Flower gardening can be a fun and rewarding way to brighten up your home and yard. However, not all of us have the time or knowledge to cultivate a prize-winning garden! Part of having an easy flower garden is choosing flowers that are not hard to grow or take care of. Here are some pretty flowers that anyone can grow.
Cornflowers
Cornflowers, also known as bachelor buttons, come in pink, light blue, medium blue, blue-violet, and white. They do best in full sun and neutral to mildly alkaline soil, and they will bloom any time from early spring to fall. If you don't dead-head them, they will self-seed and grow again the following year. Cornflowers grow at least a foot wide, so you'll need to make sure you leave them room to spread. They can grow to three feet high, depending on which variety you plant.
Forget-Me-Nots
When most people think of forget-me-nots, they think of beautiful little blue flowers. However, today they come in pink and white varieties as well. They are annuals, so they only bloom once per year, and then go to seed. This means that, like cornflowers, if you leave them alone and don't disturb the soil, they'll reseed themselves. Forget-me-nots will grow and spread for generations and can be thinned and transplanted-give them as a gift to family and friends!
Black-Eyed Susan
Black-eyed susans are a traditional garden favorite and are very easy to grow. They come in yellow or red/yellow with brown centers, or "eyes." They are generally annuals, but some black-eyed susan varieties are biennial or perennial. They like well-drained soil and regular watering, but other than that they don't need any special care. Black-eyed susans grow to 12 to 24 inches tall. The seeds need sun to germinate, so press them gently into the soil without covering them.
Evening Primrose
Evening primrose are one of my favorites. In addition to their beauty and wonderful fragrance, these pretty yellow flowers are completely edible! Evening primrose are easy to grow and thrive in well-drained soil and full sun. They bloom from June to October and will re-seed themselves. Evening Primrose have a tendency to spread, so you'll want to thin them in the spring. The plants grow as tall as six to eight feet.
Foxglove
Foxglove is a beautiful flower, coming in hues of purple, lavender, red, pink, yellow, white and variegated. The plant grows up to six feet tall. Foxglove can do well in full sun, but they prefer partial sun and shade. Foxglove are biennial, so they will bloom the year after you plant them, in spring or early summer. Caution: every part of the foxglove is poisonous! Don't plant it in an area where small children are likely to get it and put it in their mouths. If planting foxglove from seed, you'll need to press the seeds lightly into the soil but do not cover them-the seeds require sunlight to germinate.