35 Garden Flowers to Plant in Your Yard

Planting different types of flowers in your garden can attract pollinators or simply add curb appeal to your property. Factors to consider when selecting garden flowers include soil type, the availability of sunlight or shade in your area, and your USDA Hardiness Zone. Here is a list of flowers that home gardeners can add to their cottage garden, landscape, or flowerbeds:

1. 1. Amaryllis: Amaryllis is a bulb-grown plant that produces large, funnel-shaped flowers that often bloom in vibrant shades of red. Each amaryllis bulb will grow one or two long flower stalks that can bloom up to twelve flowers. Home gardeners grow amaryllis for their dramatic appearance. They are also popular holiday centerpieces.
2. 2. Asters: Closely related to chrysanthemums, aster flowers (Asteraceae or Symphyotrichum) are easy to care for and come in short and tall varieties. These perennials are fall garden bloomers that commonly sprout daisy-like lilac or purple flowers with yellow centers. However, aster plants can produce white, pink, or blue flowers.
3. 3. Azaleas: Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the Rhododendron genus. Their perennial blooms come in various colors, including red, pink, and purple. The azalea prefers living under large trees for shade, so plant the flower outdoors in a shady place.
4. 4. Begonias: Begonias are a genus of flowering plants with over 1,000 species. Some species are ideal for hanging baskets, window boxes, or flower beds. Begonias are relatively easy to grow, sprouting lush green leaves and buds that flower all summer when taken care of properly. Begonias thrive in light shade or dappled sunlight.
5. 5. Bellflower: Campanula flowers, commonly called bellflowers, are popular garden plants that bloom showy flowers and green leaves, perfect for ground cover. This genus contains over 300 species of flowers that can grow as annual, biennial, or perennial plants, coming in various colors and shapes. Bellflowers typically have flowers with an upturned, bell-like shape. They may bloom with purple, pink, white, or blue flowers.
6. 6. Black-eyed Susan: Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) are bright yellow flowers with dark brown centers. These North American native plants are members of the sunflower family (Asteraceae) and usually reach peak bloom in the late summer, giving both gardens and fields pops of color with their yellowy-orange petals. Black-eyed Susans are wildflowers, so they require minimal care, which makes them ideal for gardens and flowerbeds. Their long growing season allows them to stay in bloom for weeks as they attract a wide variety of pollinators.
7. 7. Bluebells: Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) are wildflowers belonging to the borage family (Boraginaceae). Virginia bluebells are spring ephemerals, with a typical bloom time beginning in March or April and lasting through the early summer. These bell-shaped, sky blue flowers grow well in a woodland or shady garden.
8. 8. Carnations: Crinkly, cheerful carnation blossoms (Dianthus) are among the hardier of ornamental flowering plants, but they make a striking addition to both jam-packed flower beds and sparser rock gardens. Depending on where you live, there are as many as 300 different types of dianthus and carnation hybrids to choose from, in annual, biennial, and perennial varieties with a full spectrum of shades and petal shapes.
9. 9. Columbines: The columbine flower (Aquilegia) is an herbaceous perennial flower that belongs to the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family. Columbine flowers bloom in pastels and bright colors, including orange, pink, yellow, and blue. Many varieties have a delicate, bell-shaped set of inner petals protected by a set of spurred sepals, or outer petals. This structure gives them an interesting look that will catch pedestrians’ attention.
10. 10. Coneflowers: Coneflowers are any of three genera of the daisy, aster, and sunflower (Asteraceae) family, including Echinacea, Ratibida, and Rudbeckia. These plants are native to North America, and certain areas consider them wildflowers. The name “coneflower” refers to the cone-shaped center, or disk, of the flower. Coneflowers are perfect for home gardens because they are heat- and drought-tolerant, blooming well into the late spring and late summer. They also attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, and are naturally deer-resistant, which means more pollinators and fewer pests for your garden. Their unique shape and contrasting colors make them an excellent addition to any outdoor space.
11. 11. Cranberry hibiscus: Cranberry hibiscus (Hibiscus acetosella) is a hibiscus plant that produces red flowers and red leaves. Its other common names include Florida cranberry, African rosemallow, and red-leaf hibiscus. Home gardeners grow cranberry hibiscus for its showy, ornamental foliage that looks similar to the leaves of Japanese maples.
