27 Incandescent Garden Flowers to Plant for Your Own Outdoor Paradise

Garden flowers can transform an outdoor space from an uninteresting environment into a relaxing retreat. Before selecting flowers, it is important to survey your soil and figure out what kinds of plants will fit your space best.

27 Exquisite Garden Flowers to Plant in Your Landscape for a Tranquil Outdoor Space

How much sunlight each part of your garden receives is another important consideration to plant selection. It is much easier to pick plants well-suited to your location than to try to amend that location. Of course, if you desire a specific plant, it is never impossible for that plant to thrive — it just might take some extra sweat equity on your part.

1. Scotch Marigold (Calendula Officinalis)

With the ability to grow in nearly every hardiness zone, Scotch marigolds are a welcome addition to any garden. Because these orange flowers have been a favorite since Shakesperean times, you can continue a long-standing gardening tradition. While this image shows bright yellow flowers, Scotch marigolds can also be found in deep orange and pale apricot.

2. Meadow Saffron (Colchicum ‘Waterlily’)

Imagine being able to enjoy all the aesthetics of waterlilies without having to worry about all the maintenance of a water feature in your garden. As you can see from pictures of garden flowers, this fall-blooming variety of meadow saffron has all the elegant appearance of a waterlily with none of the water.

3. Lily of the Valley (Convallaria Majalis ‘Golden Slippers’)

Lily of the valley is known for its quick-spreading nature in shady areas. Besides looking beautiful swaying in the breeze, these bell-shaped flowers also exude a sweet fragrance. This variety offers unique yellow foliage in early spring that gradually darkens to a vibrant green. Also, it does not spread as aggressively as other varieties.

4. Phlox (Phlox Drummondii)

Intense pink phlox may not grow very tall, but more than makes up for the lack of height with stouthearted spirit. These types of garden flowers are low-maintenance and will happily thrive in soils that cause other plants to perish. However, during hot summers, the flowers may die back before reviving with cooler fall temperatures.

5. Spring Crocus (Crocus Vernus ‘Remembrance’)

Regal purple petals are the perfect way to herald spring’s arrival. For those who cannot wait for winter’s monotony to end, spring crocus flowers are great garden flowers to plant. This variety blooms for about three weeks. A silvery sheen gives these majestic purple flowers even more glamor.

6. Butterfly Banners (Dicentra Cucullaria)

Imagine being able to enjoy a flock of butterflies all month long. While butterfly banners are only butterfly-shaped flowers, they look absolutely alluring when fluttering in the breeze. Often snowy white, these ethereal flowers can also be found in pale pink. Foliage reminiscent of a fern’s fronds only adds to this flower’s unique magic.

7. Candytuft (Iberis Sempervirens ‘Weisser Zwerg’)

Because its cool white flowers often obscure its leaves, candytuft is a great plant to use if you prefer flowers to foliage. While candytuft often grows up to 12 inches tall, this variety tops out at eight inches in height. This shorter stature means it makes the perfect plant for borders.

8. Grape Hyacinth (Muscari latifolium)

When in bloom, a group of grape hyacinths looks nothing short of dazzling. As you can see in images of garden flowers, each pillar of flowers appears like an upturned cluster of ripe grapes. Because the bottom of the inflorescence is darker than the tip, grape hyacinth effortlessly provides two shades of luscious blue-violet.

9. Large-Cupped Daffodils (Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’)

Every garden is deserving of some daffodil love. The ‘Ice Follies’ variety is known for surprisingly large flowers and a yellow ruffled corona that slowly fades to white. This is perfect timing – early-blooming daffodils steal the show with bright yellow petals, but then fade to let other flowers in the garden shine.

10. Eastern Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla Patens)

Before they fully bloom, these violet flowers offer a unique element to your landscape with their silky hairs that seem to glow in the early morning sunlight. Known for their hardy nature, these alpine prairie flowers might be some of the first flowers up, and are known to bloom through early spring snow showers.

11. Scilla (Scilla Bifolia)

In spring’s first awakening, a plot of scilla adds an intense blue element to a landscape design. Because they need full sun only while they bloom in early spring, they are a great choice to plant around deciduous trees. Plant in sweeping groups to enjoy pools of soothing blue in your garden.

12. Hellebore (Helleborus × Hybridus ‘Yellow Lady’)

When you see images of garden flowers, you probably notice an unusual shade of yellow. ‘Yellow Lady’ is the perfect unique flourish for a garden that has everything. When mature, these flowers possess maroon freckles for some added visual interest that will last all season.

13. Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia × Soulangeana)

With impressive flowers as large as 8 inches across, saucer magnolias are an excellent type of garden flower plant to plant as a specimen. If rich pink does not suit your energy, this small tree can be found with flowers in a range of whites, burgundies, purples, and pinks.

14. Pink Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida f. Rubra)

Native to North America, pink flowering dogwoods are well-suited to most gardens in the United States. These trees usually top out at 30 feet tall and offer an unforgettable show. With a Latin name that translates to “red,” pink flowering dogwoods differentiate themselves with flashy pink flowers.

