When Does Garden Phlox Bloom

Angela, though not a natural green thumb, has studied gardening in order to better care for her yard.

Year-Round Flower Garden

To grow a garden that blooms all year round, you need to understand what flowers prefer and what are the best climates for them. Spring flowers combined with fall flowers allows your garden to contain color all year round, or you can get the same effect by using flowers that are resilient regardless of climate. Below you will read a list of the most popular flowers for each season, as well as a table with a more extensive list.

Daffodils are a spring flower. They repel unwanted animals and can protect your other flowers from their untimely demise.

BerndH, via Wikimedia Commons

Spring Flowers

The first flowers of spring often bring joy as it is a sign of warmer weather on its way. Spring flowers bring a magnificent array of colors to the dark days of winter. For every color in the rainbow, you can find a spring growth to match.

Daffodils grow early in the year just as the earth warms up. To grow well, the bulbs need to be planted in late autumn. There are ten different kinds of daffodils to choose from, although they are not very durable and need to be handled with care.
Hyacinths also need to be planted in the late fall. When they grow, it will bring a beautiful fragrant spring flower that comes in pink, purple, blue, and white. Hyacinths are an excellent choice for any flower garden because they can grow in most soils with a multitude of flowers. The one downside is that its bulb can irritate your skin; therefore, it is a good idea to wear gloves when handling a hyacinth bulb.
Tulips are gorgeous flowers. Unfortunately, they are also a favorite of animals, as well. It is a good idea to plant the bulbs of tulips and daffodils together because the daffodils will get rid of unwanted pests protecting the tulips. They come in every color of spring imaginable.

Delphiniums are a beautiful and tall summer flower that enjoys the heat that June, July, and August bring.

KENPEI, via Wikimedia Commons

Summer Flowers

Summer flowers can endure the hot, humid heat that causes spring flowers to wither away. The best thing about summer gardens is that they bring as much color as the spring growth does.

Cornflowers bring life to a wildflower summer garden. They stand tall and have a variety of colors that will remain through early autumn.
Delphiniums are a gorgeous, tall, bright purple, pink, and white flower. Due to their height, they make an excellent backdrop for any summer garden.
Gladiolas are another colorful choice, which has been hybridized for years. Therefore, they come in almost any color you would want to put in your garden. Some of them are even two-toned. As do most summer flowers, they need a lot of water. The dryness that often comes with the summer months can dry out many summer flowers, which make them more high maintenance.

Dahlia is a very beautiful fall flower.

Michael Wolf, via Wikimedia Commons

Fall Flowers

There are very few flowers that strictly grow during autumn. Most fall flowers are resilient enough for the hot heat of summer, but also the cold weather that autumn brings. Some of the most common flowers that are known to last into the late autumn are asters, carnations, gerbera daisies, and the following:

Dahlias are an excellent choice for fall because they last until the first frost. They grow best in full sun, but many insects and slugs eat them; therefore, it a good idea to plant other growth around it that might deter slugs and other insects.
Cosmos grow three to six feet tall, blooming twice a year. They are resilient and survive in most climates. Once they bloom in the fall, they will last until the first frost.
Roses are another bush that blooms until the first frost. As long as you prune them well, they will flourish throughout the season. Roses are an excellent choice because there are many different kinds to choose from in a multitude of colors. The bushes need a lot of maintenance the first year, but after that, annual pruning will do wonders.

These beautiful flowers endure the cold of winter.

Tony Atkin, via Wikimedia Commons

Winter Flowers

When you think of winter flowers, you often think of indoor potted plants, but some flowers will grow outside in the winter regardless of the climate. Some of the most common are crocus in the snow, Christmas rose, witch hazel, and glory of the snow as well as the following:

Snowdrop flowers are January's birth month flower and will often begin to grow at the end of winter right before spring comes. They usually precede daffodils and other summer flowers.
Winter Aconites are probably the easiest to grow in the winter because they need very little grooming. These yellow beauties will bring color to the drab winter months.
Poinsettia flowers are often thought of as a Christmas flower due to its ability to flourish during the winter months. You can keep your flowers indoors; they will live the best in cooler temperatures like 65-70 degrees. Poinsettias do not like to be overwatered, nor do they like a lot of sun. Choose a place where the sun is limited, and make sure the ground is only slightly moist, but not dry.

Asters will bloom all year long.

Muffet, via Wikimedia Commons

Year-Round Flowers

Few flowers can withstand the warm summer months and the cold that winter brings. Knowing which flowers can endure it all will allow you to decorate your garden all year long.

Asters last throughout the year. They attract butterflies and are a great addition to any garden.
Chrysanthemums are one of the most common year-round flowers. They have thousands of species, which allows for a variety of colors. They are so popular that different colored chrysanthemums have different meanings and are often given as gifts to portray your feelings towards another: red means love, yellow means slighted love, white means loyal love.
Carnations are another great all-season flower that also brings meaning from the giver. Their long stem makes them an excellent bouquet flower. Even if a carnation does not come in a particular shade, it can be colored to become the desired hue. Some of the most favored colors are pink (symbolizes mother's love), light red (admiration), dark red (deep love), and white (pure love).

Many other flowers flourish in different seasons. Here is a condensed list to help you organize and plan your year-round garden! Enjoy, and good luck planting!

