GARDENING

62 Best Types of Flowers (With Pictures!) You

Should Have in Your Garden
It's time to take your flower beds to the next level.

BY A R R I CC A E L I N SA N S O N E A N D T E R R I R O B E R TS O N U P DAT E D : JA N 2 8 , 2 02 3

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WATCH: 10 Flowers That Are Easy To Grow

You know the old saying, “It takes all kinds.” At Country Living, we find
that it’s as true for garden flowers as it is for people. Planting many
different types of flowers in your garden guarantees a good show with a
range of colors, textures, and heights. With a mix spring, summer, fall,
and even winter bloomers, you'll have something pretty to enjoy in the
garden all year long.

Every type of flower plays its part. Flowering shrubs and long-lived
perennials form a low-maintenance foundation, while annuals sure are a
delight even though we know we'll have to replace them every year.
Flowering vines can take a garden to dazzling heights, but we need
humble ground covers too to cover the bald spots. And, finally, the
differing light needs of full-sun flowers and shade-loving gems ensure no
spot in your garden goes without color. Just don't forget your pollinator
friends—there are so many options that will attract bees, butterflies, and
hummingbirds to your garden haven.

Read on to learn about some of the most popular types of flowers,

complete with names and pictures, that will inspire you to get your hands
in the dirt, whether your garden is big or small, cottage-style or formal.
Before you buy any flowers, though, be sure to read the plant tag or
description and check which perennials or shrubs are a good fit for your
USDA Hardiness Zone (find yours here).

62 Best Types of Flowers to Plant

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 Astrantia
When it blooms: Spring to summer

Why we love it: This lesser-known

perennial actually is an old-
fashioned cottage garden favorite.
Its pretty blooms last a long time
and attract tons of pollinators.

Jacky Parker Photography // Getty Images

Allium
When it blooms: Late spring

Why we love it: Tall, globe-shaped

flowers (some are as big as your
hand!) are a striking addition to the
spring garden. Rodents won't
bother these bulbs.

Related: 28 Types of Purple

Flowers to Beautify Your Garden

Tom Meaker / EyeEm // Getty Images

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 Angelonia
When it blooms: Spring to fall

Why we love it: The bright colors,

cascading or upright forms and
flowers that bloom non-stop are all
reasons to plant this annual in your
beds, window boxes, and pots. It's
sometimes called summer
snapdragon.

Pinrath Phanpradith / EyeEm // Getty Images

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Aster
When they bloom: Mid-summer to
fall

Why we love them: It's one of our

favorite perennials for a reason!
Aster blooms for a long period,
adding color just as all the other
flowers are winding down for the
season.

Getty Images

Azalea
When they bloom: Spring

Why we love them: These pretty

shrubs tell you spring is in full
swing. They're gorgeous planted in
masses with other spring-flowering
perennials. Some types rebloom
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 perennials. Some types rebloom
later in the season.

Related: 20 Popular Flowering

Shrubs for Every Kind of Garden

Russell Wong / EyeEm // Getty Images

Balloon Flower
When it blooms: Midsummer

Why we love it: This perennial has

brilliant blue, purple or pink
blooms last for weeks. Plus, the tiny
balloon-shaped buds make it even
more fun to admire in your garden!

Masahiro Makino // Getty Images

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Begonia
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 When they bloom: Spring through
summer (though some types bloom
year-round)

Why we love them: Begonias come

in a staggering array of shapes and
colors and bloom continually
without any deadheading (pinching
off spent blooms). They're the
perfect low-maintenance annual for
any garden!

wawdao // Getty Images

Black-eyed Susan
When it blooms: Late summer to
early fall

Why we love it: This sunny flower

will make you smile, plus it doesn't
need babied because it's drought
tolerant and blooms for weeks and
weeks. These are all the reasons
you need this late season bloomer
in your garden. Be sure to choose a
perennial type.

Related: 25 Types of Yellow

Flowers for the Happiest Garden
Ghiringhelli Ausrey / EyeEm // Getty Images
in the Neighborhood

Butterfly Bush
When it blooms: Early summer to
late summer

Why we love it: Tons of spikey

flowers in pink, purple or white
cover this fast-growing shrub. Plus,
you'll love seeing all the butterflies
that visit! Newer varieties are not
invasive.

