17 Easy Care Annual Flowers For Your Spring Garden

If you are a beginner gardener, annual flowers are a great option. This holds true especially if you aren’t sure what you want to permanently place in your garden just yet. It is usually a good idea to test out some easy-to-care-for plants when you’re just getting started. Thankfully, there are tons of low-maintenance annual flowers out there!

Planting annuals has many benefits. You have the flexibility to change them out each year, for one. You get to try new colors, textures, and sometimes scents in your garden without any commitment. Annual flowers also tend to be better for lower budgets.

If you are a beginner gardener or just someone who likes to switch it up without too much maintenance, we’ve listed out our favorite easy-care annual flowers that would be perfect for you! I hope you give some the following flowers a try in your garden this season and that you enjoy them as much as I do.

Ageratum

	common name Floss Flower
	botanical name Ageratum houstonianum
	plant type Annual and Perennial Flower
	bloom colors Blue, Lavender, Pink, White
	sun requirements Full to Partial Sun
	propagation 80-100 Days To Mature From Seed

This fluffy flower adds so much character to a backyard garden and to a wildflower bouquet. Its unique appearance caused it to get its other names, floss flower and blue mink.

Ageratum does come in different colors, but I have found they do not germinate or perform quite as well as the original violet varieties. Be sure to harvest or deadhead Ageratum often, as it does get fluffy quickly. The more you harvest, the more it will produce.

To use fresh, be sure to harvest a bit earlier than when the flowers are all the way in bloom. If you’d like to use them in crafts, harvest them when they are fully open before drying. Just be aware that the colors will fade slightly when dried, but they hold up well when pressed and in dried bouquets.

Calendula

	common name Pot Marigold, Calendula, Marigold
	botanical name Calendula officinalis
	plant type Annual Flower
	bloom colors Yellow, Orange, Shades of Cream
	sun requirements Full to Partial Sun
	propagation 30-55 Days To Mature From Seed

Classic calendula is one of the most vibrant colors I’ve ever seen in nature. Its orange petals stand out like nothing else. The high resin makes it perfect for medicinal tinctures and salves.

The Alpha looks a lot like a Gerbera daisy, whereas the Flashback Mix is a mix of pale yellow with brown brush strokes along the petal edges to all yellow and all orange with dark centers. Sprinkle some of the petals in your salad to brighten it up!

In the fall, cut back and cover plants with straw mulch to protect them from cold winter temperatures if you live in colder regions. Pull back the straw on a warm spring day to get the plants some fresh air and sunshine but keep the mulch nearby in case of any cold bursts.

While calendula does well in cooler temperatures, the leaves could become frost tipped or damaged in a hard frost. Once you have calendula established, it will be one of the first things to pop up in the spring each year.

Pro Tip: Calendula self-seeds fairly easily but you can brush seeds off periodically at the end of the season to help them along.

Cornflower/Bachelor’s Button

	common name Cornflower, Bachelor’s Button
	botanical name Centaurea cyanus
	plant type Annual Flower
	bloom colors Blue, Pink, White
	sun requirements Full Sun
	propagation 65-75 Days To Mature From Seed

Bachelor’s buttons prefer cooler weather and doesn’t mind moderately poor soil conditions. Direct sowing is recommended so you can put them in as soon as you can work your soil in the spring.

Even with little to no attention, these flowers will continue to bloom all season, even without deadheading. Harvest them at first sight of color when the buds are still closed up for a longer vase life. However, they only last a few days, so they are best for a casual dinner centerpiece and not a fancy bouquet. Their color palette can’t help but make you smile.

You might notice bachelor’s buttons popping up in commonly used pollinator patches. This is due to their ability to attract lots of beneficial insects like hoverflies, bees, and butterflies.

Dianthus/Sweet William

	common name Sweet Wiliam, Bearded Pink
	botanical name Dianthus barbatus
	plant type Annual or Perennial Flower
	bloom colors Red, Pink, White, Purple, Bicolor
	sun requirements Full to Partial Sun
	propagation 90-110 Days To Mature From Seed

Fragrant and high-yielding, Sweet William is an excellent choice for anyone with short growing seasons as they are cool-weather loving, so you can get them started early. They will grow as a tender perennial in zones 6-8 but perform best as an annual.

