Rita's Garden Path
Bloom Season

Plan your garden for year-round color

Discover plants that bloom in every season. Create a garden that delights with flowers from early spring through winter with strategic plant selection.

Seasonal Blooms

Select a season to explore plants that flower during that time

Bloom Characteristics

Browse by flowering patterns and foliage-focused plants

Planning for Year-Round Blooms

A well-designed garden has something in bloom throughout the year. By selecting plants with different bloom times, you can create a landscape that offers continuous color and interest from early spring through winter.

Spring is when most gardens burst into life. Early bulbs like crocuses and snowdrops give way to daffodils, tulips, and flowering trees. These early bloomers are essential for pollinators emerging from winter dormancy.

Summer brings the most abundant flowering period. Roses, daylilies, coneflowers, and black-eyed Susans provide reliable color through the hottest months. Many summer bloomers are also drought-tolerant once established.

Fall gardens shine with asters, sedum, ornamental grasses, and chrysanthemums. These plants provide crucial nectar for migrating butterflies and late-season pollinators preparing for winter.

Winter interest comes from plants like witch hazel, winter jasmine, and hellebores. These brave bloomers add unexpected color to the dormant landscape and are especially valuable in mild climates.

Garden Planning Tips

Layer your blooms: Choose at least 2-3 plants for each season to ensure continuous color. This creates a succession of blooms throughout the year.

Consider foliage: Not all interest comes from flowers. Plants with colorful or textured foliage provide beauty when not in bloom.

Think in waves: Design your garden so something is always coming into bloom as another finishes. This creates natural transitions through the seasons.

Don't forget evergreens: Mix in non-flowering evergreens for structure and year-round presence. They anchor the garden when perennials are dormant.