Choosing Garden Flowers for the Novice

If you’re new to gardening, you may think you have a brown thumb just because your first few tries ended up in dried brown heaps. That might be because you picked more sensitive or temperamental plants without the experience necessary to baby them along. Instead, opt for some of the more natural plantings that are great for beginning gardeners and even children.

- Zinnias: These annuals grow only for one season, so you need to plant them every year, but their bright and colorful flowerheads are magnificent as potted flowers or in the garden. They also come in many shapes and sizes, so if you plant many different types together, you’ll constantly be surprised by the shape and color of the blooms.

- Sunflowers: These colorful blooms have large, easy to work with seeds that grow into large, happy blooms. If you grow the massive or mammoth varieties, they’ll grow extra-large heads and make great eating seeds (but save a few to plant for the next year).

- Snapdragons in yellows, pinks, and whites invite butterflies into your garden. They even survive tough spring and fall weather.

- Pansies can grow in very cold weather, making them the perfect plant to start indoors and set out on your porch to add some color even before all the snow has melted away. If mulched property, pansies overwinter in some regions meaning you don’t have to plant them again each year.

- Marigolds have cheerful yellow or yellow and orange blooms that bring warmth and a splash of brightness to any garden. They have the added bonus of scaring off pests and insects so your gardening won’t succumb to sure destructive flies and nematodes if you plant marigolds around the edges.

- Impatiens won’t make you impatient. Their pretty, delicate blooms in all shades of red, pink, lavender and white grow great in pots and in shady beds alike. You can even keep them as houseplants provided you continue to trim them when the blooms fade.

- Begonias are the perfect plant for hanging baskets and garden beds. Their lush greenery with bright flowers nestling in the folds adds a colorful splash to any porch or garden.

- Daffodils are early spring risers form their hardy bulbs. If you plant them in a sunny area of your garden, you’re sure to have bright yellow blooms to greet each spring. 

Consider planning seedlings (partially grown plants) rather than seeds if it is your first gardening experience or if you want to make sure you have the curb appeal you desire. If you’re a first-time gardener, join a gardening club or spend time with your local nursery professional so that you know which flowers to plant in your area for best results.