Spring is in full swing here in Southern California, which means there are flowers growing everywhere! Are you thinking about adding flowers to your garden, but not sure where to start? Here are 10 of the easiest flowers to grow just for you!
Even if you have been gardening for some time, these flowers can still be fun to grow. I’ve grown several of these over the past few years, and still enjoy having them in my garden.
I have several varieties of sunflowers, zinnias, and cosmos growing in raised boxes on my patio. I’m planning on cutting them to use for fresh bouquets this summer.
You can check out more cut flowers to grow in this post about the best cut flowers to grow.
Many of these blooms are some of the easiest flowers to grow from seed. Check out my how to grow from seed article for more information!
Keep reading for more information on some of the easiest flowers to grow this year!
Easiest Flowers to Grow from Seed
If you want to try your hand at growing flowers from seed, these are the best ones to start with. If you aren’t ready to grow from seed, don’t worry!
Most of these flowers can be found at your local nursery throughout the year. There are also plenty of online garden centers that are happy to ship you plants right to your door!
Whichever way you choose to grow and enjoy your flowers, make sure to follow directions on how to give your plants the longest life possible. Using the right soil, fertilizer, right amount of water and sun will ensure you can enjoy your flowers for a long time.
Patio Gardening
Since I live in an apartment on the second floor, all of my plants are grown in containers or raised garden beds. All of these grow well in containers, so if you feel like you don’t have the space to enjoy flowers, buy a pot and get started on those flowers!
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are a must in any garden, and are super easy to grow. They come in several varieties, from tall mammoth sunflowers to dwarf ones that thrive in pots.
As their name entails, they grow mainly in the summer months. They prefer full sun, so need at least 6 hours of sunlight a day to grow well. For those who enjoy wild visitors in their garden, sunflowers attract butterflies, bees, and birds.
Here are some varieties to add to your garden:
Alyssum
If you find that you have plenty of soil showing from your tall flowers, then alyssum will make the perfect groundcover! These tiny flowers grow just a few inches above the soil, but bloom beautiful white, lavender, and purple flowers.
Grow these types in your flower garden, or if you are looking for plants to cover up patches of soil:
Zinnias
Zinnias are my favorite flower to grow from seed. They come in all kinds of varieties, are super easy to grow, and look beautiful in a bouquet.
I recently went to a flower farm where they had rows of zinnias in all kinds of colors to cut and take home. They also have a long vase life, making them a great cut flower!
Here are some types to add to your garden:
Coneflowers
Coneflowers are known for their purple blooms, but also come in other colors, such as pink, white, and yellow. They grow best in full sun and will make a great addition to your cut flower garden.
Some varieties of coneflowers you can grow include:
Cosmos
Cosmos are another type of flower to add to your cut flower garden, since they are great to include in home-grown bouquets. Popular colors include pink, white, and orange.
They grow fast so that you can enjoy seeing flowers soon after planting the seeds.
Try growing these cosmos in your garden:
Morning Glories
Morning glories are easy and fun flowers to add to your flower garden. They are climbers, so make sure to have a trellis nearby, or grow them in a hanging planter so that the plant can spill down to the ground.
These flowers also come in a variety of colors and enjoy flowering in the morning, hence their name. Morning glories are self-sowers, so don’t grow them next to other plants unless you don’t mind more flowers next year.
Keep pets and children away from the seeds, since they are poisonous if eaten.
Here are some morning glories to grow this year:
Poppies
Poppies, especially golden poppies from California, don’t need much care or water to thrive. They also come in many colors, besides the golden ones that grow here all over the place.
These beautiful flowers make great cut flowers and there are some that will make a great addition to your desert garden.
Check out some of the varieties below!
Lavender
Once lavender is established, this herb doesn’t need much care either to grow and enjoy in your garden. Lavender comes in several varieties, and will make your garden smell great.
Grow these with roses for a beautiful border around your home. You can also harvest lavender to make sachels to make your home smell great for a long time after the plant has grown.
Below are some types of lavender to grow in your garden:
Nasturtium
Nasturtium can be found in vegetable gardens, since they make great groundcover plants and attract pollinators. You can also add these flowers to empty spaces in your garden, since they tend to spread.
Be careful where you plant nasturtium, since they can easily take over the area of the garden they are planted in, even if there are other plants.
Here are some popular varieties to grow:
Marigolds
Marigolds come in several colors besides orange, and are a great companion plant to grow with vegetables. You don’t even have to buy more seeds once you grow marigolds, since each flower produces many seeds to use next year.
They keep mosquitos away and bring in pollinators to help grow your vegetables and other plants.
Some marigolds to include in your garden this year are:
Easiest Flowers to Grow
I hope this post has inspired you to try to grow some flowers, even as a beginner. My gardening journey has been filled with trials and errors, but my flowers have taught be alot about patience and learning from mistakes.
What is your favorite flower to grow from this list of the easiest flowers to grow? Let me know in the comments section below!
Crysta says
I always assumed that sunflowers would be difficult to grow. Very cool that they’re not! There are some very beautiful flowers on this list. I love it!
Ann says
Sunflowers are some of the easiest flowers to grow and come in so many types to enjoy alone or with other flowers. Thank you for stopping by!
Headphonesthoughts says
I love sunflowers. They are such beautiful flowers. I hope to have them in my garden one day.
Ann says
Sunflowers are one of my favorite flowers and super easy to grow! Add them to your garden when you get the chance!
Michelle / Taste As You Go says
I love zinnias and am considering planting a bed of them in our yard. Thanks for the inspiration!
Ann says
Zinnias are a great choice and come in many types and colors. These are just a few that are available. You are very welcome!
Proseccobefore7 says
I love Marigold, we use them a lot in my homeland in a variety of ways. I didn’t know they were so easy to grow. Thanks so much for this post. I am learning something new today.
Ann says
I love that there are so many uses to marigold. They are very easy to grow and reseed, since each flower produces so many seeds to grow the following season. Glad to hear that you learned something new!