Nothing helps people welcome spring and wave goodbye to winter quite like cherry blossoms. These seasonal flowers catch everyone’s eyes and get nature lovers excited for a year full of fantastic floral displays. And while cherry blossoms do steal the spotlight for most of early spring, there are plenty of other blooms to look forward to throughout the year.
Whether you’re a gardener, forager, hiker, or simply a flower appreciator, this guide to flowers by season will help you stay connected to nature even in the colder months. Discover brilliant blooms in winter, fabulous flowers in fall, and pretty perennials for spring and summer.
Spring flowers
Ah, spring. It’s the flower-spotter’s favorite season. Aside from cherry blossoms, which bloom for only a short period, many flowers help make spring bright. In California and Arizona, poppies burst onto the scene with gorgeous golden petals. Near the Cascade Mountains, purple trillium and orange paintbrush flowers color the land. Meanwhile, Texas bluebonnets create a sea of breathtaking blooms in the South. Throughout the United States, tulips display a stunning range of hues in March and April.
Summer flowers
Spend the long, hot summer days appreciating a garden of flowers as you sip lemonade on the porch. Depending on the type, allium puffballs can add whimsy to your garden from early summer to fall. Perennials like the swamp rose mallow and tall larkspur also light up summer landscapes in shades of pink and blue. Look out for wildflowers like yarrow and goldenrod this season, too.
Fall flowers
Autumn breezes carry seeds across the land for another lovely season of flowers. Watch for butterflies flocking to chrysanthemums and bees zipping around pansies. Wildflowers like yellow witch hazel and white prairie aster will also pop up as temperatures cool down. Gardeners who plan ahead can enjoy marigolds blooming in the fall.
Winter flowers
Worried that cold weather means no flowers for a few months? Think again! There are a few hardy plants that stay strong throughout winter. Crocus blossoms can withstand frosty conditions and offer pretty purple petals. Camellias and snowdrops are also excellent winter flowers (just be careful not to let your pets snack on the snowdrops). You can also prepare a Valentine’s Day garden with irises and daffodils that bloom in February.
