Table of Content
Having a lovely, colorful garden doesn’t require a lot of effort, despite what many people think. In fact, all it takes is a basic understanding of different types of flowers and some simple planting techniques.
If you’re looking for some easy and beautiful plants to grow in your garden, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a list of 25 of the easiest flowers you can grow in the summer with minimal effort and have the best-looking garden in the neighborhood! Let’s take a look!
Begonias
- Native to: Subtropical and tropical moist climates
- Zones: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
- Plant type: Annual
- Colors: Red, Orange, Pink, White, Yellow
- Propagation: Seeds, Stem cuttings, Leaf cuttings, Division
- Height: 6 inches to 3 feet
- Thrive in full shade to full sun
- Can be grown in hanging pots, containers, and flower beds
- Require rich, well-drained soil
- Should be fertilized daily in the blooming seasons
- Moderate watering is enough
Daffodils
- Native to: Northern Europe temperate climates
- Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
- Plant type: Perennial
- Colors: Orange, Pink, White, Yellow
- Propagation: Seeds, Offsets, Stem bulblets, Division
- Height: 6 inches to 3 feet
- Thrive in partial shade or full sun
- Ideal for growing in deep containers and raised flower beds
- Require slightly acidic, well-drained soil
- Best time to fertilize is during spring
- Needs extra watering until the blooming season is over
Marigolds
- Native to: Southwestern north America, Tropical America and South America
- Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
- Plant type: Annual
- Colors: Orange, Red, Yellow
- Propagation: Seeds, herbaceous cuttings
- Height: 6 inches to 3 feet
- Thrive in full sun or partial shade
- Can be grown in garden beds or pots
- Prefer fertile, loose, and loamy soil with adequate drainage
- If the soil is rich enough, this plant doesn’t need any extra fertilizing
- Requires an inch of water per week and dry soil between watering.
Zinnia
- Native to: Mexico, Southwestern and Central America
- Zones: Annual in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8/ Perennial in 9, 10, 11
- Plant type: Annual and Perennial
- Colors: Orange, Red, Yellow, Pink, Purple, White, Green
- Propagation: Seeds, Stem cuttings
- Height: 1 to 8 feet
- Flower best in full sun
- Ideal for front borders, flower beds, and container gardens
- Thrive best in well-drained, organic soil
- Requires regular fertilizing
- Needs at least 6-8 inches of water per week
Sunflowers
- Native to: North America
- Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
- Plant type: Annual
- Colors: Yellow, Orange, Cream, Brown, Pink
- Propagation: Seeds, stem cuttings
- Height: 5 to 16 feet
- Need at least 6 hours of sunlight per day.
- Can be grown directly in soil or in pots and containers.
- Requires slightly acidic soil.
- Won’t thrive in waterlogged soil.
- Fertilize in early summer with a nitrogen fertilizer.
- Water once a week until the top 6 inches of soil is moist.
For more information on how to grow sunflowers, check out our article.
Lavender
- Native to: Countries bordering Mediterranean and Western European regions
- Zones: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
- Plant type: Perennial
- Colors: Various shades of purple
- Propagation: Seeds, stem cuttings, rooting the cuttings in water
- Height: 20 to 24 inches
- Grows best in full sun.
- Great for both pots and garden beds.
- Prefers dry, fast-draining soil.
- Should be fertilized in the beginning of the growing season. A 1-inch-thick layer of compost is enough.
- Only newly planted lavender needs regular watering. Mature plants require much less water.
Daylily
- Native to: Asian regions
- Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
- Plant type: Perennial
- Colors: Yellow, Purple, Red, Pink, Cream
- Propagation: Seeds, division, proliferation
- Height: 8 inches to 5 feet
- Best grown in full sun.
- Can be grown both in the ground and containers.
- Requires moist, but well-drained soil with average fertility.
- Any high quality, nitrogen rich fertilizer will do. 1 ½ pounds per 100 square ft is sufficient.
- Give the plants about an inch of water every week in the growing season.
Pansies
- Native to: Europe and Western Asia
- Zones: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
- Plant type: Annual for most areas/ short-lived perennial in some areas
- Colors: Yellow, Purple, Red, Pink, Orange, White, Black, Mahogany, Violet
- Propagation: Seeds, cuttings, division
- Height: 6 to 12 inches
- Prefers full sun to partial shade.
- Great for garden beds and shallow pots.
- Thrives in rich, loam soil that drains well but is moderately moist.
- Should be fertilized every 2-3 weeks. A slow-release fertilizer with a low-nitrogen level is preferred.
- Water regularly in the growing season to keep the soil moistened. 1 inch of water per week is enough.
Cosmos
- Native to: Mexico and South Western desert areas
- Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
- Plant type: Annual mostly/ few perennial varieties
- Colors: White, Pink, Purple, Crimson
- Propagation: Seeds, Division and cuttings
- Height: 1 to 8 feet
- Prefer full sun.
- Grows both in containers and beds.
- Thrive in well-drained soil with medium moisture to dry conditions.
- Cosmos can handle even the poorest type of soil so unless the plants look malnourished, they don’t need to be fertilized. A slow-release fertilizer in the early season is enough.