15. Clematis (Clematis Florida var. Sieboldiana)

This variety of clematis creates its own contrast with cool white petals and tracery of majestic purple details. Pictures of garden flowers show how magnificent a bicolor clematis can be. As a climbing flower, clematis is an excellent choice to add some height variation to your garden.

16. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia Hirta ‘Cappuccino’)

As you plan garden flowers to plant in your landscape, bloom timing is important. Because black-eyed Susans produce dazzling flowers throughout the summer until frost, they are an excellent investment. The ‘Cappuccino’ variety features a rich chocolate brown center cone, a corona of bronze-hued red, and yellow ray-shaped petals.

17. Forsythia (Forsythia ‘Courtasol’ Gold Tide)

While forsythia usually towers over other plants in the garden, this variety stops growing when it reaches about 48 inches in height. Because of its low height, you can use it to separate spaces without interrupting the line of sight. When it blooms in early spring, the profusion of petals is nothing short of brilliant.

18. Waxy Begonia (Begonia Semperflorens Cultorum Group)

Even if you live in a cooler hardiness zone, you can still enjoy the eye-catching flowers and bronzy foliage by planting the waxy begonia as an annual. Because waxy begonias are available in shades of white, red, and pink, you can create a different look each year.

19. Siberian Iris (Iris ‘Butter and Sugar’)

Although this iris sounds like a cake recipe, its yellow and white palette softens an outdoor space. As seen in images of garden flowers, white petals stand tall while yellow petals cascade downwards like melted butter. After the flowers fade, the attractive blue-green foliage remains to serve as an element of color.

20. Japanese Kerria (Kerria Japonica ‘Pleniflora’)

Among the many types of garden flowers, Japanese kerria exhibits an arresting spray of golden double flowers. Because Japanese kerria is a 10-foot tall shrub, it works as an excellent screen or informal hedge. ‘Pleniflora’ sports flowers shaped like pom-poms and a slightly taller stature than the rest of the species.

21. Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos Spectabilis ‘Hordival’ Valentine)

The bleeding heart has long been a favorite garden flower plant to plant. Unique flowers with an unmistakable heart shape offer an artistic appeal that goes beyond simple visual interest. This variety is known for the rich, cherry-pink hue of its flowers. Because bleeding heart’s foliage goes dormant, it looks best when intermingled with a groundcover.

22. Floribunda Rose (Rosa Europeana)

What could be more classic types of garden flowers than red roses? With this variety of floribunda rose, you will revel in clusters of luscious red roses all summer long. Those who often find the smell of roses too overpowering will also enjoy the milder fragrance this variety provides.

23. Forget-Me-Nots (Myosotis Sylvatica ‘Victoria Blue’)

If your garden is yearning for clouds of bountiful blue flowers, try a forget-me-not or four. Each bush offers a mesmerizing mist of perfectly formed delicate blue flowers with intense yellow eyes. Because ‘Victoria Blue’ is a compact variety of forget-me-not, it keeps these clusters closer together for a more impressive display.

24. Plains Prickly Pear (Opuntia Macrorhiza)

Because the plains prickly pear plant is a cactus, it is different from all the other pictures of garden flowers on this list. Instead of featuring foliage, they possess green, water-filled pads. Yellow flowers bloom during summer and become showy red fruit. As a cactus, you will want to be careful handling this flower.

25. Peony (Paeonia Lactiflora ‘Sarah Bernhardt’)

Celebrated for longevity and extravagant flowers, peonies are a fixture in gardens throughout the world. With a ruffled double flower and iconic pink color, this peony variety is a classic. To enjoy peonies throughout the entire season, plant various varieties with staggered bloom times. These imposing flowers look good in groups or when planted singly.

26. Icelandic Poppy (Papaver Nudicaule ‘Champagne Bubbles Scarlet’)

You may be familiar with the traditional, dark-centered poppy, but the Icelandic poppy’s crinkled petals offer a breath of fresh air. ‘Champagne Bubbles Scarlet’ showcases a large saucer-like flower, puckered petals, and a vibrant yellow eye. Often used as an annual, Icelandic poppies are an eye-catching feature that you will want to see every year.

27. Daylily (Hemerocallis ‘Mini Pearl’)

Although each daylily flower is only visible for a single day, every blossom is a treasure. ‘Mini Pearl’ showcases ruffled melon-pink flowers from late spring through midsummer. Because daylilies are easy to grow and offer showy flowers, they are a fantastic option for those just beginning their gardening journey.

27 Vibrant Garden Flowers to Plant for a Fresh Look in Your Outdoor Sanctuary

A generally-accepted key to gardening success is to plant flowers with staggered bloom times. This way, there is something to enjoy from the earliest spring until frost. If a flower has a short bloom, consider whether it offers foliage or berries that will add interest to your landscape.

While the visual interest of each type of garden flower plant should be considered, the most important aspect of garden design is to select plants that speak to your spirit. That can be via the color, the floral shape, or the symbolism — everyone has a different botanical style. Follow your heart to design the garden of your wildest dreams.