Top 10 Easy-to-Grow Flowers for Beginners

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If you're new to gardening, you can still have a yard full of beautiful flowers; it's easier than you think. There are plenty of incredible flowers that will bloom steadily for months on end and require very little maintenance. A quick tip to remember is that annual flowers live one year but bloom continuously while alive, whereas perennials live for many years but have shorter flowering periods. We have compiled a few of each to help you get growing.

Here are 10 of the easiest flowers to grow for beginners:

1. Lantana is a tropical flowering shrub which makes it tough during our long hot summers in the Great Plains where it grows as an annual. Clusters of tiny multicolored flowers that look like pom-poms cover these no-fuss plants from spring until frost. Many species of butterflies are frequent visitors to lantana, making them a must for the butterfly garden. The leaves have an interesting fragrance that is reminiscent of citrus, and also aids in keeping deer far away. Lantana is available in an array of colors including pinks, reds, oranges, yellows, white and purple.  The many varieties also provide different growth habits, so you will surely find a variety that suits the needs of your garden space. As long as they have full or part sun they will thrive with little effort. 

2. Angelonia, or summer snapdragons, are adorned by tall spires of multiple flowers that resemble an open mouth with tiny little top teeth. Angelonia are super performers in the middle of summer when heat can cause some annuals to flower less making them a must for the easy care garden. These plants are great for gardens or containers and are fairly tolerant of drought. They need the sun to do their best, so place them where they will get 6 or more hours. Angelonia boasts flower spires in white, reds and blues that are enjoyed by a multitude of pollinators and make a thrilling addition to a cut flower bouquet.

3. Marigolds are one of the easiest growing flowers ever. All season long they'll give you cheerful high impact blooms in shades of orange, red, yellow, or variegated types with a variety of textures. And there's a bonus too, some garden pests and cats don't like the smell of marigolds, so having plenty of them will make your garden less attractive for bugs and neighborhood cats.

4. Petunias are versatile choices for your garden, use them as a groundcover, accent in borders, or as the focal point of a hanging basket or patio pots. In terms of color choices they put other bedding plants to shame. With so many to choose from, some varieties are multicolored making them appear striped, veined or even polka dotted! Chances are whatever look you are going for, there is a petunia that will complement it!  Give them regular water, full sun and fertilize them about every 2 weeks, and you may find it easier to grow petunias than decide on your favorite. 

5. Zinnias are also prolific growers with beautiful flowers. There are lots of different varieties of Zinnia in almost every color of the rainbow. These flowers are tough and resilient. Zinnias are an excellent cut flower, they have a very long vase life, and the more blooms you cut off, the more side shoots and buds they'll put out. Zinnias are annual and need a sunny location.

6. Wax Begonias are a must for big impact with little effort.  Some varieties like the Sprint series are best suited for shade but ‘Whopper’ and ‘Dragon Wing’ types can handle more sun. Heat and drought don't phase these tough plants too much and they rarely have insect issues, making them one of the most carefree annuals. The flowers in shades of pink, orange, red, or white are only part of their beauty, as thick, shiny leaves in green or bronze add a lush feel to the cheery flowers dangling above. 

7. Flowering Vinca is a profusely blooming annual that takes little effort. Its cheery pastel flowers in shades of white, pink, red, or orange embellish glossy dark green leaves. Flowering vinca is available in both upright and trailing types, the latter are beautiful in hanging baskets and planters. Even in the strong drying winds of our climate, flowering vinca thrives when other annuals suffer. Let the top inch of soil dry between watering as flowering vinca doesn't like to stay wet. 

8. Agastache is available in both perennial and annual varieties. Both have tubular flowers that are attractive to pollinators and adored by hummingbirds. Depending on variety, leaves can be a greyish blue or lush green and are sweetly scented. Agastache is a quick growing bushy plant that is drought tolerant and a profuse bloomer. Varieties range from a short 10-14 inches to taller plants up to 3 feet with bloom colors available in yellow, pink, blue, orange and red shades.

9. Catmint is a long blooming perennial that is also quicker to establish than other perennials. Some varieties are low growing and others are taller. Catmint plants add a light, airy texture to the landscape, with some varieties staying low and others reaching heights up to 3 feet. All varieties produce multitudes of lavender blue flowers that butterflies flock to! Additionally, their fragrant leaves make catmint a great addition to a walkway border, filling the air with a minty-sage like aroma when brushed against. Their fragrance also makes catmint resistant to deer and rabbits.

10. Salvia is available as both a perennial and as an annual. Perennial salvia, known also as Meadow sage, is longer blooming than other perennial plants and requires little care once it is established.  Salvia flowers resemble lots of tiny dragon faces all stacked on one another, they are interesting and excellent for cut flowers. With spires of blue, pink, white, purple or red, salvia is also attractive to many pollinators including hummingbirds! They are resistant to critters like deer and rabbits and tough in heat. Salvia prefers full to part sun, though many annual varieties will also perform well in part shade. 

With these easy-care, long-blooming flowers, you'll be able to keep your yard looking great all summer long, even as a beginner gardener. Stop by one of our seasonal locations to pick up some of the beauties on this list.