Flowers bring so much life and vibrancy to your garden. However, it can be difficult to predict weather patterns and the types of flowers that will thrive in different seasons. Luckily, there are a variety of flowers that bloom year-round, even with unpredictable weather. We’ve rounded up six types of year-round blooming flowers, plus pro tips to keep your blooms healthy for years.
1. Mediterranean Spurge (Euphorbia Characias)
This sub-shrub is a favorite among landscape pros since it gives a “full garden look” all-year round. The Mediterranean Spurge can grow up to 3-4 feet tall and needs to be pruned from time to time to maintain its glory. It will thrive more in summer, although expect to see greenish-yellow flowers emerge in early spring as well.
PRO tip: Wear gardening gloves when pruning your Mediterranean Spurge because the stems and leaves contain poisonous, milky-like sap.
2. Smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)
Smooth hydrangea is a deciduous plant with clustered creamy-white flowers. This beautiful plant brightens shady areas and blooms non-stop from early summer to fall. Although there are many varieties of hydrangeas, they all require similar care and pruning.
PRO tip: Smooth hydrangeas bloom on new branches, so prune them during late winter or early spring to boost growth. The more pruning you do, the bigger the flowers will be.
3. Rosa ‘Wedding Day’ (Rambling Rose)
This blooming rambling rose boasts huge bunches of fragrant, milky white flowers with bright yellow stamen that turn pink as they age. Since it grows quite abundantly, we recommend planting it around mature trees or in sparse areas of your garden. In addition to its beauty, Rosa ‘Wedding Day’ will attract bees with its single, open bud and encourage pollination.
PRO tip: Plant the Rosa ‘Wedding Day’ in a fertile, moist, well-drained soil with full sun and cover it once a year with compost.
4. Golden Trumpet (Allamanda cathartica)
The Golden Trumpet earns its name from its beautiful trumpet-shaped flowers. It blooms year- round with little care needed. Apart from its attractive golden flowers, it offers medicinal properties too – it can be used to destroy bacteria and reduce swelling. Golden Trumpets thrive with full sun, but if you choose to grown indoors, make sure it gets at least four hours of sun exposure.
PRO tip: Although this plant is woody and a “climber,” you can prune it to grow as a shrub if you have limited space in your garden.
5. Mourning Widow (Geranium Phaeum)
This flowering plant is a perfect choice if you have a woodland garden. The Mourning Widow usually blooms into groups of deeply-cut green plants with unique dark maroon-purple cluster of flowers. It can tolerate dry shade more than other types of perennials. This herbaceous plant belongs to the Geranium family, and is often used in the production of essential oils for perfume-making and cultivated ornamentals.
PRO tip: This plant prefers rich and moist soil. Make sure to prune your Mourning Widow after blooming to encourage healthy foliage.
6. Primrose (Primula Vulgaris)
Primrose is a stunning addition to your garden all-year round thanks to its stunning yellow flowers that turn carpet the ground during its peak season. This compact, semi-evergreen perennial is scented and can grow to 4-6 inches tall. As an added bonus, it grows easily and is self-seeding!
This very versatile plant can be grown in beds and borders, cottage gardens, rock gardens, or even containers. Watch out for pests such as aphids, slugs, and leaf and bud eelworms. It can also be prone to leaf spot and grey molds.
Pro tip: The grown plants should be planted during early fall. If propagating, cut through the root basal with sharp pruning shears to avoid unnecessary damage.