Bunched with other sweet williams of mixed colors, they make a sweet bouquet. They have an amazing life, sometimes lasting up to two weeks!

They are slightly fragrant, and their petals are edible. Add them to your next summer salad, or float one in your cocktails for extra interest. Just be sure to remove the petals from the base, as the base is a bit bitter.

Feverfew

	common name Feverfew
	botanical name Tanacetum parthenium
	plant type Annual or Perennial Flower
	bloom colors White and Yellow
	sun requirements Full to Partial Sun
	propagation 100-110 Days To Mature From Seed

This delicate flower is one you’ll definitely want to add to your garden line-up this season. It is highly productive, grows well all season, and is equally as good-looking when dried for crafts.

Feverfew has an earthy scent and makes the perfect backdrop to a simple backyard flower bouquet. It may need some staking due to its tall stems. Be sure to give them enough space to bush out or the bottoms of the stems and leaves will dry out and turn brown.

While feverfew is technically a tender perennial in certain zones, we grow it as an annual to be sure we always have it around. If you are looking for a lovely white flower for your bouquets or just to add some balance to your garden, I highly recommend feverfew.

Flowering Kale or Cabbage

	common name Flowering Kale, Flowering Cabbage, Ornamental Cabbage
	botanical name Brassica oleracea
	plant type Annual Plant
	bloom colors Purple, Pink, White, Red, Green
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
	propagation 70-90 Days To Mature From Seed

Although these do not have a good flavor for eating, ornamental kale and cabbage pack a unique punch when it comes to their appearance.

Space these about 6 inches away from other plants, so they stay a small enough size that allows you to cut them and add them to a bouquet.

Peel back lower leaves as they continue to grow, so you get a nice, long stem. The purple shades enveloped in crisp green leaves will stand out in an arrangement and last quite a while in a vase.

Pro Tip: When your summer flowers fade, replace them with fall ornamental kale or cabbage for an easy late season garden.

Larkspur

	common name Larkspur
	botanical name Delphinium
	plant type Annual Flower
	bloom colors Blue, Purple, Pink
	sun requirements Full Sun
	propagation 80-90 Days To Mature From Seed

I absolutely love growing larkspur for many reasons. It blooms earlier than snapdragons but has a similar spike effect in a mixed flower bouquet. It comes in lovely blue and violet shades, pinks, and roses, all the way to bright white, just what we all want in the spring and early summer!

Larkspur is great in the spring because it germinates best in soils below 55°F and is recommended to be directly sown. You can also sow seeds in the fall for early spring blooms. I have had success sowing these in cell trays in an unheated outdoor area and transplanting them in late spring when the snow has melted.

An important note about larkspur: All parts of this flower are poisonous, so take extra caution around children and pets. Gloves are recommended when seeding or wash your hands immediately afterward.

Marigold

	common name Marigold
	botanical name Tagetes spp.
	plant type Annual Flower
	bloom colors Yellow, Orange, Red
	sun requirements Full Sun
	propagation 60-90 Days To Mature From Seed

One of the most popular orange or yellow annual flowers, marigolds are a mainstay in our garden. We grow marigolds just about anywhere that’s bare or along borders where possible critters could enter. Their strong scent helps to deter deer, rabbits, and other animals that might munch on your summer greens.

The Queen Sophia variety is a gorgeous deep orange rimmed with golden highlighter orange. Its petals are edible and make a lovely addition to a charcuterie board or a summer salad. Lemon Gem has a citrus scent and flavor, making it great for culinary use as well as a mosquito repellent.

Marigolds are known for attracting beneficial insects, warding off pests, and making a lovely border option. Typically only one sowing is needed for lasting blooms all season. Just be sure to harvest or deadhead often to encourage a continuous supply. Sow 4-6 weeks before the last frost and pinch back for a bushier style plant.

Orlaya/White Lace Flower

	common name Orlaya, White Lace Flower
	botanical name Orlaya grandiflora
	plant type Annual Flower
	bloom colors Pure White
	sun requirements Full to Partial Sun
	propagation 65-70 Days To Mature From Seed

This easy-to-grow filler flower will instantly make your bouquets look extra elegant without much effort. You can direct sow the seeds early in the spring when you can first work the soil or start them indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost.

Chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks prior to sowing. This is known as cold stratification, which helps break the dormancy of the seed that might have otherwise overwintered. This is thought to help “wake up” the seeds and initiate germination.

Harvest when about 80% of the flower is open and before pollen is present. If you wait too long to harvest, the amount of pollen shed that will occur will make them less than ideal to use in bouquets. Unique, star-shaped seed pods will form later in the season that looks lovely in dried bouquets.

Pansy/Viola/Johnny Jump Up

	common name Pansy, Viola, Violet, Johnny Jump Up
	botanical name Viola
	plant type Annual or Perennial Flower
	bloom colors Purple, Blue, Yellow, White
	sun requirements Full Sun
	propagation 60-80 Days To Mature From Seed

Pansies can be annual, perennial, or tender perennial, depending on the variety. They are one of the first flowers to pop up in the winter and spring months. They come in a wide range of colors with new options each year.

These lovely flowers can tolerate light frosts and can be overwintered very easily. They grow well in containers, along borders, in hanging baskets, or anywhere in your landscaping.

Bonus: Pansies are edible! They add brightness and beauty to summer salads and charcuterie boards and can be added to soaps and salves, as well as candied.

Petunias

	common name Petunia
	botanical name Petuna spp.
	plant type Annual Flower
	bloom colors Pink, Purple, Red, White, Bi-colored
	sun requirements Full to Partial Sun
	propagation 70-85 Days To Mature From Seed

Petunias are very versatile garden flowers. They can be used along rock walls, as borders, in containers/hanging baskets, or in mounds. Plant them in well-draining, rich soil that’s high in organic matter.

Grandiflora petunias are the most popular type and have the biggest blooms whereas multiflora petunias have smaller blooms but are more prolific. Deadhead them often for continuous blooms.

There are also spreading petunias that can be used to cover a rock wall, a large hillside, or a simple alternative to a complex garden landscape.

While petunias cannot handle frost, they are great performers in cool weather. They love the sun so make sure they get at least 8 hours a day of direct sun. Get ready to have a backyard full of hummingbirds and other pollinating insects because petunias’ sweet smell and high nectar levels will attract them.

Pro Tip: Try planking these alongside pale gray dusty miller or in front of a row of Ammi Dara to make the colors really pop.

Pincushion Flower/Scabiosa/Mourning Bride

	common name Pincushion Flower, Scabiosa, Mourning Bride
	botanical name Scabiosa caucasica
	plant type Annual or Perennial Flower
	bloom colors Blue, Lavender, Pink, White
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
	propagation 90-100 Days To Mature From Seed

Last season was my first time growing scabiosa. I did not give the seeds the conditions needed for good germination rates, so I ended up with only a few plant starts.

Light aids in germination, and I think they were in too large of cell packs and basically drowned when the greenhouse was being watered. Next time I will germinate them inside and keep them under artificial light until they are strong enough to harden off outside.

I transplanted those few scabiosa babies into a new garden plot and was dumbfounded in the late summer when I saw how gorgeous they were. As I typically do with a new flower, I ordered the mixed packet that offered lots of color variety. I fell in love with the burgundy that is almost black, the pale purple, and the deep, bright pink. They added such character to my bouquets!

The key is to harvest them early. Otherwise, their petals will wither away, making them less than ideal for use as cut flowers. These flowers are a wonderful addition to fall landscaping and bouquets because they last late in the season and come in wonderful autumnal shades.

Snapdragon

	common name Snapdragon, Snap
	botanical name Antirrhinum majus
	plant type Annual or Perennial Flower
	bloom colors Pink, Red, Yellow, Orange, White, and Purple
	sun requirements Full to Partial Sun
	propagation 105-120 Days To Mature From Seed

While snapdragons, take a bit longer to mature than some other flowers, they are worth the wait. They need to be transplanted, so keep in mind that you need an indoor space to start them and keep them safe for at least 8 weeks. Light is needed to germinate, so be sure to have a setup that allows for this.

