Don’t settle for a garden that only blooms in spring. With simple planning, your garden can be full of color throughout the year. The easiest way to plan a four-season garden is by strategically choosing and placing plants that provide color during each season. Another way to increase garden variety is to incorporate trees and shrubs that add colorful foliage as temperatures fluctuate.
Bloom sequencing for year-round color
Ready to start planning your four-season garden? Below, you will find plants that enjoy color and bloom peak during different seasons. To achieve an all-season flower garden, we suggest choosing at least two plants from each seasonal category. Looking for plants that are a specific color? Check out our article on plant suggestions by color to find the perfect plant and learn more about color combinations.
Early spring bloomers
Extend your spring growing season by choosing early-blooming shrubs and bulbs.
Winter Jasmine
One of the first plants to wake up after winter, Winter Jasmine adds bright shades of yellow to the earliest days of spring.
Forsythia
Forsythia’s brilliant golden bells bloom in early spring, making this low-maintenance shrub an ideal choice to add color in the earliest months of the growing season.
Carolina Midnight Loropetalum
The deep dark maroon leaves of the Carolina Midnight Loropetalum show off with hot pink fringed flowers in early spring.
Green Pittospermum
Green Pittospermum is a reliable evergreen foundational shrub that blooms in early spring with waxy snow-white flower clusters.
Early blooming spring bulbs
Bursting through the surface at the first signs of spring, crocus, iris, tulips, and daffodils are excellent choices for early color.
Spring flowers
Kick off the growing season with vibrant color by planting flowering bulbs and other spring-blooming plants and trees. Here are our top plant picks for spring color.
Springtime blooms appear on many different types of plants, including trees, shrubs, and perennials. Here are some suggestions for showy spring flowers to brighten up your garden.
Trees
Natchez Crape Myrtle
Ornamental throughout the year, Natchez Crape Myrtle blooms with stunning snow-white flowers in the spring.
Red Hot Black Diamond Crape Myrtle
The Red Hot Black Diamond Crape Myrtle continuously blooms from spring to fall, featuring deep dark green leaves and dramatic red flowers.
Purely Purple Black Diamond Crape Myrtle
From spring through summer, the vibrant purple flowers of the Purely Purple Black Diamond Crape Myrtle pop against its beautiful deep maroon foliage.
Shrubs
Karen Azalea
Karen Azalea puts on a jaw-dropping flower show every spring, with deep green leaves that turn a rich burgundy in the fall.
Judge Solomon Azalea
The heat-tolerant, fast-growing Judge Solomon Azalea bursts with bright fuchsia flowers every spring.
Winter Jasmine
Winter Jasmine’s beautiful cascading branches and yellow flowers continue to bloom throughout spring.
Lynwood Gold Forsythia
Lynwood Gold Forsythia welcomes spring with bright yellow blooms and pretty green leaves.
Perennials
Lavender
Prized for its charming aroma, lavender brings color and life to the garden every spring.
Dr. Alexander Fleming Peony
The romantic blooms of the Dr. Alexander Fleming Peony are a striking and fragrant addition in spring.
Walker’s Low Catmint
The long-blooming purple flowers of Walker’s Low Catmint begin in late spring, hanging around through midsummer.
Sunday Tip:
Locate fragrant plants near doors, seating areas, and walkways to maximize your garden’s aromatic value.
Summer color
Summertime blooms can be achieved with heat-tolerant trees, shrubs, and perennials.
Trees
Natchez Crape Myrtle
Natchez Crape Myrtle’s stunning snow-white flowers continue to bloom throughout summer.
Red Hot Black Diamond Crape Myrtle
The Red Hot Black Diamond Crape Myrtle’s dramatic red flowers are show-stoppers throughout summer.
Purely Purple Black Diamond Crape Myrtle
The drama of the Purely Purple Black Diamond Crape Myrtle brings the thunder with moody summer blooms.
Shrubs
Phantom Hydrangea
The large, showy flowers of the Phantom Hydrangea begin with a lime-green tint in early summer, changing over to a creamy white and fading into a light bluish-pink in the fall.
Strawberry Sundae Hydrangea
This show-stopping, color-changing beauty will keep you in awe all summer long! Strawberry Sundae Hydrangea blooms lime green, changes to a creamy white then transforms to soft pink as summer wanes.
Frostproof Gardenia
Throughout summer, Frostproof Gardenia’s dense evergreen leaves are covered with fragrant, snowy white blooms.
Rose Creek Abelia
With blooms that begin in late spring and continue through summer, Rose Creek Abelia is a perfect choice if you are looking for a colorful and fragrant shrub.
Head Over Heels Hardy Hibiscus
Add a tropical touch to your summer garden with the pink blooms of Head Over Heels Hardy Hibiscus.
Knockout Roses
The name says it all—Knockout Roses will knock your socks off with showy blooms throughout the summer.
Perennials
Ruby Red Astilbe
The feathery summer plumes of Ruby Red Astilbe tower dramatically over lower-lying neighbors.
Silvery Pink Younique Astilbe
In early summer, the densely packed clouds of Silvery Pink Younique Astilbe flowers bloom amongst delicate foliage.
Coreopsis Uptick
The low-maintenance and flashy blooms of the prize-winning Coreopsis Uptick will light up your garden all summer long.
Green Jewel Coneflower
A pollinator-friendly, soft green daisy-like flower, Green Jewel Coneflower adds a unique look to a summer garden.
Green Twister Coneflower
A low-maintenance plant, the Green Twister Coneflower shows off with an uncommon blend of designer colors throughout the summer months.
