Last Updated on October 31, 2021 by Phil
If you’re looking for the perfect flowers that bloom all year long, look no further.
The list below features the most beautiful blossoms that will fill your garden for the entire season. This way your garden will always be filled with life and lovely shades of different colors.
As you would expect, the flowers below are all annuals. The reason they are perfect is that while they won’t come back year in and year out like perennials do, they are fast growers and will bloom through the entire growing season.
The same isn’t true for perennials.
Flowers That Bloom All Year Long
Sunflower
Sunflowers make the top of our list because this annual not only grows quickly but is showy, bright and big.
In case you haven’t seen many variations of them, sunflowers can grow up to 10 feet tall. These are the giants.
But, there are many which get to between 3 to 5 feet tall as well.
What’s great is that they only take between 2.5 to 4 months to mature after germination. And from there, you’ll be able to enjoy their blooms for the entire season before then begin to fade, as is the case with many of the annuals in our list of flowers that bloom all year long.
Bes of all they’ll thrive in zones 2 through 11 so you can pretty much grow them anywhere as long as they get full sun.
Begonia
Another option you can go with are begonias. These are gorgeous annuals that don’t feature blossoms as big as sunflowers. But, they more than make up for that in number and color.
Besides yellow, you can opt for pink, white and orange hues. And, you can combine them together to get a rainbow of colors as well.
Begonias are very easy to grow. But, make sure you keep them under indirect sun or light shade. They won’t be able to tolerate too much harsh, direct sunlight.
For best blooms, rich, fertile soil is likewise essential. And, don’t forget to give them enough water as well.
Pansy
In case you want a combination of bright colors and patterns, pansies are a great choice. These are low growing small flowers grow in numbers as well.
They are violet hybrids which is why you may have noticed the resemblance.
But, they are well-known for their multiple colors. Each of their colors make use of varying hues or contrasting colors which is what makes them attractive.
And by growing different hues side by side, you’ll be able to bring lovely colors to your garden.
Pansies enjoy slightly acidic soil that’s light and well-draining. While they can be grown as perennials in zones 7 to 11, most gardeners will keep them as annuals. This allows them to bloom all season long.
Nasturtium
Nasturtium look their best when you allow them to get dense. The good news is, they are fast growers that grow really well when neglected.
I’ve found that the bushier they get, the more you’ll be able to enjoy their bright colors blossoms.
Orange and yellow are the most popular colors. But, red is right up there as well. And, if you want to be a little different, try pink and cream colors.
One of the best things I love about nasturtiums is that they are very versatile. While I like them best as bushy plants around the garden, you can grow them as climbers or trailing plants as well. Thus, they can fill walls or come down from hanging containers and look just as beautiful.
Petunia
Another amazing colorful annual that’s perfect for borders and flower beds are petunias.
These feature lovely colors including pink, white and purple which are my favorites. But, you can go with orange, red, yellow and a few others as well.
Petunias can grow up to around 2 feet high. In most cases, the ones you’ll find are hybrids which make them well-suited for garden design. That’s because hybrids are intentionally crossed in order to produce the best looking flowers.
As with the others on our list, these lovely flowers are fast growers once you transplant them in the garden in spring. Make sure to do so once the threat of frost has passed.
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Sweet Pea
If you want to grow a cottage garden or need colorful blossoms that can fill some space above the ground, look no further than sweet peas.
These can grow to between 6 to 8 feet high. Note that you do need to give them some support. But, since they don’t have huge blossoms, staking will work find.
You also get to choose from a wide array of colors including white, pink, red, lavender and blue. These will last all season long.
Sweet Alyssum
So far, our list of stunning flowers that bloom all year long has features different kinds of blossoms. And, to add to that list, here’s another.
Sweet alyssum features tiny four petal flowers that grow in large numbers. This makes them perfect for carpeting certain sections of your garden.
The combination of purple, white or pink against its green foliage makes it wonderful to look at.
Sweet alyssum grows to between 3 to 9 inches tall, they enjoy moist but well-draining soil and do best in full sun.
Verbena
I love verbena because they’re great at filling up empty spaces in the garden.
Better yet, they provide amazing colors including red, purple, pink, white and peach. I like going fort the bolder colors like red and purple if you want to bring that part of your garden out.
They are likewise perfect for garden beds as well as containers depending on what your yard needs.
If you live in zones 9 to 11, you may grow these beauties as perennials. But, in most cases, they’re used as annuals because they’re able to grow quickly and achieve their full size within weeks.
This makes them perfect for filling out a garden and giving it volume and color.
Snapdragon
Snapdragons are one of the best annuals you can use to add character, height and color to your garden.
They enjoy cooler weather which makes them bloom best during spring and the fall. Do be careful about leaving them out the overly hot summers as they can stop blooming due to the heat.
They take about 2 to 3 months to grow from seed to flowers. As such, it is a good idea to start them indoors as the end of winter comes around. This will let you move them out once the frost has passed.
To bring out their best colors give them rich, well-draining soil. But, keep the soil moist. They also enjoy soil with pH between 6.2 and 7.0.
Cornflower
Cornflower are different from the other plants on our list. These grow individually and stand on their own. As such, they provide a distinctive look.
On their own, they’ll remind you of a sparse meadow. This makes them a great choice if other parts of your garden look fairly dense or filled.
Calibrachoa
Calibrachoa are better known as million bells. Once you see them, you’ll instantly know why.
These feature small 1-inch sized blossoms that come in great numbers. As such, they look like miniature petunias that have been multiplied a hundred times over.
Their looks and growth habit makes them perfect for containers, hanging baskets and bowls because they’ll spill or overflow right out creating a lovely appearance.
In addition to their gorgeous looks, they also come in a multitude of colors. These include, pink, red, yellow, purple, maroon, blue, orange and cream.
They will bloom all season long as long as you give them full sun and rich, moist soil that’s well-draining.
Zinnia
If you want lovely blooms that will bring splashes of color to your garden, you must consider zinnias.
Zinnias are annuals no matter where you grow them. And, depending on your garden design needs, you can opt for the dwarf versions that grow to under 10 inches tall. Or, pick those that get up to as high as 4 feet high.
Full sun is important to bring out their best colors, both for their blossoms and foliage. Sunlight and good air circulation also prevents mildew from growing which can destroy their lovely loks.
Marigold
For variety and bright colors, marigolds are a great choice. These can resemble a number of different types of flowers including carnations and daisies, depending on the type of marigold you choose.
They are easy to care for and are not fussy despite their lovely looks. Often beautiful flowers tend to require a lot of extra maintenance or care. But, that’s not the case here.
That said, they do need full sun to thrive. And, well draining soil is likewise important.
if you give them that, you’ll not only be rewarded with long blooming periods but also frequent pollinator visitors like bees and other beneficial insects.
