Annuals vs Perennials It is best to know the difference between the two so you can make the most of these gorgeous flowers in your garden. An annual is a plant that lives for just one season. Whether you plant from seed or purchase seedlings to plant, an annual will sprout, flower, seed, and then die – all in the same year. Annuals tend to bloom all season long, until first hard frost, and are often bright and showy. Perennials, on the other hand, live …