12. 12. Crocuses: Crocuses are perennial flowering plants. Gardeners plant them in the fall so the crocus flowers can bloom just as winter ends—sometimes popping up even before the snow melts completely. These plants have grass-like leaves and flowers that come in various colors and fragrances. Crocus plants grow out of corms (crocus bulbs) and sprout new flowers every year in the right conditions.
13. 13. Dahlias: Dahlias are tuberous plants native to Central America and Mexico. Dahlia flowers come in various colors and sizes. Popular dahlia types include the waterlily, collarette, pompon, peony, and cactus dahlia. Smaller bedding dahlias have flowers that are only a few inches wide, while taller dinner plate dahlias can grow blooms up to fifteen inches in diameter. Though dahlias are a perennial plant, they can only survive the winter in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11, and gardeners often grow them as annuals in other climate zones. Many dahlia cultivars have interesting textures and combinations of colors (including bicolors) that can add an eye-catching component to your vegetation.
14. 14. Daffodils: Vibrant and hardy daffodils are a great option to plant in spring gardens or to arrange as cut flowers. These colorful flowers from the Narcissus genus are perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8, which means they’ll grow back year after year and “naturalize,” or spread in an area to give it an organic look. Daffodil flowers are an excellent spring bulb plant and a great early bloomer for your flowerbed.
15. 15. Daylilies: Daylilies (Hemerocallis) are low-maintenance perennial plants. They bloom during the day, wither by night, and bloom the following day again. Typically, daylily flowers have three petals and three sepals—leaf-like petals that protect the flower buds. The blossoms can grow anywhere from three to fifteen inches across and come in an extensive range of colors and fragrances. Plant daylilies in your garden for multicolored, fragrant flowers that keep your garden looking fresh.
16. 16. Foxgloves: The common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a biennial flowering plant species native to Europe and Northwest Africa. Foxgloves have long, downward-facing tubular flower spikes that look like hanging bells. Depending on the variety, foxgloves will bloom pink, white, red, or yellow flowers (though purple is the color of the common foxglove).
17. 17. Geranium: Geranium is a genus consisting of over 400 species of flowering plants known as geraniums or cranesbills. Geraniums bloom in showy bright pink (and sometimes dark red) symmetrical flowers that you can use as bedding plants in your garden, flower bed, or plant inside. During the winter months, outdoor-grown geraniums remain alive underground via creeping rhizomes that sprout again in the spring. Dwarf varieties of geraniums will grow up to eight inches, while other species will reach three feet in height in the right growing conditions.
18. 18. Hollyhock: Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) are ornamental flowering plants that may be either biennial or short-lived perennials with flowers in shades of pink, white, yellow, and red. Hollyhocks are easy to grow from seed, and they'll reseed themselves each year after your initial planting.
19. 19. Hyacinths: Hyacinths are pungent, beautiful flowers that can be a welcome addition to your spring garden. Many varieties of these popular red flowers are animal-resistant (though toxic to pets) and easy for first-time gardeners to grow outdoors. There are two major categories of hyacinth plants: Hyacinthus orientalis, also known as the common hyacinth, or Dutch hyacinth, and Muscari armeniacum, commonly known as the grape hyacinth.
20. 20. Hydrangeas: Hydrangeas make up a genus of more than seventy-five species of flowering shrubs. Although widely grown in the American Southeast, these plants are native to Asia and North America. They can be either deciduous or evergreen and grow as climbing vines, trees, or––most commonly––shrubs. Hydrangeas have a variety of cultivars, many of which add colorful, fluffy textures to a landscape.
21. 21. Impatiens: Impatiens flowers, also known as touch-me-nots, thrive in environments with moist soil and full or partial shade. Standard impatiens (Impatiens walleriana)—also known as busy Lizzie or balsam—is one of the most common bedding plants that decorate public parks and gardens worldwide. Plant these flowers in your garden for a sprinkle of pinks, purple, and red flowers.
22. 22. Lupine: Lupine flowers are garden plants that belong to the pea family (Fabaceae), which bloom showy, colorful flower spires. Gardeners grow lupine flowers as either annuals or short-lived perennial plants, which grow for three to four years. These nitrogen-fixing legumes sprout colorful blue, white, purple, or bicolor conical flower spikes that attract pollinators such as hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.
