Newsletter Articles
Color Pop! Eye-Catching Flowers to Bring Your Garden to Life
Written by Kara M.
Sometimes, we garden for practicality or convenience, like when we grow vegetables or herbs. Sometimes we garden for necessity, like planting hedges along one’s property line. But sometimes, we garden just for the beauty of it. There’s something intangible about the satisfaction of looking at a beautifully arranged garden in full bloom and knowing that you’ve designed and cultivated it yourself.
However, it can be overwhelming to select the right varieties and combinations of plants and flowers to complete your home garden. No matter which color you choose to accentuate your garden, there are seemingly endless flower options. How do you know which will be the boldest, the brightest, or the right selection for your particular vision?
That’s where these bright, flowering plants come in. Every garden needs an eye-catching pop of color, and these unique and vibrant plants are created to do just that. We’ve chosen some of the brightest flowers available to represent each color. No matter what shade you’re partial to, there is a gorgeous plant to match your taste. Here is a rainbow of colorful plants to bring your garden to life with a generous pop of color.
RED: Nonstop Deep Red Begonia
Begonias have been a longstanding staple in home flower gardens for ages, and they come in an impressive variety of colors. However, we’re partial to this variety and it’s rich, dark red blooms that are sure to stand out in any garden arrangement. From mid-spring to mid-fall, this perennial produces gorgeous, dainty flowers in a ruby red tone.
Full disclosure: begonias can be somewhat high maintenance. These will grow best in partial to full shade, and direct sunlight can prove to be too much for these delicate plants. They grow best in rich soils and require a moderate amount of water. That said, we think they’re well worth the effort – just look at those flowers!
In addition to adding a pop of color to your garden, these plants also grow well in outdoor pots and hanging baskets. They look beautiful on a front porch, or hung near the front door, too.
PINK: Jolt Pink Hybrid Pinks
A variety of the dianthus family, this plant is known for its intensely bright colored pink flower heads. The small, frilly, electric pink flowers bloom in clusters, making them impossible to miss. This is a great variety to cut and arrange in vases inside the home, as their strong stems help them to stay upright, and their bright color adds personality to any bouquet.
These perennials are fairly low maintenance and can survive in less-than-ideal conditions. If properly cared for, they can live up to 10 years. These plants prefer full sunlight and average to moist soil conditions. Be sure not to let them dry out, especially in the intense heat of Southern California summers.
ORANGE: Kismet Intense Orange Coneflower
This coneflower, while shaped somewhat similarly to a sunflower, boasts a deep, intensely orange bloom. The vibrant hue of this plant makes it look almost like it’s on fire – the color can be that bold!
These large daisies not only look beautiful, but they are also known for their distinct floral scent. These plants tend to spread upwards, rather than out, which makes them an excellent choice as a tall, colorful centerpiece in any garden.
This fast-growing perennial can live up to a decade if taken care of. While you’ll be able to enjoy its flowers from early summer through the fall, the plant will die back to the crown each winter. That’s totally normal- just be sure not to disturb it during this dormant period.
This variety isn’t picky about its soil type, and can survive in dry or damp conditions, making it any easy choice for any garden. Plus, they’re drought resistant, and very tolerant to urban pollution, which means they’ll thrive in Southern California cities, towns, and rural areas. If you’re looking to add some bright, orange beauty to your garden or yard, this might just be the plant for you.
YELLOW: Sunflowers
Yes, we know, sunflowers aren’t the most exotic flowers on this list. They’re fairly common garden plants, but there’s a reason for that. Look at them – they’re beautiful! They grow tall, their flowers are huge, and they’re an iconic plant that almost everyone can identify.
There are many varieties of sunflowers, but if you’re going for that impressive pop of color, we have to recommend the Suntastic Yellow With Clear Center Sunflower (yep, that’s a mouthful!) This compact variety doesn’t come close to the heights of some more common sunflowers, topping out at around two feet tall. And the flowers are a bit smaller than the giant sunflowers you may be most used to. The trade off? The color of these flowers is absolutely stunning. Think of the brightest, sunshiney-est yellow shade you can think of. Yep. That’s the color of these flowers.
These are annuals, so they’ll need to be replanted every year, but they are relatively low maintenance. They love sunlight, so finding a spot where they can be in full sunlight is important. Otherwise, they aren’t particular about the amount of water they’re given, or the soil in which they’re planted. As long as they’re watered regularly, and not left in standing water, they should thrive in your garden, and provide a little pop of sunshine, even on gloomy days.
BLUE: Diamonds Blue Delphinium
If you’re looking for a colorful showstopper, look no further. You’ve found your match in the Diamonds Blue Delphinium. As known as a Dwarf Larkspur, this stunning plant features clusters of electric blue flowers. It blooms from early summer to early fall, adding a bold explosion of color to any garden.
These relatively compact plants can reach about 16 inches in height, while maintaining a petite, delicate appearance. They enjoy full sunlight, and don’t like their soil to dry out completely. For this reason, it’s important to water them regularly, especially in the heat of the summer. They do well in suburban and urban gardens due to their relative tolerance to urban pollution. They are also known to attract bees and hummingbirds, which are both good for these and any other plants you’re growing in your yard!
PURPLE: The President Clematis
There are many flowers we could have gone with to represent purple – lilac, lavender, etc. But there’s something about the unique shape and shade of the President Clematis that makes it stand out in a dramatic and noticeable way. This flowering vine plant booms from early summer throughout the fall, and the flowers it produces are impossible to ignore.
These star-shaped flowers are deep, dark purple, with shades of royal blue blended in. Despite their beauty, these are pretty low maintenance. The climbing vines can grow up to 10 feet tall and live for up to 20 years. They enjoy full sunlight average soil conditions. Although these plants are ideal in a home garden, they also look beautiful in hanging baskets or outdoor pots, though they may not grow as large in that situation.
While there are literally endless varieties of colorful plants, we chose these options specifically because they each represent some of the brightest, boldest, most eye-catching varieties of each color. Their unique shapes, shades, and styles make a statement.
They can stand alone as lone color-pops in otherwise green landscapes. They can blend in with plants of similar colors to create a curated color-scheme within your garden. Or, for those who are feeling especially bold, you can take all of these brightly colored plants and plant them together, to make a wildly colorful, rainbow inspired flower garden.
We think that whatever you choose, these unique flowers will bring your vision to life in the most fun and beautiful way. We’d love to see what they look like in your garden. In the meantime, and until next time, happy planting, Green Thumbs!
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