height: 1 ft. to 6 ft., varies with species Color: Red, pink, orange, cream, lilac, purple, white, and bicolors Notes: Buy transplants. Berries are toxic; look for nonfruiting varieties. Can't Tolerate: Rich soil; night temps below 60 degrees F