Trees & Flowers
Flowers & Planting Tips

Seasonal Flowers and Planting Tips

What time of year do I plant bulbs? Are there flowers I can plant that will bloom year after year? When should I deadhead my flowers?

Check out our seasonal planting and maintenance tips to answer all of these questions and more. If you have a question that you cannot find the answer to, feel free to reach out and we will respond to your question.

Planting Tips to Give Every Gardner a Green Thumb

Spring Flowers

Choosing a good place for your flower garden, or prepping your spring garden for beautiful blooms is something most gardeners look forward to, especially after a long, cold winter!

It’s important to design your garden before you plant — choosing flowers that will do well in that location, in that soil, and with the amount of sunlight provided. Always pay attention to your planting guidelines, mix your soil for optimal drainage, and give those blooms plenty of room to grow!

Helpful Tips

Mums aren’t just for fall! Plant them in early spring to have them as a perennial in your flower garden.
If you want flowers that will attract pollinators like bees, opt for flowers that are purple, blue, white, or yellow like Alyssum, Cleome, Sunflowers, or Salvia. Better yet, try and choose native flowers like the Northern Blueflag (Iris), Wild Bergamot, Bluets, or Sneezeweed, as pollinators generally prefer native species to non-natives.
Considering a raised flower bed? There are several methods for filling the planters, but whichever you choose, remember to pick out moisture-loving plants, as raised beds tend to hold more moisture in. Some suggested flower bed favorites include Marigolds (help deter some insects), Nasturtiums, Sunflowers, Lavender, and Cosmos.

Seasonal Flowers

Daffodils

Tulips

Hyacinths

Pansies

Violas

Phlox

Lenten Rose

Summer Flowers

Caring for your flowers in the summer requires a watchful eye. Too much or too little water can be harmful to your flower bed. Using a rain barrel to capture rainwater for your plants in times when we might need to conserve water can help keep our flower beds moist without turning on the hose.

Take extra care to water your container plants more regularly, since containers dry out faster and will need to be watered at least once a day in the hot summer months.

Helpful Tips

Fall mums should be planted at least six weeks prior to the first frost.
Perennial flowers can still be planted now! Flowers like warmer soil and you’ll be able to enjoy the colors in the fall and next spring when they come back even stronger.
Feed your flowers naturally! Use composted soil, manure, coffee grounds, kelp, or alfalfa meal. Or, make a nitrogen-rich “tea” out of the weeds you’ve extracted from your garden to water your flowers with.

Seasonal Flowers

Catmint

Daylily

Blue False Indigo

Black-Eyed Susan

Gladiola

Snapdragons

Geraniums

Angeloni

Dahlia

Sunflowers

Fall Flowers

We don’t have to sacrifice color in the fall with the bounty of fall flowers available. It’s also an ideal time to think about pruning, dividing, and prepping those flower beds for the winter months.

Helpful Tips

Wait to cut back perennials until after several hard frosts have hit, and only cut back a few perennial flowers, such as Bee Balm, Phlox, Peonies, Hosta, and Bearded Iris.
Divide clumping perennials like Daisies, Phlox, Yarrow, Feverfew, Salvia, Chives, Daylilies, Hostas, and ornamental grass. Never divide a plant while in bloom and never divide single stem or tap-root plants.
The best spring flower bulbs to plant in the fall are Crocus, Snowdrop, Muscari, Daffodil, Hyacinth, Tulip, and Allium.

Seasonal Flowers

Chrysanthemums (Mums)

Balloon Flower

Dusty Miller

Fuchsia

Cornflower

Pansies

Green Utica Seasonal Flowers Fall Celosia

Celosia (Cockscomb)

Winter Flowers

At the end of fall, it’s time to winterize your garden so it will be in great shape for springtime.

Helpful Tips

Clean out all weeds and cover your newly established perennial flower beds — established flower beds should be fine without cover. It’s also a good idea to cover new trees (or trees that deer love to munch on), shrubs, and rosebushes.
Move flower pots indoors, dig up any cold-sensitive bulbs, and plant cold-hardy spring flower bulbs.
Water and mulch your flower beds one last time before disconnecting the hose. Mulch helps keep moisture locked in all winter long, right through the spring thaw.

Seasonal Flowers

Winter Beauty Honeysuckle

White Forsythia

Bodnant Viburnum

February Daphne

Helpful Resources

From annuals to wildflowers and everything in between, this comprehensive guide from our partners at Cornell Cooperative Extension has tips on planting, flowers, garden design, and how to preserve flowers.

Flower Gardening Guide