Rapidly Expanding Blossoms to Sow Immediately for a Vibrant Garden this Summer
Yo! Let's Add Some Pop to Your Outdoor Digs in a Pinch
If spring’s sudden arrival has left you scrambling to put some color in your garden, fret not! These eye-catching, fast-growing flowers will do the trick. With minimal maintenance, these annuals will transform your yard, offering a riot of colors and cheer. Here’s a rundown of the top picks recommended by garden experts for their rapid growth and low maintenance. So, grab your gardening gloves, 'cause a stunning outdoor landscape is just a few steps away.
Laura Janney, CEO of The Inspired Garden Masterclass, and Michael Clarke, landscape architect, horticulturist, and founder of Yardwork, share their expert insights on these fantastic florals.
Zinnias
Zinnias are colorful, daisy-like flowers with bright, rounded petals. These hardy annuals grow rapidly in sunny locations with well-draining soil. Janney recommends them for their ease of care, superior growth, and ability to transform gardens into enchanting spaces while providing excellent cut flowers for indoor brightening. Don't forget to deadhead spent blooms to encourage more growth.
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Well-draining
Angelonia
Angelonia, also known as the summer snapdragon, has beautiful clusters of flowers growing on upright bushy plants. These fast growers boast blooms in white, pink, and purple. They're incredibly low-maintenance and can tolerate extreme heat, humidity, and drought. Janney thinks they offer English cottage charm with their bell-shaped flowers and continuous color display all summer long. Keep on top of cutting back and deadheading for continuous blooms.
- Hardiness Zone: 9 to 11
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Well-draining, moist
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are an excellent choice if you desire large, cheerful yellow blooms. They appreciate the sun and should be planted in well-draining soil. Clarke advises watering them regularly but abstaining from overwatering.
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Well-draining
Fast & Fabulous: 9 Colorful Flower Choices for a Happy, Sunny Garden
Gomphrena
Gomphrena's elegant, globe-shaped flower blossoms come in various colors, including pink, purple, orange, red, and white. They're easy to grow, providing heat and sun tolerance, and add great contrast to a garden. Janney likes their whimsical touch and how they make exceptional cut flowers. Plant them in clusters to make a statement, and deadhead spent blooms to encourage more growth.
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Sandy, loamy, well-drained
Marigolds
Marigolds feature bright, pom-pom-like flowers available in yellow, orange, red, white, and gold. These popular bedding plants thrive with minimal care. Clarke points out that they're drought-tolerant but bloom best with consistent watering and deadheading spent flowers.
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Moist, well-draining
Snapdragons
Snapdragons add vibrant bursts of color to outdoor landscapes and are usually grown as annuals. They're low-maintenance and popular with pollinators, offering blooms in shades of yellow, pink, white, purple, red, orange, and some bicolor combinations. Janney suggests putting them towards the back, as the heat-tolerant varieties can reach impressive heights. Deadhead the spent blooms to encourage bushiness and, with luck, a potential second year.
- Hardiness Zone: 7 to 11
- Light: Full to partial sun
- Soil: Well-draining, moist
Cosmos
Cosmos, with daisy-like flowers in pink, red, white, orange, and yellow, are easy to grow and maintain. They offer a dreamy vibe to the garden and thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more growth.
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Well-draining, acidic soil
- Outdoor gardening can be easily transformed with the right choice of fast-growing, low-maintenance flowers, as suggested in Real Simple's home and garden section.
- Zinnias, recommended by gardening expert Laura Janney, are colorful and easy to care for, making them an ideal addition to any outdoor gardening project.
- Including cosmos in your home lifestyle can add a dreamy vibe to your garden, as they are easy to grow and maintain, thriving in full sun and well-drained soil.
