Easy flower plants to grow are commonly heard of but when there are so many flower varieties it’s hard to know which of them actually are! Growing flowers, whether from seed or plant bought, isn’t always easy and is definitely an up and down journey from time to time. It’s common to slip into bad habits and opt for flower plants that don’t really ‘fit’ the conditions of your garden (like shade levels or soil type). But there are plenty of flowers out there that can virtually thrive in any kind of garden, and in any position whether that be in a bed, border or container.
Do you think you might have a brown thumb? Then worry no more. Our guide to easy flowers to grow for beginners is packed full of information and flower options to hit the ground running on your next flower planting venture.
It’s a hard to pill to swallow when you see a neighbours garden bursting with colour and their hanging baskets trail with elegant blooms, while your flower bed is looking a little more brown and droopy than ever. The fact is, some flower plants are much easier to grow than others, and when you’re new to the gardening world, it’s a good choice to grow some easy blooms for guaranteed colour and interest!
Read our guide for hassle-free, fuss-free, low maintenance, easy to grow, easy to care for and any other word to describe easy flowers to grow!
5 Great Flower Plants to Begin With: Perfect for Beds, Borders & Containers
To kick this off, let’s start with 5 easy flowers. Flower beds and borders can come in all shapes and sizes and it’s a good place to begin when introducing some colour and interest into your garden. Alternatively, container flowers are great for patios, decking and courtyard type gardens.
Begonias
Begonias are flamboyant in flower and regular inhabitants of beds, borders, hanging baskets and pots. Plant begonias for long-lasting vibrant blooms, that are hard to miss. Some begonia plants are also admired for their foliage and grown as houseplants, so indoors or out they are by your side.
Begonias provide colour throughout the summer until first frosts. They are easy to care for and will grow in partial shade.
Fuchsias
Fuchsias with their pendulous flowers provide gardeners with endless blooms across the summer, often in eye-watering cerise pinks and potent purple fuchsia flowers. They have been hybridised widely over the years and there is a wealth of choice available for borders, pots or hanging baskets.
Fuchsias are versatile and will happily grow in sun or partial shade. They do need some shade during the hottest part of the day and some shelter from cold winds.
Geraniums
Geraniums (Pelargoniums) are popular summer bedding plants, suited to both borders and containers. Suttons Geranium plug plants include varieties are ideal for hanging baskets and window boxes! These Geranium plants will produce attractive and brightly coloured, with large blooms and neat foliage, and are drought tolerant.
Planting geraniums can be extremely easy and rewarding!
Petunias
Petunias are grown as annuals and are one of the prettiest bedding plants you can find. Available in an array of colours from pinks to purples and yellows, they passionately pad out summer pots and baskets with their single or double floriferous blooms.
The Surfinia range are the original trailing petunias flower and are reliable and weather resistant, so come rain or shine they will not be deterred.
Tough and resilient variety!
Impatiens
Impatiens, or Busy Lizzies as they are commonly known, are one of our most well-loved bedding plants. Providing outstanding colour and performing well in shade, Busy Lizzie flowers are versatile, vivid and swiftly create mounds of the most momentous displays throughout the summer.
Growing from seed is a little slower, but definitely worth a try!
Easy to Grow Perennial Flower Plants
Gardeners love trusty perennial plants! Easy to grow, colourful and varied, these herbaceous plants emerge year after year, making them great value for money. Available as short, ground-covering sedums or long lupins – and everything in between! Which varieties will you choose?
For the best results, our resident experts recommend planting perennials in small groups in your borders.
Osteospernum
Osteospernum are easy to grow and offer many months of flowers so really earning their keep. They are also known as the Cape or African Daisy and are a brilliant choice for long-lasting colour through summer to Autumn!
Coreopsis
Coreopsis is a long-flowering perennial gives the performance of an annual! Watch them bloom from early spring to late summer, bringing a touch of cheer to any garden.
Perfect for planting in beds and borders, as well as containers, or for use as cut flowers. Easy to care for and well suited to a variety of soils, all this plant asks for is regular watering and sun!
Final Mixed Bunch of Easy to Grow Flower Plants
When it comes to planting flowers, you don’t need to grow everything at once and you could just start with one plant! Here are a few more easy to grow flower varieties for you to try!
Sweet Peas
Sweet peas offer scent like no other. Sweet Pea Plants and Plugs will create prettiest of shades clamber over supports. These annual beauties will create a paradise of perfume all summer long. A beloved cottage garden classic, no plot is complete without a sweet pea parade.
The key to their success is rich soil. They also favour a sunny spot and plenty of water.
Marigold
Marigolds are a plant that almost everyone has heard of! These little gems in oranges and yellows have graced many a municipal border and are a favourite starter plant for youngsters. They are also helpful to grow next to the vegetable plot. This is beneficial bedding at its brightest.
Thrives best in full sun or partial shade. Marigold plants will produce the most flowers when planted in poor soil. If your soil is heavy then it is best to grow Marigold plants in containers.
Pansy
Pansies are most frequently seen as winter bedding, although you can also flower plants in the summer. Their brightly coloured faces are a welcome sight in the darker months and long periods of flowering make them a perfect pick.
Pansy plants are happy in full sun or partial shade and in any reasonable garden soil. They are perfect for beds and borders, containers and hanging baskets
Sunflowers
Add a splash of sunshine yellow to your summer pots with gorgeous, hardy annual sunflowers. These are also really easy to grow from seed and they are a great place for a child to start gardening.
Top Tips for Beginners Growing Flower Plants
- Know your garden: Assess how much sun and shade you have and know your soil type too!
- Feed and water regularly: This is a must, do it in the morning or at night, avoiding the hottest time of the day.
- Start small: You don’t need to grow every flower to begin within. Start with one and learn how to plant it!
- Get some good gardening gear: Some reliable gardening tools will really help in the long run and make the physical work much more easy!
- Be patient: Learning how to garden and planting flowers takes time, especially when it takes a few months for them to bloom! Keep going and if anything goes wrong just try again and know there is another flower waiting for you to grow.
If you’re ever stuck on how to grow a particular flower, browse our Flower Growing Guides or use the search bar on our blog to find a growing guide for your chosen variety!
We hope you find some easy flower plants to grow and have plenty to stay busy with in the garden. Join the Suttons community today and take us with you on your gardening journey – #MySuttonsJourney
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