First, make peace with the fact that some plants are just not meant to be brought into the house, period. (See “Toss These Plants.”) There’s no point in trying to prolong the life of true annuals such as marigolds, zinnias, and nicotiana indoors. Once they bloom and set seed, these plants are preordained to die, always with the hopeful promise that the seed they produce will germinate next season.
Left: Abutilon Commonly called flowering maple or parlor maple, this plant, popular since Victorian times, will bloom all winter as long as it is positioned in a bright, cool, sunny window.
Here: A. x hybridum ‘Clementine.’
