If you are looking for flowers for the garden, you should make sure that they don’t all bloom at the same time and that all plants match in terms of color, size and design. Of course, the location is also decisive. You simply cannot plant sun worshipers on the north side of a house, they cannot develop satisfactorily there.
When choosing the types of flowers, you shouldn’t just look against them. A lot of flowers smell, that is also an important criterion. Scented plants are particularly well placed near seats.
A distinction is made between annual and perennial plants. Annuals can be re-sown each year, or bought and planted. Perennial flowers bloom reliably for many years and develop better and better over time.
Table of Contents
Flowers for spring
In spring, it is mainly onion plants that bring new life to the garden with their blaze of color. The first spring bloomers appear from March, often under the snow cover. Numerous species and varieties spread a pleasant scent and even attract insects to pollinate. Spring flowers are usually perennial and develop better and better over the years. There are exceptions for tulips. Highly bred varieties often only flower for one year, then the old variety comes through again or the flowering fails completely. Bluestars, crocuses and daffodils are more reliable.
Spring bloomers from March:
- Bluestars (Scilla) – different shades of blue
- Wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa) – white
- Scented violets (Viola odorata) – purple
- Garden hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) – different colors
- Yellow daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) – yellow
- Crocus (Crocus) – various colors, predominantly yellow, lavender, purple and white, also multi-colored
- Pasque Flower or Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) – lavender or crimson
- Snow shine / snow pride (Chionodoxa) – white or blue
- Ray anemone (Anemona blanda) – white, pink, blue, or pale purple
- Tulips (Tulipa) – different colors
Spring bloomers from April:
- Common night vole (Hesperis matronalis) – purple
- Feather Carnation (Dianthus plumarius) – white or red
- Primroses (Primula veris) – different colors
- Pushkinie (Pushkinia scilloides) – white, pale light blue with blue stripes
- Checkerboard flower – Frittilaria meleagris) – purple-white or greenish-white spotted
- Stone herb (Alyssum) – white or yellow
- Pansy (Viola wittrockiana) – many colors, also multicolored
- Traubenhyazinthe (Muscari armeniacum) – blau
Spring bloomers from May:
- Blood cranesbill – (Geranium sanguineum) – purple
- Common peony (Paeonia officinalis) – different colors
- Corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas) – red
- Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)
- Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) – pink hearts with white tips or white
- Turkish poppy (Papaver orientale) – orange-red flowers
- Forget-me-not (Myosotis) – blue-purple, pink, white
- Ornamental onion (Allium spec.) – many colors
Flowers for summer
In summer it is mainly perennial plants that provide variety in the garden, but annual flowers can also be used. It is important not to mix too many different types and colors. Less is usually more. Of course, it depends on the garden style. Repetitions bring calm to beds and plantings. When planting, it should not be forgotten that perennials become significantly larger over the years. This space is to be planned from the beginning, otherwise you have a lot of work with moving and sharing.
- Dahlia (Dahlia) – many colors and color combinations, not hardy
- Flame flower (phlox) – various colors, mostly white, pink, pink and red
- Gladiolus (gladiolus) – many colors and color combinations, not hardy
- Bellflower (Campanula) – different varieties, white, blue, pink
- Cockade flower (Galliardia) – different varieties and colors, also multi-colored
- Lilies (Lilium) – many colors
- Snapdragon (Antirrhinum) different varieties and colors
- Lupine (Lupinus) – different colors
- Girl’s eye (Coreopsis) – different colors
- Marguerites (Leucanthemum maximum) – white
- Carnations (Dianthus) – different varieties and colors
- Prachtspiere (Astilbe) – different varieties and colors, mostly white, pink and red
- Marigold (Calendula officinalis) – orange, annual
- Larkspur (Delphinium) – various varieties and colors, mainly white, pink and blue
- Roses (pink) – the most diverse types, varieties and colors
- Sun-eye (Heliopsis helianthuides) – yellow
- Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) – yellow, but also orange or multi-colored, annual
- Sun bride (Helenium) – many color variants of yellow, orange, red and brown
- Coneflower (Echinacea) – different colors
- Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) – different colors, biennial
- Tagetes (Tagetes) – yellow to orange, also two-colored, usually annual
- Daylily Hemerocallis) – different colors and color combinations
- Zinnia (Zinnia violacea) – different colors, also multicolored, annual
Flowers for autumn
Flowers for autumn bloom from September, although some start earlier. Most of them bloom until the first frost. When the summer flowers have faded, the autumn bloomers are in top form. However, the diversity is less. There are significantly more spring and summer bloomers than autumn bloomers.
