If you’re short on time but eager to deck out your garden ASAP, there are a number of fast-growing flowers you should plant now. Some of the following varieties come as actual plants, while others start as seeds that will flower in a mere week or so. Either way, you’re bound to have colorful, lush blooms in no time.
We spoke with gardening experts for a list of the fast-growing flowers they recommend homeowners plant in their gardens. Take a look at their favorite plants and top growing tips.
1. Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums are a favorite of Susan Brandt, co-founder of the Blooming Secrets gardening website. They can be planted in your garden, used in a container garden like a windowbox, used for ground cover, or used as a vine climbing up a trellis or wall.
The flowers come in variations of yellow, orange, and red, and the foliage resembles lily pads.
“Nasturtiums are not fussy and will bloom prolifically when grown in full sun and in soil that drains well,” Brandt says.
They should be planted about ½ inch deep and about 10 to 12 inches apart. “It is a plant that’s very sensitive to frost, so you want to be sure you plant the seeds in your garden after frost is no longer a concern,” says Brandt.
Nasturtiums are easy to grow, but they’re not invincible. If they receive too much water, the plant can rot; that’s why good drainage is important.
Seeds cost anywhere from $2 to $6. Brandt recommends the Tall Trailing Mix Nasturtium, which should produce plants in 7 to 10 days.
Plant it: Early spring
2. Butterfly bush
Buddleja davidii, also known as the butterfly bush, is a fast-growing addition to any garden or landscape, says Rex Bishop, technical director for the National Association of Landscape Professionals.
In addition to being a pervasive bloomer, butterfly bush is easy to care for, attracts butterflies, is fragrant, and comes in several colors, like Blue Chip, Purple Haze, and a white palette called Ice Chip.
Bishop says they grow 2 to 3 feet high, do best in full sun, and are drought tolerant, which makes them ideal for warmer climates. You can buy butterfly bushes for around $7.
Plant it: Spring or fall
3. Wave petunias
Wave petunias are easy to care for, and they spread out to create a beautiful ground cover, says Claire Josephson, product marketing manager at Ball Horticultural in Chicago. If you plant them 12 inches apart, they will even spread up to 4 feet.
They come in a variety of colors, like pink, lavender, and purple.
These plants are hardy, and can handle low temperatures up to 40 degrees. A 12-pack of wave petunia plants will cost about $11.
Plant it: Early summer
4. Cosmos
No matter where you live, cosmos will thrive in your backyard. They are annual flowers that grow from seeds and are “attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds, and, unfortunately, rabbits, who find them to be quite delicious,” Brandt says.
Old-fashioned cosmos (typically found in cottage gardens), are available in whites, pinks, and purples. However, the newer varieties include yellows, oranges, and reds.
These plants have a long growing season, and Brandt warns that they should be planted after the danger of frost has passed. “Cosmos start blooming in the summer, around the time that many perennials finish blooming, so they’re an excellent choice to fill the gaps in your perennial garden,” says Brandt.
Most varieties grow from 3 to 6 feet tall, so Brandt suggests you provide supports for more exposed windy locations.
These flowers tolerate a variety of soil conditions, but are at their best in dry conditions where they get full sun all day long. Even under the summer’s heat, they continue to thrive, and once established, they don’t require additional watering.
Seeds will cost anywhere from $1.75 to $3.
Plant it: Late spring or early summer
5. Fringe flower
The fringe flower is a great evergreen shrub for landscaping and filling in your garden, because it can grow anywhere from a few feet to 10 feet. The Purple Pixie is around 2 feet high and 4 feet wide; Sizzling Pink is 4 to 6 inches high and wide. Pizzazz grows from 6 to 8 feet high and wide; Emerald Snow has green leaves and white flowers and grows to about 4 feet high and wide.
“These plants grow fast and are fairly immune to insect and disease problems,” Bishop says.
They prefer full sun, but will grow in partial shade, and do better in warmer zones or in container gardens in northern locales.
Fringe flower plants will cost around $34.
Plant it: Spring
6. Calendula/marigold
These plants grow best in cool climates and in the temperatures usually found in the fall and early spring. “Gardeners in areas of the country where winters are mild can plant calendulas in the fall and enjoy them throughout the winter,” Brandt says. They can also tolerate a certain degree of heat if mulched and given ample water, but in the summer heat, they will eventually stop blooming.
After the seeds sprout, the plants will grow quickly, and you can expect to see flowers in 60 days. These beautiful flowers usually produce gold, yellow, or orange petals.
Quite apart from being aesthetically pleasing, calendula flowers are used for cooking (in salads, soups, and stews) and for medicinal purposes (such as healing wounds and reducing warts and acne).
Seeds are priced at $3.75, and Brandt recommends the Sherbet Calendula Mix and Lemon Sorbet Calendula.
Plant it: Early spring
7. Knockout Roses
If you dream of tending to a blooming rose garden, Bishop recommends Knockout Roses as another fast-growing option. She says Knockout is one of the most popular varieties of roses because it doesn’t require nearly as much care as typical roses.
They grow best in zones where the low temperature ranges from 35 degrees to -15 degrees, and they come in several colors, including red, pink, yellow, white, coral, and peach.
These flowers prefer full sun to maximize blooms, and they flower from spring to fall almost nonstop. You’ll find Knockout Roses at your local gardening center for around $24.95 per plant.
Plant it: Late fall or early spring
