Morning glories, as their name implies, are a perfectly glorious addition to the flower garden.

They are annuals, so they will have to be planted each year even though they may self-seed for you.

Morning glories are vines that, depending on the variety, can grow 6 to 15 feet tall, climbing a trellis, fence or string hanging down from tree branches. They also do well in containers, either with a trellis or in a hanging basket.

Morning glories, which go by the botanical name ipomoea, prefer full sun but will take some shade and will grow in almost any type of soil.

The most familiar morning glory is “Heavenly Blue,” which is the true-blue color that is rare in gardens, but they also come in white, purple, pink, red and striped.

Although catalogs say they can be sown directly in the soil, with Maine’s short growing season, you’re better off to start them indoors – four to six weeks before the last frost, which means you still have a few weeks to order seeds and get organized.

Morning glories don’t like to have their roots disturbed, so plant them in peat pots or some other material that will decompose (paper pots you make yourself, for example).

The seeds are tough, so nick or file them and place them in warm water for 24 hours before planting them. Plant the seeds about a half an inch deep in a potting mix and, once they have sprouted, place them in a sunny window or under artificial lights. Once they reach 6 inches tall, they will need support.

When you move them outside, plant the vines about a foot apart – then wait to enjoy them from late spring until the first frost.