- Common heather (Calluna vulgaris) – white, pink to purple in color
- Dahlias (Dahlia) – different varieties and colors, many color combinations, not winter hardy
- Autumn anemone (Anemone hupehensis) – white, pink or pink
- Herbstastern (aster) – different species, varieties and colors
- Autumn chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum indicum L.) – different varieties and colors
- Autumn crocus (Crocus speciosus) – blue-purple
- Autumn crocus (Colchium autumnale) – pale pink to purple
- Tall sedum (Sedum spectabile and Sedum telephium) – different varieties and colors
- October saxifrage (Saxifraga9 – different varieties and colors, mostly white, pink and pink
- Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) – different varieties and colors, mostly yellow, orange and brownish
- Pansy (viola) – different varieties and colors, including multi-colored
Flowers for winter
Even in winter you don’t have to go without flowers in the garden. There are only a few varieties, but you can plant more than one. They are much more effective in groups than individually planted. Winter bloomers are plants that bloom either from December or then from February or even from March.
- A mur Adonis (Adonis amurensis) – yellow
- Cyclamen coum = early spring cyclamen – white, pink, red or purple
- Squill (Scilla mischenkoana) – white
- Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) – white
- March cup (Leucojum vernum) – white
- Crocus (Crocus) – different varieties, do earlier, some later
- Primrose (Primula vulgaris) – different colors
- Snowdrop (Galanthus) – white
- Winter Iris (Iris reticulata) – blue with yellow-white patterns
- Winterlinge (Eranthis hyemalis) – gelb
Flowers for vessels
Regardless of whether it is a balcony box or just a normal plant pot, planted planters can be used to set highlights on the balcony, terrace and in the garden. It is important that the plants fit together, not only visually, but also in terms of their requirements. Many of the suitable plants require plenty of water and nutrients. You shouldn’t put them in a container with people who like little water and fertilizer. Also pay attention to the sun exposure.
Summer bloomers for pots and tubs
- Asters (aster) – various types, varieties and colors
- Australian Daisy (Brachysome iberidfilia) – blue-purple, annual
- Begonias (Begonia) – different types, varieties and colors
- Bougainvillea (bougainvillea, mostly hybria) – white, red, yellow, purple or orange
- Elven mirror (Nemesia) – different varieties and colors, also multi-colored
- Elven spur (Diascia, mostly hybrids) – different varieties and colors
- Angel’s Trumpet (Brugmansia, mostly hybrids) – many varieties and colors
- Fächerblume (Scaevola rival) – blau
- Geranium (Pelargonium, mostly hybrids) – different varieties, hanging and standing, different colors
- Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) – different varieties and colors
- Indian flower tube (Canna-Indica) mostly hybrids – different varieties and colors, not hardy
- Cape marguerite (Osteospermum) – white, pink, purple, yellow, also two-colored
- Marguerite trees (Argyranthemum frutescens) – white
- Orange flower (Choisya ternata) – white
- Passion flower (Passiflora caerulea) – different varieties and colors
- Petunias (Petunia) different types, varieties and colors
- African lily (agapanthus, mostly hybrids) – white or blue
- Coppy lily (Eucomis bicolor) – green-white, not hardy
- Vanilleblume (Heliotropium arborescens) – lila
- Verbena (Verbena) – different colors, also two-tone
- Lantana camara – different colors, also multicolored
Frequently asked questions
Which is the most popular garden flower in Germany?
According to surveys, that’s the marigold. Most will certainly think of the rose, but strictly speaking it is not a flower, but strictly speaking a shrub and woody plant. In the end, it doesn’t matter. Anyone can plant whatever they like and just have to make sure that the location and the substrate are right.
Which flowers are particularly easy to care for?
The easy-care garden flowers include, for example, fat hens, delphiniums, forget-me-nots, mustache, scented stone rich, mullein, bunny bells, daisy, girl’s eye and many others.
Kira Bellingham
I'm a homes writer and editor with more than 20 years' experience in publishing. I have worked across many titles, including Ideal Home and, of course, Homes & Gardens. My day job is as Chief Group Sub Editor across the homes and interiors titles in the group. This has given me broad experience in interiors advice on just about every subject. I'm obsessed with interiors and delighted to be part of the Homes & Gardens team.