It’s planting season in May, and choosing flowers for the garden is thrilling as we embrace sunny days following the last frost. Garden expert Katherine Rowe discusses her top springtime annuals and perennials to plant in May in this article.
May brings with it the much-needed commotion of gardening work. This is a magical time of year for a lot of us! New greenery is emerging as seeds are being sown in the ground. Perennials that have gone dormant awaken, and new ones are popping out. Annuals for the warm season are also prepared to nestle into the garden.
Flowers Ideas To Grow In May
With its pleasant days and cold nights, May offers the perfect climate for germination and growth flushes. Pollinators are hard at work going about their rounds as plants begin to blossom. There are several options for Mayflower planting. Here are some garden essentials and top picks for planting this month.
10. Sunflowers
Sunflowers will gladly brighten your garden if you give them a sunny area. Sunflowers are best planted in May because they germinate easily. Direct seeding should begin one to several weeks following the last frost.
Sunflowers are available in a range of shapes and hues, from short and fluffy yellow to tall and rich lemon. These magnificent blossoms add striking form and color interest. Sunflowers are a great food source for songbirds and small mammals because their standing stalks produce abundant seeds after the blooms fade.
Plant sunflowers in bunches and sow two or three successional plantings so that one group fades and another takes its place, to optimize their impact.
From summer to fall, sunflowers bloom in every shade of yellow, orange, garnet, and cream, perfectly complementing the harvest palette. Their colorful faces and nodding heads symbolize the classic bloom and the archetypal American flower.
09. Lavender
Nothing compares to lavender’s invigorating scent, silvery foliage, purple blossom spikes, and the plethora of applications ranging from culinary to medicinal. Lavender provides a dramatic, evergreen center point, whether it’s one of the various English, French, Spanish, or Dutch kinds.
This sun-loving Mediterranean plant prefers mild winters and dry, warm summers in its natural habitat. Look for hardy types like Lavendula angustifolia ‘Munstead,’ an early blooming with a compact habit, if the winters in your area are harsh. Lavender overwinters in a protected place and thrives in a sunny container.
Lavender that requires little care thrives in full light and well-drained soil. A little dryness is ideal for soils between waterings. Lavender plants can withstand times of drought because of their naturally dry climate. For enhanced resilience in humid regions, look to “Phenomenal” lavender.
08. Shasta Daisy
With their cheery faces of white petals and vibrant yellow cores, daisies greet the warm season. The fresh, vintage beauties, Shasta daisies, have big, vivid ray flowers throughout the spring and summer. In both single and double-blossom forms, they add color to the perennial border. The bright blossoms are contrasted with deep glossy green basal foliage.
Plant sizes and bloom styles of Shasta vary throughout types. Pollinator gardens, cutting gardens, perennial beds, cottage gardens, and compact areas are all excellent places for Shasta daisies. They provide a neat habit with a wildflower appearance.
Shasta daisies are a great flower to plant in May since they bloom at their best in the middle of the chilly summer months. When grown in normal soil that drains well, they thrive in full sun. Look for “Becky,” a bigger plant with exceptional disease resistance against leaf spot and fungal rot in humid regions.
07. Salvia
Selecting which salvias to plant could be difficult because there are so many to like. More than 400 different species and cultivars of salvia, commonly known as sage, can be used to create a wide range of shapes and colors in planting designs. Pollinators are drawn to the bright, tubular blooms on it.
Salvia sylvestris ‘May Night’ is a wonderful flower to plant in May and one of the first to bloom in the spring. Its compact, mounding habit makes it an excellent choice for a container or garden border, and it flowers profusely in deep violet spires through early summer.
A popular native salvia, Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ thrives in partial shade and produces tall, deep blue tubular flowers that bloom into the fall. Salvia leucantha ‘Santa Barbara’ is a smaller choice that has a compact Mexican bush sage habit and beautiful purple blooms from late summer to October.
Most salvias prefer full sun to partial shade, and they do best in hot, dry climates. Pineapple sage, Salvia elegans, grows well in full shade.
06. Iris
Iris are blooming perennials that come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, with about 300 species and thousands of cultivars. It seems sense that they go by the name of Iris, the Goddess of the Rainbow. Everywhere her feet touched the earth, these blooms appeared in a rainbow of colors.
Irises that are popular choices for gardens include bearded, crested, Siberian, Japanese, and sweet varieties. With their unique flower morphologies consisting of three upper and three lower petals (falls), each adds vertical appeal to the garden. The variety of petals includes solid tones, stripes, and painterly accents, ranging from wide and ruffled to narrow and strappy.
Though some may easily adapt to different environments, irishes grow best in soils rich in organic matter and consistently moist. Irises should be divided every few years to thin the colonies because overcrowding inhibits flowering. To increase the collection, replant the separated rhizomes.