Flower Seasonality Chart


Flower	Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Appleblossom	X
Aster		X	X
Azaleas	X
Belladonna Lilly	X	X
Birds of Paradise	X	X
Begonia	X
Calla Lilly	X
Carnation	X	X	X	X
Chrysanthimum	X	X	X	X
Cornflower		X
Cosmos	X	X	X
Crocus of the Snow				X
Dahlia	X	X
Daffodil	X
Delphinium		X	X
Gardenia	X
Geranium	X	X
Gerberas	X	X	X
Gladiolas		X	X
Hyacinth	X
Hollyhock	X
Hydrangea		X	X
Impatiens	X	X
Iris		X	X
Jasmine	X			X
Junipers			X
Lavender		X	X
Lilacs	X	X
Marigolds	X	X	X
Magniloia	X
Orchid	X	X	X
Pansy		X
Peony	X	X
Poppy	X		X
Petunia	X
Poinsetta				X
Rose	X		X
Sunflowers		X
Sweetpea		X	X
Tulip	X
Tiger Lilly	X
Zinnia	X

Questions & Answers

Question: What roses bloom all year around?

Answer: Most newer strains of roses will bloom throughout the growing season. Older strains often bloom only once in the season.

Hybrid tea roses specifically will bloom all year round as long as you live in an area that does not get any frost. I have heard good things about Canadian Explorers as well.

Question: What are some names of flowers that start with letter "V"?

Answer: Violets!!! Violas!! Those two were the first two I could come up with. Your question got me wondering, so I scoured the internet and found these as well:

Verbena

Veronica Incana

Viburnum

Virginia Creeper

Question: What bushes flower both spring and summer?

Answer: Lilac bushes are beautiful with a strong fragrance and they flower both in spring and the summer. Two popular bushes that grow during this time frame are the rose bush and hydrangea bush. Other bushes that also do include the cornelian cherry, sweetshrub, potentilla, and the smokebush.

Question: What is eating my roses?

Answer: There are many things that eat roses, including caterpillars (specifically tent-caterpillars), beetles, leaf-cutter bees, and sawflies. If sawflies are what is eating your roses, you will notice the eggs on the underside of the leaves. Leaf-cutter bees, although may cause holes in the leaves, does not damage the rose, and in fact very beneficial to them, since they allow for pollinating of the rose.

Question: What is eating my flower petals and how can I do to get rid of it?

Answer: It is hard to say. If it's something big, then it could be deer or rabbits. If it is definitely something smaller then maybe snails, slugs, Japanese beetles, or weevils. It is hard to say for sure without knowing where you live or whether these are large bites or definitely an insect of some sort.

If it is a larger animal, then something as simple as a wind-chime may work, or motion activated sprinkler. Deer do not like scented flowers, so planting very fragrant flowers near plainer ones may do the trick.

If you are trying to keep smaller pests away, then you need to find out what they do not like. Slugs will stay away if you use oak leaf mulch. Supposedly Japanese beetles will stay away if you spray your plants with one tablespoon of dish soap per one gallon of water.

Question: Why are penstemons not included in your list of flowers that bloom all year?

Answer: I am sorry that I overlooked these flowers. Thank you for bringing them to our attention.

Question: Can you plant seeds for carnations?

Answer: Yes, they can, but you need to be cautious that they are not planted before it frosts. It is a good idea to grow them indoors about eight weeks before you expect the last frost. Then transplant them outside after the last frost. Some choose to plant in a potted plant so they are easily brought in and out of the house dependent on the weather.

Question: Do chrysanthemums grow in central Florida? Are certain types of chrysanthemum better to grow in Floriday than others?

Answer: Mums do grow in Florida. It is not as essential to get the right kind of mum in Florida as knowing how to grow them properly. They grow best in areas of full sun in well-drained soil. You will need to prune them, so they are not overcrowded, and they bloom best if they are not subject to artificial light when they are outside.

Question: What plant can give true blue flowers?

Answer: A delphinium has a pure blue flower. Other great plants that produce blue flowers are hyacinths, azure alliums, English bluebells, and forget-me-nots. These are all great options.

Louise89 on March 22, 2020:

Thank you!

Angela Michelle Schultz (author) from United States on October 01, 2018:

No, I do not sell them.

Lindsay Glenn on October 01, 2018:

Very helpful. Do you also supply the necessary plants and bulbs you mention?

Kristen Howe from Northeast Ohio on July 31, 2015:

Angela, lovely photos for this beautiful and useful hub. Very handy for those container gardeners like myself. Voted up!

Mary Norton from Ontario, Canada on February 13, 2015:

What beautiful pictures you have placed here. They made me feel fresh especially the Spring flowers.

in-memory from United States on October 23, 2014:

Lovely just lovely! Thank nature for giving us such wonderful creations. :)

Thelma Alberts from Germany on June 17, 2013:

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing this hub, Angela. It comes handy to me for I´m looking for flowers that I still want to plant in my garden. Voted this up, shared in fb and pinned.

Angela Michelle Schultz (author) from United States on August 01, 2012:

Thank you. :)

Dianna Mendez on July 31, 2012:

I love flowers and you have posted some of my favorites here. Your chart is very handy for those who need to know when to plant and how to grow them.

Angela Michelle Schultz (author) from United States on July 27, 2012:

Chrissie, mine are still in bloom. They are supposed to last most the year.

chrissieklinger from Pennsylvania on July 27, 2012:

I thought gerber daisies were a spring flower. I just added the remains of mine to my compost pile, I should have waited, they may have rebloomed in the fall. Thanks for the nice chart!

Linda Rogers from Minnesota on July 27, 2012:

Thanks for the enjoyable information and pictures. There is nothing better than flowers to make your day :-)

Angela Michelle Schultz (author) from United States on July 27, 2012:

I appreciate the praise carol and euro! Thanks!

carol stanley from Arizona on July 27, 2012:

I have to get my paints out especially the first photo....Great up and so interesting. I vote UP

Anastasia Kingsley from Croatia, Europe on July 27, 2012:

I love the photos, clear directions and A through Z layout. Another great Hub, Angela Michelle!