Our Favorite Annual Flowers for 2025: Carol & Carmen’s Top Picks
Each spring, we usually share Jo Ann’s Top 10 annual flowers — a much-anticipated list of our founder’s favorite blooming beauties. And while Jo Ann is still our fearless leader, master propagator, and the Queen of the Greenhouse, this year we’re doing something a little different.
After more than 40 years of growing excellence, our beloved Carol Calloway is retiring. Carol has been with Fairview since we were a wholesale-only operation, straight out of the NCSU Horticulture Department — and she’s been leading the charge on one side of the greenhouse ever since.
To celebrate her incredible legacy, we’ve asked Carol and her new wing-woman, Carmen, to put together their favorite annuals for the 2025 season. These selections are grown from seed or rooted cuttings, and each one has been carefully trialed, researched, and bred for superior performance in color, growth habit, and reliability.
Let’s take a look at their top picks — complete with care tips and botanical names.
Carol’s Favorites
Diamond Frost® Euphorbia
Euphorbia graminea ‘Diamond Frost’
- A Proven Winners® favorite with delicate, airy white blooms
- Adds a magical, light texture to mixed containers
- Thrives in full sun to part shade
- Low maintenance and drought tolerant once established
Supertunia Vista® Bubblegum® Petunia
Petunia hybrid ‘Vista Bubblegum’
Supertunia Vista Bubblegum
- Still the gold standard for vigorous petunias from cuttings
- Massive bloom power and trailing growth
- Best in full sun with regular watering and feeding
Calliope® Large Red Geranium
Pelargonium interspecific ‘Calliope Large Red’
Calliope Large Red Geranium
- Bold, true red blooms with robust growth
- Grows large and lush, perfect for statement pots
- Prefers full to part sun and benefits from deadheading
Truffula™ Pink Gomphrena
Gomphrena pulchella ‘Truffula Pink’
Superbena Amethyst Verbena
- Vibrant globe-like blooms add “thriller” color to pots
- Loves the heat and is incredibly low maintenance
- Performs best in full sun
White Queen Caladium
Caladium bicolor ‘White Queen’
White Queen Caladium
- Dramatic white leaves with pink veining
- Can thrive in both sun and shade, very versatile
- Great for adding texture to pots and beds
Superbena® Sparkling Amethyst Verbena
Verbena hybrid ‘Sparkling Amethyst’
- Mounded trailing habit with striking bi-color blooms
- Heat tolerant and blooms all season long
- Best in full sun, requires good drainage
Chameleon™ Calibrachoa Million Bells
Calibrachoa hybrid
Chameleon Calibrachoa
- Beautiful color-shifting blooms that create eye-catching baskets
- Perfect in hanging baskets or containers
- Loves sun, and prefers consistent moisture and feeding
Angelonia Alonia™ Blue Bicolor
Angelonia angustifolia ‘Alonia Blue Bicolor’
Alonia Blue Bicolor Angelonia
- Orchid-like blooms with soft blue and white tones
- Extremely heat tolerant, perfect for NC summers
- Great in beds and containers; thrives in full sun
Rex Begonias (Painted-Leaf Begonias)
Begonia rex-cultorum
Rex Begonia ‘Escargot’
- Foliage-focused plants with swirls, spots, and textures
- Carmen’s favorite: ‘Escargot’ — mesmerizing, snail-shell shaped leaves
- Ideal for shady porches or patios
- Keep soil evenly moist, avoid overwatering
Whether you’re planting beds, building porch pots, or refreshing containers, this list offers color, variety, and proven performance. You can feel confident knowing that every plant on this list is a true standout — hand-selected by growers with decades of experience.
Stop by Fairview Garden Center this spring to explore Carol and Carmen’s top picks for yourself. And don’t forget to give Carol a warm farewell — she’s helped grow generations of gardens here at Fairview, and we’re so grateful for her expertise and heart.
See you in the greenhouse!