- Water cosmos daily until the plants are established. Later on, you can reduce the watering to one time per week.
For more informaiton on how to grow cosmos, check out our article.
Dianthus
- Native to: Europe and Asian regions
- Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
- Plant type: Most are perennial/ Some are Annual and biennial
- Colors: White, Pink, Purple, yellow, Red
- Propagation: Seeds, Stem cuttings
- Height: 6 inches to 3 feet
- Thrives in full sun to partial shade.
- Can be grown in the ground directly or in pots.
- Requires fertile and well-drained soil.
- Fertilize every 4-6 weeks with an all-purpose liquid plant fertilizer.
- Water well at least once a week.
Geraniums
- Native to: Eastern North America and Subtropical Southern Africa
- Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
- Plant type: Mostly Annuals/ Perennials in zones 10-11
- Colors: White, Pink, Purple, Red, Orange
- Propagation: Rooting cuttings in a growing medium or water
- Height: 4 inches to 4 feet
- Plant in a place that gets morning sun and afternoon shade.
- Can be planted in both pots and ground directly.
- Requires loamy, crumbly soil high in organic matter.
- In the growing season they should be fertilized at least every 2 weeks with a water-soluble fertilizer.
- Water until one inch of the topsoil is moistened in the normal weather conditions and lessen the amount in the winter.
Petunia
- Native to: South American regions
- Zones: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
- Plant type: Mostly Annuals/ Perennials in zones 10-11
- Colors: White, Pink, Purple, Red, Salmon, Yellow and Bicolor
- Propagation: Seeds, Stem cuttings
- Height: 6 inches to 8 feet
- Thrive best in full sun.
- Can be planted in garden beds, pots, window boxes, and as ground covers.
- Thrive in light, sandy soil which is neutral to slightly acidic and drains well.
- Fertilize monthly with a balanced type of fertilizer.
- Should be watered regularly and twice a day in extreme hot weather conditions.
Dahlia
- Native to: Mexico and Central America
- Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
- Plant type: Annuals in Zones 3-7/ Perennials in zones 8-11
- Colors: White, Peach, Lavender, Red, Orange, Yellow, Pink and Bicolor
- Propagation: Seeds, Tubers and Cuttings
- Height: 15 inches to 6 feet
- Requires full sun.
- Can be planted in the ground directly or large containers.
- Thrive best in enriched, well-drained soil.
- After sprouting, use a low-nitrogen liquid fertilizer every 3-4 weeks.
- Drip irrigation is ideal as they need constant watering. When watering manually better to do it deeply once or twice per week.
Sweet Pea
- Native to: Sicily, Southern Italy and Aegean Islands
- Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
- Plant type: Annual
- Colors: Pure White, Navy Blue, Pastel Lavender, Crimson Red, Pink
- Propagation: Seeds and Cuttings
- Height: 3 to 7 feet
- Thrive in full sun to partial shade.
- Can be grown in the garden beds or deep pots.
- Best planted in cool, moist soil that’s well-drained.
- As they’re heavy feeders, a rich compost liquid fertilizer is considered the best and should be fertilized regularly throughout the summer.
- Water regularly in the early time of the day in the summer to retain a moist soil. Otherwise, watering once a week is enough.
Coneflower
- Native to: South Eastern and Central North American regions
- Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
- Plant type: Perennial
- Colors: Cherry Red, Gold, Rose Pink, Coral and Tangerine Orange
- Propagation: Seeds, division and root cuttings
- Height: 2 to 4 feet
- Conflowers require at least 6-8 hours of full sun.
- Can be planted in either raised garden beds or large pots.
- Thrives from average to rich, well-drained soil.
- Fertilizing once a year with a granular, time-release fertilizer is enough. The ideal time would be at the beginning of the new growth.
- Provide at least 1 inch of water weekly while letting the soil dry out in between.
Snapdragon
- Native to: Western North America and the Western Mediterranean regions
- Zones: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
- Plant type: Annual/ Short-lived perennial
- Colors: Red, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Purple, White, Peach and Bicolor
- Propagation: Seeds, root division and cuttings
- Height: 6 inches to 4 feet
- Loves full sun, but can also survive in light shade.
- Perfect for indoor and outdoor gardens.
- Requires rich, moist, and well-drained soil.
- Use a standard all-purpose fertilizer for coneflowers. Roughly about 3 pounds for every 100 square feet should be applied to the plants when they first start flowering.
- These plants require about 1 inch of water per week. The soil should be kept moist but not wet and soggy.
Morning Glory
- Native to: Central and South America
- Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11
- Plant type: Mostly annual/ Perennial in 10-11 zones
- Colors: Red, Pink, Purple, White, Blue
- Propagation: Seeds and cuttings
- Height: 3 to 20 feet
- Prefer full sun but can tolerate very light shade.
- Can be grown in both pots and in the ground directly. When grown in the ground, make sure to build a proper structure for the plants to climb on.
- Prefer moderately fertile, consistently moist, yet well-drained soil.
- Fertilize monthly with an all-purpose fertilizer during the growing season.
