Spring is the perfect time to start growing flowers from seed. If you’re new to growing plants from seed, it can seem a little daunting. We’ve picked out some of the easiest flowers to grow from seeds to make it easy for you. For the price of a few packs of seeds, you can have a summer full of color. You can sow many of these seeds straight out in the garden, in a patch of bare soil. Or, if you don’t have space in the ground, you can grow them in pots and containers too. Watch our seed sowing guide to help you get started and then browse our list of easy flowers.
Flowers can brighten up any garden with their vibrant colors and lovely scents While some flowers may seem intimidating to grow from seed, there are many easy options even for beginner gardeners When starting out, it’s wise to begin with flowers that germinate quickly and grow vigorously.
Below are 10 of the easiest flower seeds to plant directly in your garden or start indoors. These beauties require minimal work yet deliver outstanding results.
1. Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums are one of the simplest annual flowers to grow from seed. They germinate quickly, within 7-12 days, and bloom heavily all summer long. Nasturtiums come in shades of red, orange, yellow, and cream. The edible flowers and leaves have a delightful peppery taste.
These fast-growing vines can be trained to climb or left to spill gracefully. Plant the large seeds 1 inch deep and 12 inches apart. Keep them consistently watered. Nasturtiums grow in full sun to part shade and in most soil types.
2. Sweet Alyssum
Sweet alyssum is beloved for its sweet, honey-like fragrance and carpet of tiny white flowers. This easy-care annual grows only 8 inches tall but spreads 12-18 inches wide.
Its rapid growth habit makes it perfect to fill gaps. Sweet alyssum thrives in full sun with moderate water. Sow seeds directly in the garden in spring after the last frost. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers.
3. Calendula
Also called pot marigold calendula produces an abundance of brightly colored blooms in shades of yellow, orange, and peach. These cheerful annuals are simple to start from seed either indoors or direct sown.
Calendula is drought tolerant and self-seeds readily. The edible flowers add color and flavor to salads. Give them full sun to light shade and sow new seeds every few weeks for continuous blooms.
4. Pansies
Pansies are a favorite cool weather annual to plant in early spring or fall. Their colorful, smiling faces add charm to containers and borders. Sow pansy seeds 10-12 weeks before your last frost date and transplant seedlings outside 4-6 weeks later.
Pansies need moist, nutrient-rich soil and do best in partial shade where summers are hot. Cut back spent blooms to encourage more flowers into fall.
5. Sunflowers
Few flowers capture summer’s essence like majestic sunflowers. Their towering stems and bright yellow petals never fail to impress. Many types of sunflowers are easy to direct sow after the last spring frost.
Give them full sun, rich soil, and consistent water. Most varieties grow 5-12 feet tall! For earlier blooms, start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your final frost date.
6. Marigolds
Marigolds are hardy annuals that bloom vibrantly all season until frost. The bold flowers come in shades of yellow, orange, red, and white with single or double blooms.
Both French and African marigolds are easy to grow from seed and make great border or container plants. Sow them directly in the garden after danger of frost. Deadhead spent blooms to prolong flowering.
7. Petunias
A summertime favorite, petunias are available in a fantastical range of colors and patterns. Improved hybrids mean they are much easier to grow than grandparents’ finicky varieties. Both spreading and upright types work well.
Start petunia seeds indoors 10-12 weeks before your last frost since they take a bit longer to germinate. Move seedlings outside after hardening off. Give them full sun and fertile, well-drained soil.
8. Poppies
Poppies smack you with their vibrant colors and delicate tissue paper blooms. Many types happily reseed so you’ll enjoy their beauty year after year. Direct sow poppy seeds in your garden in fall or early spring.
Poppies thrive in poor, dry soil with full sun exposure. Protect young plants from heavy rains that can damage their foliage. Simple beauty with little fuss!
9. Zinnias
Few flowers can match zinnias for their explosive color and endless blooms. These hardy annuals thrive in hot, dry conditions. Zinnias grow quickly from seed and begin flowering within 8-10 weeks.
Direct sow after your last spring frost or get a head start indoors. Give them full sun and average soil. Cut zinnias frequently to encourage more blooms.
10. Cosmos
Cosmos brighten up any garden with their daisy-like blooms in lovely shades of pink, magenta, white and orange. Their fine, ferny foliage adds texture and interest. Cosmos grow rapidly from seed and tolerate most soils.
Direct sow cosmos seeds in spring after danger of frost. Give them full sun to part shade and keep soil moist. For earlier flowers, start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your last frost date.
Growing Flower Seeds Has Many Benefits
When starting a flower garden, planting seeds offers many advantages over buying bedding plants from the nursery. You gain greater variety, it’s more economical, and you can be sure the plants are not harboring any diseases.
Growing flowers from seeds also allows you to delight in each stage of their development. You’ll gain a sense of pride watching your seedlings sprout and flower.
The flowers above represent some of the easiest varieties to plant. Focus on quick-growing annuals when first starting out. In no time at all, you’ll have the confidence to expand your repertoire.
