11 Longest-Blooming Flowers to Keep Your Garden in Color All Season

Growing flowers that bloom for a long time isn't just cost-effective—it also significantly reduces garden maintenance. Varieties that offer multiple seasons of interest mean fewer bare patches in your landscape and no more weekly trips to the plant nursery when you realize your lush garden was short-lived. Here, our experts shared their favorite long-blooming annuals and perennials so your garden looks beautiful all season long.

Angela Judd, certified master gardener and author of How to Grow Your Own Food
Shelley Cramm, award-winning gardening author and founder of the blog Garden in Delight
Jennifer Petritz, horticulturist, garden coach, and horticultural consultant specializing in small garden design

01 of 11

Zinnia

Zinnias (Zinnia spp.) can fill a garden bed with wall-to-wall color, growing thick enough to keep weeds to a minimum. And the blooms last! "Once the soil warms, I direct-sow zinnias," says master gardener Angela Judd. "Tall varieties like 'Queeny Lime' keep my vases full, while compact 'Zahara' plants have continual blooms as bedding plants in containers and at the ends of beds." She notes that both types continue blooming until the first frost.

Zones: 3 to 10
Size: 14 to 18 inches tall x 20 to 24 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

02 of 11

Alyssum

In certain circumstances, Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) can bloom all year long if the climate is conducive. "Alyssum blooms non-stop for a fresh, animated look through all the cool months before and after freezing temperatures," says garden author Shelley Cramm. "Their tufted forms spread and spill dainty blossoms over border edging or containers in such an inviting way, and their scent is something to swoon over!"

Zones: 5 to 9
Size: 3 to 10 inches tall x 2 to 4 inches wide
Care requirements: Full to partial sun; well-draining soil

03 of 11

Lavender

Lavender (Lavandula) is a useful and versatile plant that adds beauty and color to the garden. It has long-lasting, delicate, charming purple flowers that open in early spring, delighting bees and other pollinators. The blooms flourish from spring until the summer heat arrives, then rest and sometimes return in fall, Judd says. French and Spanish varieties are the most tolerant of hot, dry weather.

Zones: 5 to 9
Size: 12 to 30 inches tall x 24 to 36 inches wide
Care requirements: Well-draining soil; full sun

Hydrangea

The massive blooms of hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.) look stunning in any landscape. "In the woody shrub category, it’s hard to beat hydrangeas for floral staying power," says horticulturist Jennifer Petritz. "You can plan on at least eight weeks of solid bloom time for most Hydrangea macrophyllas (even longer with the rebloomers) and Hydrangea paniculatas." She notes that aging blooms often take on new 'antique' colors, providing extra bang for your gardening dollars.

Zones: 3 to 9
Size: Depends on variety
Care requirements: Partial sun; fertile, loamy soil (soil pH can affect flower color)

05 of 11

Autumn Joy Sedum

'Autumn Joy' sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile 'Autumn Joy') is so easy to grow, coming back stronger year after year and blooming late into the fall. An added bonus? Deer and rabbits don't typically bother it, so you can use it as a stunning addition to your property's landscaping and enjoy those long-lasting blooms for many weeks.

Zones: 3 to 9
Size: 1 to 2 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to partial sun (depends on variety); well-draining soil

06 of 11

Lantana

Lantana (Lantana camara) comes in many fabulously vivid colors and is popular in the ground or in containers—which are sometimes used to keep this fast-spreading flower in check. "Here in Arizona’s low desert, lantana is practically indestructible—bright clusters bloom almost year-round, handle heat and drought, and attract butterflies and bees," says Judd.

Zones: 7 to 11
Size: About 5 feet tall x 5 feet wide; smaller when kept pruned
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

07 of 11

Hibiscus

Colorful hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus spp.) have a lovely five-petal design with impressive center stamens and anthers. Petritz's favorite long-blooming variety is 'Purple Pillar.' "This variety stays very vertical, creating a column of long-lasting purple blooms with a dark red eye all summer long," she says. "Give it some sun and heat, and it will become an absolute flower factory."

Zones: Grow hardy hibiscus in zones 4 to 9 and tropical hibiscus in zones 9 to 11
Size: Depends on variety
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

08 of 11

Blackfoot Daisy

a field of green leaves with cheery white and yellow blackfoot daisies — Patcharamai Vutipapornkul / Getty Images

Blackfoot daisy (Melampodium cinereum) is a very drought-tolerant member of the Asteraceae family. "Blackfoot daisy is another long-flowering delight, showing off a multitude of little blooms with white petals around golden centers," says Cramm. "I love the big show they put on at the end of summer, just when I am weary from the heat." She notes that blackfoot daisies continue to bloom through fall up until a freeze.

Zones: 5 to 11
Size: About 18 inches tall x 18 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun; sandy, even rocky, well-draining soil

09 of 11

Daylily

It seems like the daylily (Hemerocallis) shouldn't be on this list, considering that each individual bloom only lasts one day, but the blossoming season of some daylily varieties is four to six weeks. The plant staggers its flush of blossoms throughout the growing season, so you'll enjoy the vivid colors and large flowers for a long time.

Zones: 3 to 9
Size: 24 to 48 inches tall x 24 to 36 inches wide
Care requirements: Full to partial sun; well-draining soil

10 of 11

Crown Anemone

Red Poppy Anemone flowers with selective focus — SophonK / Getty Images

Love vivid blooms? Crown anemones (Anemone coronaria) grow from bulbs or corms but bloom much longer than typical tulips or daffodils, says Cramm. "They send up multiple stems of bright-colored, cheery flowers and give a wildflower look to borders and beds," she adds.

Zones: 7 to 10
Size: Up to 18 inches tall x 9 inches wide
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-draining soil

11 of 11

Salvia

For an easy, low-maintenance plant that blooms all summer, look no further than salvia (Salvia). "My top summer annual for extended bloom has got to be the 'Summer Jewels' series of salvia," says Petritz. "Salvia as a genus has serious long-term flower power, but this series really goes the extra mile. Only when Jack Frost comes knocking will this salvia give up. My personal favorite is 'Summer Jewels Red'," she says.