- Keep watering about 1 inch per week in the growing period and reduce the amount in the winter season.
Salvia
- Native to: Almost every continent including Central and South America, Asia, Africa and Europe
- Zones: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11
- Plant type: Mostly annual/ Perennial in 7-10 zones
- Colors: Red, Pink, Purple, White, Blue, Yellow
- Propagation: Seeds or Rooting the cuttings in water or soil
- Height: 1 to 8 feet
- Prefer full sun to filtered shade.
- Thrives in poor to fertile and well-drained soil.
- When planted in a compost rich soil, fertilizing is not necessary. An occasional slow-release fertilizer will do if the plants are malnourished.
- 1 inch per water for every 7-10 days is sufficient. Additional watering is only needed in drought conditions.
Blanket Flower
- Native to: North and South America
- Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
- Plant type: Short-lived Perennial
- Colors: Bright Red and Yellow, Orange, Peach
- Propagation: Seeds, root cuttings or division
- Height: 1 to 3 feet
- Thrive best in full sun.
- Any slightly acidic, well-drained soil will do. Avoid using heavy, clay-like soil.
- Mixing a light and balanced organic fertilizer with the soil is more than enough. There’s no need to add extra fertilizer.
- After planting, water once or twice per week until the plants begin to flower.
Impatiens
- Native to: Tropical and Subtropical African and Asian regions
- Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
- Plant type: Annual
- Colors: Blue, Purple, Red, Yellow, Orange, White, Pink
- Propagation: Seeds, stem cuttings
- Height: 8 inches to 3 feet
- Prefer partial to deep shade.
- Can be grown as bedding or border plants.
- Thrives in humus-rich, moist, and well-drained soil.
- Fertilize every 2 weeks with a water soluble or slow-release fertilizer.
- Needs about 2 inches of water a week in normal weather and at least 4 inches weekly in temperatures higher than 80 degrees celsius.
Portulaca
- Native to: North Africa, The middle east and the Indian subcontinent
- Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
- Plant type: Mostly Annual/ Perennial in Zones 10-11
- Colors: Lavender, Purple, Red, Magenta, Fuchsia, Yellow, Orange, White, Pink, Peach
- Propagation: Seeds, stem cuttings
- Height: 3 to 12 inches
- Thrives in full sun.
- Prefers lean sandy or rocky and well-drained soil.
- Add a liquid fertilizer generally every other week and a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in midsummer.
- Daily watering is not needed. Watering every other week or even less will do.
Lantana
- Native to: Tropical regions in America and Africa
- Zones: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
- Plant type: Perennial in Zones 8-11/ Otherwise annual
- Colors: A mix of Red, Yellow, Orange, White, Pink and Blue
- Propagation: Seeds or stem cuttings
- Height: 6 inches to 10 feet
- Prefers full sunlight.
- Requires slightly acidic, well-drained soil.
- Lantana can be nourished with a dry fertilizer in the early spring.
- These plants should be given at least 1 inch of water per week.
Nemesia
- Native to: Southern African regions
- Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
- Plant type: Mostly annual/ Perennial in zones 9 and 10
- Colors: Purple, Red, Yellow, Orange, White, Pink and Blue
- Propagation: Seeds, division and cuttings
- Height: 6 inches to 3 feet
- Prefers full sun in the day and a bit of afternoon shade.
- Can be planted in raised beds or in containers.
- Thrives in organically rich, well-drained soil.
- Providing a water-soluble fertilizer for growing plants and a slow-release fertilizer for mature plants every couple of weeks will do.
- Must be regularly watered to keep the soil moist.
Firecracker Plant
- Native to: Southern India and Sri Lanka
- Zones: 9, 10, 11, 12
- Plant type: Annual/ Perennial
- Colors: Red, Yellow, Orange, Cream
- Propagation: Seeds or stem cuttings
- Height: 1 to 5 feet
- These plants can survive in full sunlight.
- Once established properly, they can grow in almost any type of soil.
- Fertilize with a balanced water-soluble fertilizer every 2 weeks from spring to fall.
- Water every day and more in the hottest weather conditions.
Sweet Alyssum
- Native to: Europe, Mediterranean regions
- Zones: 2 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
- Plant type: Annuals up to zone 8/ Perennial in zones 9-11
- Colors: Rose-red, Lilac, Violet, White and Pink
- Propagation: Seeds or cuttings
- Height: 3 inches to 1 foot
- Needs full sunlight, but can also survive in partial shade.
- Ideal for hanging baskets and large upright containers, but can also be grown in the ground.
- Thrive in well-drained soil with moderate moisture.
- Unless the soil is poor, the ground grown plants don’t need additional fertilizing. Feed the potted plants with a water-soluble fertilizer monthly.
- On average, water the plants at least 1 inch per week and increase the amount during hotter and drier conditions.
Takeaway
So there you have it! You’ll notice that most of the plants in this list have similar requirements. This makes things a lot easier for you since you can plant as many as you want and give the same care for all of them. With very little effort and maintenance, you’ll soon have your very own colorful flower garden that will surely make you the envy of your neighbors!