23. 23. Marigolds: Marigolds (Tagetes or Calendula) are pollinator-friendly, low-maintenance flowers with a long bloom time. Some marigold varieties look like daisies, while others have many layers of petals that resemble carnations. Marigolds are easy to plant, and they flourish in hot climates.
24. 24. Morning glories: Morning glories are plants that belong to the Convolvulaceae family. They are annual vines with heart-shaped leaves and trumpet-shaped flowers. The name “morning glory” refers to its blooms, which close at night and open the next day with the sun. Be advised these quick-growing vines can become invasive without proper care.
25. 25. Orchids: Orchids (Orchidaceae) are tall tropical flowering plants with an evolved lip, three petals, and sepals surrounding them. The orchid family is robust, containing over 25,000 natural species and more than 200,000 hybrids. Orchid blossoms come in a wide range of colors, from white to orange to pink.
26. 26. Pansies: Pansies include about 500 different flower species in the family Violaceae of the genus Viola. Pansies are cool-weather flowers that bloom in early spring and are incredibly easy to grow. When the weather gets hot, they die off, which is why some gardeners treat pansies as annual bedding plants. You can also grow pansies as perennials or biennials. Planting pansies makes it easy to keep your outdoor garden in bloom all year round.
27. 27. Passionflower: Passionflowers (Passiflora) are brightly-colored flowers that belong to the Passifloraceae family. Most passionflower plants have dark green, tendril-like vines that curl into hook-like coils that will need the support of a trellis as they climb. Passionflower vines will bloom tube or trumpet-shaped flowers in vibrant colors like bright green, purple, yellow, and orange.
28. 28. Petunias: Planting petunia flowers is an easy way to incorporate large splashes of color into your landscape, either in garden beds or cascading from hanging baskets and window boxes. Petunias bloom in cheerful, gramophone-shaped blossoms that are easy to grow and maintain.
29. 29. Phlox: Phlox is a group of perennial and annual plants in the Polemoniaceae family that you can find across North America. These fragrant flowers grow in star-shaped blooms in panicles, or branching flower clusters. Phlox’s vibrant flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies, making them a good fit for butterfly gardens. Phlox is a hardy plant with a long flowering season, though the bloom time varies depending on the type of phlox. For example, creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) blooms from early spring through early summer, while garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) blooms from late summer through early fall. Creeping phlox provides vibrant ground cover with an array of color combos.
30. 30. Ranunculus: Ranunculus are cool-season flowers that bloom in various hues ranging from pale yellow and soft pink to bright orange and deep burgundy. Their rose-like petals are thin and delicate. Ranunculus plants make great outdoor companions to other spring flowers such as anemones, bloomingdales, dahlias, daffodils, pansies, picotees, primrose, and snapdragons.
31. 31. Snapdragons: Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are beautiful cool-weather flowers that add pops of color and buzzing bumblebees to your spring or fall flower beds. Snapdragons also make lovely cut flowers that you can bring indoors for beautiful bouquets.
32. 32. Sweet peas: Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) are fragrant flowering plants known for their beautiful pastel and bicolor petals. If you are looking for fragrant, vibrantly colored flowers, sweet peas make an excellent choice for your garden.
33. 33. Tulips: Tulips (Tulipa) are perennial flowers from the lily family. These springtime bloomers grow from bulbs and produce large, dazzling cup-shaped flowers in a range of vibrant colors. Although tulips are technically perennials, many varieties struggle to produce flowers after their first spring. As a result, gardeners typically grow them as annuals and plant new bulbs the following year.
34. 34. Yarrow: Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is an herbaceous perennial with tall stems, fern-like leaves, and bundles of tiny flower heads that grow in circular blooms. Yarrow plants have a long bloom time from early spring to late fall. It is a hardy plant that is both pest-resistant and drought-tolerant, blooming flower heads in white, red, pink, or bright yellow, which bring vibrant color to a garden, flower pot, or lawn.
35. 35. Zinnias: Zinnias prefer full sun and sprout colorful blooms with pleasant green foliage that come in various cultivars (some of which are highly disease-resistant). There are three main types of zinnias: Single, semi-double, and double blooms. Single-flowered zinnias feature a single row of petals. Semi-double zinnias have thick rows of petals but visible centers. Double-blooming zinnias feature thick petals that completely obscure their centers. The varied layering of zinnia petals makes a visually interesting choice for your flower garden, with bloom colors including fuchsia, orange, red, yellow, and white.

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