Jacky Parker Photography // Getty Images

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Caladium
When it blooms: As pretty as any
flower's bloom, the leaves keep
their color from spring to frost

Why we love it: Gorgeous heart-

shaped leaves add style to any
garden, especially in shaded areas
where many flowers won't bloom.

DigiPub // Getty Images

Calendula
When it blooms: Spring to mid-
summer

Why we love it: These old-

fashioned favorites are easy to grow
from seed, and their bright orange
or yellow petals make a gorgeous
contrast to flowers that are blue or
purple.
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fotolinchen // Getty Images

Calibrachoa
When they bloom: Spring to fall

Why we love them: These

adorable annuals, which also go by
the common name million bells,
look like petunias but actually are a
different plant. They bloom
abundantly until a hard frost—and
come in any color (including multi-
colored pinwheels) you can
imagine! This type of flower has a
TopherBerg // Getty Images
spilling habitat, which makes it
ideal for hanging baskets.

Related: 22 Best Outdoor Hanging

Plants and Flowers to Add Garden
Charm

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Catmint
When it blooms: Early summer to
fall

Why we love it: If you want a

perennial that requires almost no
work, this is the plant for you! The
silvery spicy-sweet foliage and the
long-lasting blooms of catmint keep
tons of pollinators buzzing for
weeks and weeks. It's also drought-
tolerant and grows well on slopes.

Jacky Parker Photography // Getty Images

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 Chrysanthemums
When they bloom: Late summer to
late fall

Why we love them: Mums come in

ton of different types and colors
ranging from hot pink to pumpkin
orange. Plant these perennials in
the spring so their roots can get
established and survive winter; if
you wait to fall to plant, they'll give
a good show but likely won't return
next year because they're putting
Kemjira Hesuksawad / EyeEm // Getty Images
their energy into blooming, not
putting down roots.

Clematis
When it blooms: Spring to late
summer

Why we love it: Clematis is a

beautiful vine for fences, arbors and
lamp posts. But be patient; it often
takes perennials such as clematis
several years to get established and
Photos from Japan, Asia and othe of the
take off.
world // Getty Images

Related: 20 Gorgeous Flowering

Vines to Add Vertical Color to Your
Garden

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Columbine
When they bloom: Spring

Why we love them: The delicate

flowers are so exotic-looking, yet
these perennials are tough and very
cold-hardy. Plant them with other
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 cold-hardy. Plant them with other
spring perennials and annuals for
best effect. They're also sometimes
called Granny's bonnet (how cute is
that!).

Jacky Parker Photography // Getty Images

Coneflower
When it blooms: Early to late
summer

Why we love it: These perennials

are super-tough and drought-
tolerant. Coneflower (a common
name for echinacea) comes in an
array of bright and beautiful colors
from lime green to hot pink and
deep red.

Related: 20 Types of Drought-

Resistant Plants and Flowers for
Dry Climates
Jacky Parker Photography // Getty Images

Crocus
When it blooms: Spring

Why we love it: These tiny flowers

pop up in early spring, often when
snow still is on the ground. Plant in
the fall for spring blooms that
return year after year.
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Cora Niele // Getty Images

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Daffodil
When they bloom: Early spring

Why we love them: Their bobbing

heads are one of the earliest signs
of spring--plus, rodents won't
bother these bulbs (unlike tulips
and crocuses). Plant in the fall for
spring flowers, which should return
for many years.

Related: 13 Types of Spring

Flowering Bulbs for the Prettiest
Garden on the Block

Vicki Gardner // Getty Images

Dead Nettle
When it blooms: Late spring to
mid-summer

Why we love it: We promise this

shade plant is way better than its
strange name! Also called lamium,
it has pretty foliage and pink or
purple flowers. It makes an
incredibly low-maintenance
perennial ground cover because it's
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 drought tolerant and not fussy
about soil types.
DEA / R. SACCO

Related: 25 Best Shade Perennials

That Thrive Out of the Sun

A R R I CC A E L I N SA N S O N E

Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living,
Woman's Day, and more. She’s passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time
with the people and dogs she loves.

T E R R I R O B E R TS O N

Terri Robertson is the Senior Editor, Digital, at Country Living, where she shares her lifelong love
of homes, gardens, down-home cooking, and antiques.

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