Garden Flowers are a great addition to any home garden. Gardens no longer have to be comprised solely of vegetable plants. Many outdoor gardens are a combination of vegetables, herbs and garden flowers, or are just carefully planned arrangements of outdoor flowers and shrubs.
While vegetable gardens help to provide food for the table, outside flowers and plants add to a garden a beautiful touch we all enjoy. Make sure you have the best tools used for gardening which will make things much easier.
Close up of a Marigold Flower
Types of Garden Flowers
Garden flowers are broken down into three main types: perennials, annuals, and biennials.
Which Flowers Come Back Every Year
Perennial flowers return year after year with little to no encouragement, providing continuous garden blooms. Perennial plants tend to have a higher price tag up front but can be more economical in the long run.
What Are Annual and Biennial Types of Plants
Annual flowers only live for one growing season and need to be replanted every year. Biennial Plants are a hybrid of the two; the first year is spent focusing on vegetative growth, the second year the plant blooms and completes its life cycle.
Creating a landscape with different flowers is easy to do with all of the choices available. Choose flowers in a variety of heights and colors, which are well suited for the amount of sunlight a spot receives during the day.
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Sun Requirements for Garden Flowers
Full Sun – Full sun means the spot receives 6 or more hours of direct sunlight per day. It doesn’t have to be a continuous 6 hours, and can be broken up throughout the day, with some occurring in the morning and another chunk in the afternoon.
Partial Sun / Partial Shade – These two terms are fairly interchangeable and mean a spot receives 4-6 hours of direct sun over the course of the day. Both would prefer to receive early morning or evening light, being shaded from the most intense sun in the mid to late afternoon. Partial sun plants need a minimum of 4 hours and will do better the closer to 6 they can get. Partial shade plants need a maximum of 6 hours of sun but prefer the lesser amount.
Full Shade – Full shade means less than 4 hours of direct sunlight a day. This doesn’t mean the plant never receives any sunlight. Full shade plants will thrive with filtered sunlight, or some early morning direct sun.
Types of Garden Flowers with Pictures
A trip to the local garden store or nursery will provide many types of garden flowers to choose from. Here are some of the most common garden flowers names found in home gardens: Here is how to make your garden look nice on a budget.
Roses
A Red Rose Flower
Roses are the most common cultivated garden flower found in landscapes around the world. These perennial flowers are known for their exquisite beauty and intoxicating fragrance. Available in almost any color imaginable, a variety of bloom sizes, and many different scents, roses add a traditional beauty to any garden.
Tulips
A Group of Tulips
Tulips are known for their unique shape that is described as a cup or star-shaped flower. They come in a plethora of colors and make an exquisite display when planted in large stands. Tulips are spring blooming perennials that grow from bulbs.
Peonies
Peony Flower
Peonies are another favorite in traditional gardens. They are known for their colossal flowers that perch atop glossy green foliage. Peonies require little care and plants can grow for upwards of 100 years with little attention from the resident gardener. The rules for success are simply full sun and well-drained soil.
Lilies
Lily Flower
Lilies are popular all around the world as well. This beautiful perennial comes in a variety of colors and sizes. They grow well in containers and do not require a lot of water, making them an ideal plant in many landscapes.
Iris
Iris Flower
Iris are known for their showy flowers. Iris flowers are extremely unique and bloom in a variety of purples, blues, white and yellows. They are perennial plants that grow from creeping rhizomes, or bulbs in drier climates.
Petunias
Petunias
Petunias are one of the most popular annual flowers planted in home gardens. They can tolerate relative harsh climates, including gentle frost, and hot climates making them suitable for many landscapes. Petunias grow best with at least 5 hours of sun daily but prefer locations protected from the wind as their blooms shred easily.
Geraniums
Geraniums
Geraniums are common bedding plants in gardens, as well as a popular flower in hanging baskets. Growing geraniums is easy if your garden has well-drained soil that gets 6-8 hours of sunlight. Most geraniums grow as annual plants and have been a garden staple for over a decade.
Pansies
Pansy Flower
Pansies are very beautiful and colorful annuals, also known as violas. Plants are shorter in stature making them good border plants or hanging basket fillers. They come in a variety of stunning colors and are commonly grown as annuals but can be perennials in certain zones.
Marigolds
A Single Marigold Flower
Marigolds are known for their bright orange or coppery colored blooms. These annual plants will tolerate almost any soil conditions but prefer full sun locations and do well in heat. Marigolds bloom all summer long, providing cheery color to any landscape.
Dianthus
Dianthus Flower
Dianthus are a dainty flower, commonly known as Sweet William, with notes of cinnamon and clove in their fragrance. They belong to the same plant family as carnations and can be found in gardens as hardy annuals, biennials and perennials depending on the planting zone. Dianthus prefer slightly alkaline soil and full or partial sun.
How to Take Care of Garden Flowers
The best flowers are healthy, strong plants with beautiful blooms. Its important to apply fertilizer throughout the growing season. In most garden situations a general purpose plant food will meet the needs of most plants during a typical growing season.
Follow the instructions on the fertilizer container regarding application rates and frequency, making sure to water thoroughly into the soil to prevent damaging the plant. A good drip irrigation system does a great job keeping plants watered.
Garden flowers add an element of beauty to all landscapes. With many choices in terms of plant heights, colors, scents and flower shapes the creative possibilities are endless.
