Annuals that slugs and snails dislike

My grand daughter's trough we planted up with bulbs is looking good so I want to plant it up with annuals last week in May when we are looking after her. I have saved seeds of an ornamental grass and Dianthus Baby Doll which I think may be ok. Does anyone have experience of annuals that slugs and snails don't like? I'll bring on plants and take them up when we go.

 

I've never noticed any damage to antirrhinums
You will also find that slugs lose interest in many plants once they pass the seedling stage. Cosmos are a good example of this.

 

Nasturtiums are usually not too bad, and we have huge amounts of slugs and snails.

 

They don't seem to go for more mature geraniums either

 

What a lovely project
My antirrhinums seem to do well too. As do nemesia.

 

I'd agree antirrhinums don't seem to get nibbled. If you are buying any, check under the leaves for rust spots, as they are very prone to this. Osteospermums are pretty safe and flower for months and months. Some lobelia seem OK, but the ones with dual coloured flowers have been a bit more vulnerable to damage, in my experience.

 

Thanks guys, I'll definitely try the snapdragons-we can make them snap! I have had lobelia eaten but Nemesia I'll try too.

 

They might not in your garden but that must be because they’ve all emigrated to mine. This morning I discovered gnawed, chewed and slimed geranium leaves. Same with daffodil flowers, which is a first.

 

I've found the best slug and snail resistant annuals, are the ones you don't want to grow

 

It’s a choice, eh? A garden of plants you dislike and couldn’t care less about or a garden full of the tattered slimey remnants of what were your preferred favourites. A gardener’s dilemma.

 

Or a garden littered with egg shells and copper barriers and improvised moats.

 

True. I once tried one of those plastic beer traps that have a lid. Seemed to work reasonably well till one day I found the dog drinking from it having managed to lift the lid on it. Never used one since

 

Calendula, perennial geraniums are bretty good and there are some small types around.
My Aquilegia are generally ignored.
Nasturtiums get caterpillars though.
Their tastes seem to vary from year to year. I try to get plants to a good size in pots before planting out.

 

I've already got a garden full of dandelions and hairy bittercress thankyou very much....I'll take tattered remnants and shattered hopes and dreams please

 

I thought it was just annuals the OP wanted. Hardy geraniums are pretty good at staying clean.
I don't get much damage to Aquilegias either.
I don't get an awful lot of problems with my nasturtiums, but that might just be down to luck, or conditions etc. The cabbage whites are probably the ones to watch out for.
I could never use beer traps for reasons I won't go into, but shells and grit don't work - I've tried it countless times. They come up from underground anyway, so it would be well nigh impossible to stop them. It's often the tiny ones that do the most damage too.
I have to be careful with my sweet peas - I do the same as you @NigelJ - grow them to a good size, but most of mine are in pots. Too vulnerable in the ground.

Our house is rendered with broken shell, and they regularly climb those