If spring crept up too quickly, and you’re scrambling to find some plants to add color to your garden, you should turn to these fast-growing flowers. With brilliant bursts of color and low-maintenance upkeep, these are the top annuals that gardening experts recommend for their fast growth rates and easy care. For each plant, we’re including some growing tips to help you get started right away. So get out your gardening gloves—a beautiful outdoor landscape awaits.
Zinnias
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Zinnias are colorful daisy-like flowers with rounded, bright petals in hues of yellow, orange, red, pink, white, purple, and green. These hardy annuals grow quickly and thrive in sunny locations with well-draining soil.
“If you need fast-growing and low-maintenance, zinnias fit the bill,” says Laura Janney, CEO of The Inspired Garden Masterclass. “They transform gardens into magical spaces and are outstanding as cut flowers to brighten indoor spaces. They’re available in a ton of colors and heights and are deer-resistant, she adds.
When your zinnia bloom is spent, keep deadheading to encourage more blooms.
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Well-draining
Angelonia
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Angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia), also called summer snapdragon, has beautiful clusters of flowers that grow in upright, bushy plants. These fast-growing flowering plants have blooms in white, pink, and purple.
“Angelonia is extremely low-maintenance as it’s fast-growing and hardy, tolerating extreme heat, humidity, and drought,” Janney says. “It’s a staple in our gardens, offering English cottage charm with its bell-shaped flowers and a continuous display of color throughout the summer.”
Janney suggests staying on top of cutting back and deadheading your Angelonia so you’ll have blooms all summer long.
- Hardiness Zone: 9 to 11
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Well-draining, moist
Sunflowers
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If you want big blooms in cheerful shades of yellow, sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are the perfect pick.
“Sunflowers are fast-growing annuals that love the sun and should be planted in well-draining soil,” says Michael Clarke, landscape architect, horticulturalist, and founder of Yardwork. “Water them regularly, especially when the soil starts to dry out, but avoid overwatering as they don’t like soggy roots.”
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Well-draining
Gomphrena
Gomphrena, also called globe amaranth, has elegant globe-shaped flower blossoms in shades of pink, purple, orange, red, or white. Although some gomphrenas can be perennials in warm zones, most grow best as annuals, with varieties like G. globosa and G. haageana, thriving as annuals in cooler growing zones.
“Gomphrenas bring a touch of whimsy to any garden with their little gumball blooms,” Janney says. “They’re hardy in the sun and heat, and add a great contrast to the straighter blooms in the garden.” They also make great cut flowers and are deer-resistant.
Janney recommends planting them in clusters to make a statement, and deadhead spent blooms to encourage more.
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Sandy, loamy, well-drained
Marigolds
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Marigolds have bright, pom-pom-like flowers that come in cheerful warm colors like yellow, orange, red, white, and gold. These popular bedding plants grow easily and quickly.
“Marigolds are drought-tolerant but bloom best with regular watering,” Clarke explains. “They do better when the spent flowers are deadheaded to encourage new blooms and to keep the plants looking neat.”
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Moist, well-draining
Snapdragons
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Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) add vibrant bursts of color to outdoor landscapes and are fast-growing plants that are usually grown as annuals. These low-maintenance flowers are great pollinators and have blooms in shades of yellow, pink, white, purple, red, orange, and some bicolor combinations.
“Put them towards the back as the more heat-tolerant varieties can get super tall,” Janney says. “They don’t love the heat, but if you keep them well-watered, they will keep going all summer. Cut down spent blooms to make the plant bushier. You may get lucky and get a second year out of them.”
- Hardiness Zone: 7 to 11
- Light: Full to partial sun
- Soil: Well-draining, moist
Cosmos
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Cosmos are colorful annuals that grow quickly and easily. They have daisy-like flowers that can be pink, red, white, orange, and yellow. “Cosmos have long, slender stems with finely textured leaves, and sweet, daisy-like blossoms give a dreamy vibe to the garden,” Janney notes.
Plant cosmos in sunny locations with well-drained soil, and cluster them to create stunning displays of color. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more.
- Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Well-draining, acidic soil
Sweet Peas
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Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) are a hardy climbing annual with clusters of colorful flowers in pink, red, blue, white, or lavender. They thrive with at least 6 hours of full sunlight per day and rich, well-draining soil. These flowering plants originated in the Mediterranean and grow best in mild temperatures.
“Sweet peas should be planted in early spring,” Clarke says. “They need regular watering but should be allowed to dry out slightly between waterings.”
- Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
- Light: Full to partial sun
- Soil: Well-draining, alkaline