You can pinch them back once they are about 4 inches tall to encourage side shooting and a bushier growth pattern. This will delay bloom time by a few weeks.

There are many different varieties that come in a whole range of colors, single and double-petaled and some even feature an antique look for special occasions. Snaps perform very well outdoors or under protection in a greenhouse.

Some staking is required in order to keep the stems nice and straight. Add a few of these to a bouquet and they add great height and dimension.

Pollinators love them, they look lovely as a garnish and some varieties are lightly fragrant. They have a fairly long vase life of 7-10 days with ideal care. If you haven’t grown snaps before, I highly recommend grabbing a mixed packet and putting them in this year to see why they are a favorite among growers and florists.

Stock

	common name Stock, Hoary Stock, Common Stock
	botanical name Matthiola incana
	plant type Annual and Biennial Flower
	bloom colors Blue, Pink, White, Lavender, Purple, Red
	sun requirements Full to Partial Sun
	propagation 90-105 Days To Mature From Seed

Stock has a romantic look, perfect for spring and fall weddings. Seeds are available in soft whites and pinks, as well as bright pinks and purples, deep burgundy, and vintage shades. They are one of the first flowers you can transplant in the spring for early bouquets.

With a little support, stock will produce straight and sturdy stems. Please note that no pinching should take place as this flower type is a one-and-done harvest.

Stock has a slight pepper, clove-like fragrance and taste. It is a part of the brassica family, so be sure to protect them from flea beetle damage.

Sunflower

	common name Sunflower
	botanical name Helianthus annuus
	plant type Annual Flower
	bloom colors Yellow, Red, Orange, Brown
	sun requirements Full Sun
	propagation 70-100 Days To Mature From Seed

There is nothing more cheerful than a row or two of different sunflower varieties growing in your garden. My favorite thing to do is stagger the sowings of different varieties, so there is always some blooming.

Did you know they get their name because of the way their heads follow the sun? Even before they are opened, keep an eye on them at sun up and sundown and you’ll be in awe of nature.

While they won’t tolerate a frost, you can germinate and grow sunflowers from seed indoors for a few weeks while you wait for the risk of frost to pass before moving them outdoors.

Pro Tip: Allow some to go to seed in your garden for a special treat for birds or ground critters passing through in need of a snack.

Sweet Alyssum

	common name Sweet Alyssum, Alyssum
	botanical name Lobularia maritima
	plant type Annual or Perennial Flower
	bloom colors White, Purple, Light Pink
	sun requirements Full to Partial Sun
	propagation 50-60 Days To Mature From Seed

This easy, breezy, low-maintenance flower should be in everyone’s garden. Its low, creeping growing habit makes it perfect for rock gardens, hanging baskets, or window boxes.

Sweet alyssum makes an amazing garden border and also grows well in containers. It attracts lots of beneficial pollinators such as lacewings and parasitic wasps.

Alyssum is known to deter pests such as aphids. Therefore, it can be a helpful and pretty workhorse when planted alongside vegetables.

Start seeds indoors under light and transplant them after the risk of frost in the spring. If you live in warmer climates, you can sow them in fall through late winter for summer blooms. This sweet flower performs as a tender perennial in zones 9-11.

Sweet Pea

	common name Sweey Pea
	botanical name Lathyrus odoratus
	plant type Annual Vining Flower
	bloom colors Pink, Purple, Red, White, Bi-color
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
	propagation 75-85 Days To Mature From Seed

Sweet peas are great for those of us in cooler growing regions because they can be started early, can tolerate a light frost, as well as some warm summer weather which offers growers a long harvest window. For this reason, keeping their roots and watering regularly is very important.

I love the Mammoth Choice Mix variety mostly for the consistently long stems (can be up to 16”!) and range of colors. These can be trained up arbors, arches, or fences along garden sheds or to hide outdoor hardware.

Vertical support is required. Sweet peas’ vase life is only about 4-6 days, but if you are growing them for pleasure and simple home bouquets, they are worth it for the delicate beauty and the sweet fragrance. Harvest when just about half of the flower is open.

Pro Tip: Soak for 24 hours at room temperature before sowing to help with germination rates.