Hardy perennial - a plant that lives for more than a year and is not killed by winter conditions.

Hardy annuals - These plants germinate, grow, reproduce, flower, produce seed and die in the same year. Hardy annuals are sown outdoors in the Spring as they can withstand the cold. An example is Nasturtium.

Half hardy annuals - Half hardy annuals (examples include the flowers cosmos and petunia) must be kept indoors until after the last frost. Similar to hardy annuals, they germinate, grow, flower, produce seed and die all in the same year.

Biennials - Biennials include flowers which only produce flowers in their second year and then die.An example is foxglove.