Even if you’re an experienced gardener, keep these fast and fabulous bloomers in mind when planning your flower beds and containers next season. Their vivid colors and carefree growing habits will ensure success for gardeners at every level.
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Watch our guide to sowing flower seeds direct outside into a patch of bare ground. David Hurrion shows you in this video No Fuss Guide how to plant a wide range of hardy annuals. The result is a patchwork of bright flowers that will bloom for months.
For a splash of vivid colour in borders or in pots, you can’t beat California poppies (Eschscholzia californica). They’re super easy to grow, flower for months, and readily self-seed, so you get more flowers next year. They’re also loved by bees and other pollinators. Sow direct outside where you want them to grow in March-May, for flowers June-August.
Easy to grow, with bright orange, red or yellow flowers. Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) are vigorous and can be grown as a climber or allowed to scramble through beds. They also attract bees and are great for growing with your vegetables because they keep white butterflies away from cabbages and aphids away from beans. You can pickle the seeds and eat the flowers and leaves. Plant directly outside from March to June for flowers from June to September.
Sweet peas are easy to grow and come in a lot of beautiful colors. They smell great and are great for picking and putting in a vase. You can grow them in pots or in the ground, training them up a trellis or a wigwam. Plant sweet peas near a seating area so you can smell them as you sit and relax. Plant sweet peas in pots or empty toilet paper rolls from March to May. Then, move them outside in May or June, and they will bloom from June to October.
This cottage garden favorite, which is also known as Nigella, can be spread out wherever there is a space in your flowerbed. Love-in-a-mist has masses of delicate flowers in blue or white, and attractive ferny leaves. It’s great for pollinating insects and the flowers, foliage and dried seedheads look lovely in flower arrangements. Sow seeds direct outside March-April for flowers July-September.
This pretty little flower is often found in meadows, but it’s equally at home in our gardens. The main type, Centaurea cyanus, has blue flowers, but there are also types with white, pink, or even red flowers. The flowers are a great source of food for bees and other pollinators. If you regularly remove dead flowers, your plants will bloom all summer. If you let them go to seed in the fall, they will provide food for birds.
These big, bright flowers are easy to grow from seed and are ideal for growing with children. They can get up to two meters tall, have beautiful flowers that last a long time, and look great in gardens and allotments.
Sow seeds in small pots March-May and plant out in the garden May-June. Protect the seedlings from slugs and snails and look forward to statuesque blooms June-September.
Cosmos are easy to grow from seed. The bright flowers, which come in shades of pink, white, burgundy, and even orange, are great for pollinators. The tall varieties add a dramatic splash of color to borders, while the shorter varieties look beautiful in big pots. Sow seeds as soon as you can in small pots to give them the longest growing season possible. Then, when there is no longer any chance of frost, slowly get them used to being outside before planting them in May or June. You can expect flowers from July to October.
Pot marigolds (Calendula officinalis) add a splash of sunshine to pots and borders. The flowers range from yellow to orange, and are loved by bees and other pollinating insects. They make great cut flowers and you can sprinkle the petals into salads. It also self-seeds, so you get more flowers next year. Sow direct outside April-May for flowers July-October.
Morning glory, or Ipomoea purpurea, is easy to grow from seeds and spreads quickly, so it can be used to cover fence gaps, climb obelisks, and grow through bushes and trees. For bees and other pollinators, the flowers are a great place to be. They open wide in the early morning sun, but they won’t last until the afternoon. Sow direct outside April-May for flowers July-August.
7 Easy & Fast Flowers To Grow From Seed. Beginner Friendly Annual Flowers!
FAQ
Can I just sprinkle flower seeds?
What month do you plant flower seeds?
Are flowers hard to grow from seeds?
What flowers can you grow from seed?
Marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers, cosmos, nasturtiums, morning glories, poppies, and bachelor’s buttons are among the easiest and fastest flowers to grow from seed. They offer a burst of color and beauty in gardens. Plant them directly in the soil or in containers, and with proper care, they’ll quickly reward you with vibrant blooms.
What are the easiest annual flowers to grow from seed?
Here are some of the easiest annual flowers to grow from seed, as well as tips for when and how to sow them. It’s hard not to love a marigold ‘s bright yellow, orange, and red flowers. Happily, this is one of the easiest seeds to grow. You can sow marigold seeds directly into the garden after the last frost date.
Are flowers easy to grow from seed?
Here are 14 flowers that are easy to grow from seed . Whether you save seed, participate in a seed-swap with other gardeners, or purchase seeds from a reputable source like Ferry-Morse, growing flowers from seed gives you a wider variety of plants than what’s available at your local garden center.
What are the best garden seeds for beginners?
The most beginner-friendly garden seeds are quick to germinate, easy to handle, and not too picky about temperature. Crops like radishes, lettuce, spinach, sunflowers, beans, peas, pumpkins, corn, and garlic are all very easy to grow from seed. Under the right conditions, these seeds sprout readily and take off growing with ease.