Not all are direct sow, in fact most are not direct sow, here are a few I sure more members can add to the list, Poppies, Black eyed Susan, Portulaca, Four O'clocks (Mirabilis), Larkspur, Bachelor Buttons, Sweet Pea (start when you can dig the soil), Aquilegia or Columbine, and Alyssum. There's a good start for you, I'm sure there are lots more. Janet

this is great i can take my little list shopping with me and look and see what i think would be pretty height wise etc.. Thanks so much janet! I would appreciate any others as well. If my bleeding heart and hosta's dont make it through these freezing temps i might be replacing alot of stuff before its over :(. And i just cut back all my roses to, i think it will all be okay though.

Well, in my zone I can direct sow just about anything and get results -- sometimes spectacular, other times not so much. You don't say where you live. I mostly purchase my annual seeds at Walmart, and every now and then on eBay. Just got a great deal on eBay for 150 Cleome seeds.

Here's a short list of some annuals I've recently sown:

Alyssum - great plant that often reseeds. High germination rate for me.

Cleome (spider flower)- but germination is a bit "iffy" with them, and suckering insects seem to like the seedlings a lot, which cuts back on my success rate with them. However, it is such a large plant that you don't really need bunches of them. I, for one, don't have the space. So the insects aren't too much of a problem. A striking plant that is good for the back of a border, or the middle of an island bed.

Marigolds (different varieties...dwarf and tall) Always get good results with them. And they're pretty much pest-free in my garden...nothing seems to like them. I rarely find bug damage on them.

Zinnia -- with this one I get nearly 100% germination and they grow like crazy, both the short and tall varieties. I get spectacular blooms until cold weather kills them to the ground. They're quite prolific self-sowers, as well. I end up with lots of volunteer seedlings from them every year..... just not always where I want them. Another plus for Zinnias is that bees and humming birds seem to absolutely looooove them. I wasn't surprised that the bees would be attracted to them, but WAS a bit surprised that they attracted so many hummers, too. I think my Zinnia flowers attracted more good garden critters (butterflies, hummers, bees, spiders that eat bad bugs) to my garden than any other flower I had growing last year.

HTH~
Renee

My favorite direct sown annuals are Nigella, Nicandra, and annual the pink or white Gypsophilas. They all work great in annual beds and the cutting garden, and they don't look out of place in perennial garden beds.

Scarlet Flax is a favourite for me.