The Top 10 Flowers That Bloom in Late Spring

Late spring brings warmer temperatures and longer days, perfect conditions for a new wave of flowers to begin blooming. While early spring favorites like tulips, daffodils and hyacinths start to fade, an array of bright and colorful flowers emerge in late spring to take their place. Here are the top 10 flowers that bloom in late spring:

1. Peonies

Peonies are classic late spring bloomers that put on an incredible floral display. The large, lush blooms come in shades of white, pink, red, yellow and purple. Peonies make exceptional cut flowers and add pops of color and texture to flower beds. There are two main types – tree peonies and herbaceous peonies. Tree peonies have woody stems and can grow up to 10 feet tall. Herbaceous peonies have softer stems and foliage and typically reach 3 feet tall and wide.

2. Irises

Irises are another quintessential late spring flower. Blooming in May and June, these flowers come in a rainbow of colors including blue, purple, yellow, white, pink and orange. The flouncy blooms dance atop long slender stems, making them great for cutting. Popular iris varieties include bearded iris (with fuzzy petals), Siberian iris and Japanese iris. Plant irises in full sun and well-drained soil.

3. Alliums

Alliums add spectacular globes of color to the late spring garden. Also called ornamental onions, these hardy bulbs produce dense round flower heads that look like exploding fireworks. Alliums come in purple, pink, white and yellow. Tall varieties can reach 4 feet high with flower heads up to 12 inches wide. Alliums pair nicely with other late spring bloomers and make excellent cut flowers.

4. Roses

While roses bloom from late spring all the way until fall the first flush of blooms begins in late spring. Bush roses, climbing roses shrub roses and more all burst with colorful flowers on the cusp of summer. Popular varieties include hybrid tea roses, floribunda roses, grandiflora roses and English roses. Proper planting, pruning and care will keep rose bushes healthy and encourage recurrent blooming.

5. Columbine

Columbine blooms in late spring with flowers shaped like elegant, dangling bells. The blooms come in shades of red, yellow, white, purple and pink. This old-fashioned perennial grows 1 to 3 feet tall. It thrives in partial shade and attracts hummingbirds and pollinators. Columbine self-sows readily, popping up in cracks and crevices around the garden. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage reblooming.

6. Lupine

Lupine produces tall, impressive flower spikes in May and June. The pea-like blooms come in shades of purple, pink, red, yellow, orange, blue and white. This easy-to-grow perennial reaches 1 to 4 feet tall. It thrives in full sun and does best in sandy, well-drained soil. Lupine blooms for 2 to 3 weeks and attracts butterflies and bees. Remove faded flower spikes to encourage reblooming.

7. Poppies

Poppies dazzle in late spring with big satiny crepe-paper blooms. These flowers come in brilliant shades like red orange, pink, purple, yellow and white. Poppies go dormant after flowering, so they work best in informal cottage gardens. Let the spent blooms go to seed to enjoy more poppies next year. Popular varieties include Oriental poppies, Iceland poppies and Shirley poppies.

8. Delphinium

Delphinium, also called larkspur, produces tall spires of flowers in late spring and early summer. The blooms appear in single or double form in beautiful shades of purple, pink, blue and white. This old-fashioned cottage garden plant can grow up to 6 feet tall. Stake delphinium for support in windy areas. Remove spent flower spikes to encourage reblooming.

9. Foxglove

Foxglove emerges in late spring bringing vertical towers of tube-shaped blooms. The flowers come in shades of white, pink, purple, yellow and red, adorned with speckled throats. This classic cottage garden plant reaches 3 to 5 feet tall when in bloom. Foxglove thrives in partly shaded areas with moist, well-drained soil. Handle this plant with care, as the leaves are poisonous.

10. Lavender

Lavender bursts into bloom in late spring coating the garden with the fragrance of spring and summer. The flower spikes appear on compact bushy plants with silvery foliage. Lavender blooms in shades of light purple, deep purple and white. It grows 1 to 3 feet tall and does best in full sun and dry, well-drained soil. Lavender attracts pollinators and is deer and rabbit resistant.

In addition to these popular picks, there are many more flowers that shine in late spring. Lilies, astilbe, coral bells, Lady’s mantle, catmint, yarrow, Shasta daisies and bergenia offer a continous parade of blooms as spring transitions to summer. Extend the floral display by combining early, mid and late spring bloomers in your garden beds, containers and borders.