05. Echinacea
The classic native of the landscape is echinacea, sometimes known as purple coneflower. Echinacea is a carefree perennial that thrives in less-than-ideal growing conditions and is a native prairie plant with spectacular blossoms. Orange disc florets are surrounded by long, purple ray petals. When echinacea blooms, a multitude of pollinators are present, and the flowers supply beneficial insects with valuable nectar.
Coneflower varieties come in a variety of hues and shapes. In well-draining soils, they flourish in full sun during the summer heat.
During the growth season, deadhead as desired; but, in the fall, allow blossoms to go to seed. Dried seed heads prolong winter interest in the garden and feed foraging birds. The scattered and falling seeds survive the winter to participate in the next flowering season.
04. Zinnia
Zinnias’ enormous, vivid, double-disc flowers add dynamic color to the annual display. The hues of the blossoms vary, encompassing white, magenta, lime, and bicolor. Zinnias bloom continuously from early summer till frost because they adore the heat. Plants can grow tall and airy or low and mounding, depending on the type.
Zinnias are excellent for mass plantings and are readily grown from seed. For the warm-season display, plant these flowers in May. Deadheading and trimming for fresh flower arrangements stimulates healthy growth in plants, which results in more blooms. Zinnias are delicious and attractive as a garnish for sweets and summertime drinks.
Zinnias require full light and well-drained soil for optimal vitality. Make sure there is adequate air circulation, particularly in humid climates, to stave off pests and fungal infections.
03. Cosmos
Similar to zinnias, sun-loving cosmos bloom all summer long in vibrant colors. On lofty, airy stalks, ray flowers appear to “float.” Native to the Americas, this summer annual gives the garden a wildflower appearance. Daisy-like flowers grow readily with little care in vibrant tones of yellow, apricot, bright pink, lavender, crimson, chocolate, and many more.
Cosmos flourish in hot, dry weather on a variety of soil types and naturally reseed themselves. These are carefree plants whose vitality is hampered by excessive watering, fertilization, and organic richness.
Grow as many cosmos as possible from seed in May to draw pollinators and add color. The more, the better. When combined, the delicate blossoms provide a more striking impression. Horticulturists advise trimming plants back to a height of 12 to 18 inches when blooms have finished flowering and are ready to seed. Plants grow back swiftly. For the following generation of blooms, allow the cut stems to fall back into place and allow fresh seeds to sprout.
02. Dahlia
Dahlias are gorgeous examples and eye-catching cut blooms that bring drama to a summertime garden. They stand out in the garden with their gorgeous, big blooms in a variety of hues and petal patterns.
Dahlia flowers can be as big as dinner plates or as little as pom poms. They form symmetrical and varied forms with their almost flawless petal groupings. According to the American Dahlia Society, dahlias are classified into several groupings according to their intricately symmetrical petals, including ornamental, ball, orchid, and cactus.
Dahlias prefer warm days and cool nights, so plant them in May for optimal growth and flowering. The optimal temperature range is typically 70–80°F during the day and 55–60°F at night. Dahlias make excellent annuals because of their rapid growth in a single season. Start with fresh plants, or dig tubers in late fall and store them for replanting in the spring.
Combine dahlias with salvia, agastache, geranium, and bulbs that bloom in the spring. Dahlias prefer full light and well-drained, consistently moist soil. Although they can withstand some shade, full light promotes flowering and plant growth. Keep them out of reach of curious pets as they are harmful to dogs and cats.
01. Peony
One of the most opulent flowers in the yard is the cherished peony. Its abundant petals come in colors of pink, white, red, and yellow. Peonies bloom once a season, from late spring to early summer, and are hardy perennials that withstand cold weather.
Peonies come in three different varieties; plant a mix of peonies for interest and a succession of flowers. Common garden peonies and those that die back to the ground in the winter are examples of herbaceous peonies. While forest peonies—some with ferny foliage—are better adapted to shade, tree peony are woody, multistemmed bushes.
Peonies may require staking or cage because of their full blossoms. Except for forest peonies, grow peonies in full sun with afternoon shade provided by the sun. Their ideal growing conditions are mild to cool.
Final Thoughts
I hope that your April showers brought May blossoms! Even if spring is erratic, many of us are experiencing the final frost as the weather turns from cold to warm.
With its bright days and calm evenings, May is a great month to plant and grow. Plants from the cool season are flushing and blossoming, and newly planted areas are prepared to establish themselves and flourish during the warm season. Enjoy sowing your preferred May flowers and reaping the benefits for the rest of the month and beyond.
Also Read: Step-by-Step Guide For Growing Beautiful Peonies In Pots
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