Shasta Daisy
Blooming and re-blooming throughout the summer and fall, the Shasta Daisy provides long-lasting cut flowers.
Patriot Hosta
Built to withstand the summer heat, Patriot Hosta wows with contrasting colors and late-summer lavender blooms.
Fall favorites
As the summer wanes and fall begins, these captivating early fall bloomers transition your garden with vibrant color.
Perennials
Autumn Joy Sedum
Autumn Joy Sedum’s prolific blooms provide months of foliage and tiny pink flowers in the fall.
Autumn Fire Sedum
The tough-as-nails Autumn Fire Sedum packs long-lasting fall color with little maintenance.
Variegated Lilyturf
With its vibrant purple flower spikes and attractive striped foliage, Variegated Lilyturf is an ideal border plant requiring little maintenance.
Black-Eyed Susan
Easy to grow and happy as possible, Black-Eyed Susans will light up your garden from midsummer through fall.
Late fall bloomers
These reliable shrubs and perennials will ensure that your garden blooms through late autumn, proving that color-changing magic isn’t just for leaves.
Shrubs
Phantom Hydrangea
The large, showy flowers of the Phantom Hydrangea fade into a light bluish-pink in the fall.
Berry White Hydrangea
Big and bold, the two-toned Berry White Hydrangea’s white and pink flowers turn into a rich magenta in autumn.
Strawberry Sundae Hydrangea
The show-stopping Strawberry Sundae Hydrangea keeps blooming through the fall, changing to a vivid magenta.
Needlepoint Holly
This classic holly provides greenery with bright-red berries that fruit in the fall and decorate your garden through the holidays.
Perennials
Autumn Joy Sedum
Autumn Joy Sedum’s prolific blooms continue to provide color through the late fall season.
Autumn Fire Sedum
The tough-as-nails Autumn Fire Sedum packs long-lasting fall color with little maintenance.
Fall foliage
Add a little drama and magic to your yard with trees and shrubs that transition from summer greens to vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows in the fall. Ever wonder why leaves change color? Read why fall leaves change and learn other foliage facts along the way!
Trees
Nuttall Oak Tree
A classic shade tree, the Nuttall Oak changes to beautiful shades of red and orange in the fall.
Chinese Chestnut Tree
Fruiting in the fall, the Chinese Chestnut Tree provides holiday nuts for roasting as well as beautiful fall foliage.
Kousa Dogwood
Beautifully showy in the spring with its white blooms, Kousa Dogwood’s leaves turn a dramatic red with hints of purple in the fall.
Tulip Poplar Tree
A stunning statement tree, Tulip Poplar holds its own throughout the seasons with cheerful yellow flowers in the summer and show-stopping gold and yellow foliage in the fall.
Shrubs
Fire Power Nandina
Turning a brilliant fiery red in the fall, the Fire Power Nandina is an easy-to-grow shrub that provides year-round beauty.
Azaleas
Several varieties of azaleas, including Karen Azalea, Flame Azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum) and Pinkshell Azaleas (Rhododendron vaseyi) enjoy fall color in addition to spring blooms.
Winter textures & greens
Winter gardens liven up the cold season with textures, colors, and dried flowers that withstand plummeting temperatures. Consider adding these compelling plants to your garden to complete the year.
Interesting bark
After leaves fall, trees with interesting shapes and bark reveal compelling cold-season textures.
Natchez Crape Myrtle
Natchez Crape Myrtle adds interest to the winter garden with its flaky and textured cinnamon-colored bark.
Bald Cypress Tree
Loved for its resilience in wet conditions, the Bald Cypress Tree’s soft foliage runs a beautiful orange in fall. Its uniquely shaped trunk provides an exciting element to winter landscaping.
River Birch Tree
Featuring pretty, papery bark and multiple trunks, the River Birch Tree adds a rustic statement year-round.
Evergreens
The simplest way to ensure that your garden will be beautiful year-round is to include a few evergreens in the mix. There are many different kinds of evergreens; here are our favorites.
Trees
Green Giant Arborvitae
As massive as its name implies, the fast-growing Green Giant Arborvitae provides year-round color and privacy.
Longleaf Pine Tree
The longleaf pine is an elegant, vertical accent tree with impressively long, 18” evergreen needle-like leaves.
Emerald Green Arborvitae
Densely green throughout the year, the Emerald Green Arborvitae makes a great narrow-shaped privacy screen.
Shrubs
Grey Owl Juniper
The silvery limbs of the Grey Owl Juniper lend a beautiful contrast to the deeper green hues of neighboring evergreens for a charming winter garden.
Dwarf Yaupon Holly
The Dwarf Yaupon Holly’s distinct globular shape features small, shiny leaves that stay green all winter.
Winter wonders
Dried flowers and bare shrubs add exciting texture and shape to a winter landscape, whether standing alone, layered in frost, or covered in snow.
Shrubs
Hydrangeas
Large, showy hydrangea flowers retain their dried flowerheads over winter, lending seasonal interest even in the coldest months.
Perennials
Muhly Grass
The feathery plumes of muhly grass stand tall throughout winter, turning a straw color during the colder months.
Coneflower
Many types of coneflower retain their dried flowerheads over winter, adding interest to the winter garden.
Sedums
Sedums go dormant but provide attractive and eye-catching shapes during winter.
Black-Eyed Susan
The dried flowerheads of the Black-Eyed Susan create intriguing shapes and places for birds to perch over winter.
Now that you have a wish list of plants, it's time for the fun part—getting your hands dirty and planting your four-season garden.
