Good things come to those who wait, right? Not always. Some plants are both incredibly beautiful and incredibly fast blooming, growing from seed to flower in a matter of weeks. They are like a Michelin-starred chef preparing a meal in the microwave: the result is great, but as fast as possible. So if you need to fill border gaps or are looking for one patio container idea whose contents did not make it through the winter, these fast-growing flowers will quickly fill a garden with abundant petals.
There is no magic here – all these plants rely on rapid growth to survive. It is annual flowers that complete their life cycle in one year, so their only goal is to grow flowers that will pollinate and set seed, hoping to leave a legacy that will germinate the following year. Many have also evolved to grow in drought-stricken environments, so when the right conditions arrive, they sprout quickly and flower furiously to make the most of a short weather window. And that means they’re incredibly easy to grow from seed. These guys seriously want to live
They are also plentiful, and to keep them blooming all summer long, all you need to do is keep cutting back the fading blooms. As long as you keep dying, they’ll keep blooming. It’s their nature to self-sow, so you’ll likely have more flowers next year, and every year forever, without lifting a finger! Or you can collect seeds at the end of summer to sow again next year.
Another advantage of these fast-flowering plants is that they tend to grow slender stems, happily finding their way around larger, more established plants in your border without crowding them. And let’s not forget that their short life cycle makes it easy to breed new varieties, so there are many unusual varieties to choose from. Are you ready to bridge those border gaps? See what to sow for fast flowers within weeks.
1. World
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Cosmos is the Mario Andretti of the plant world, accelerating from seed to flower in just 45 days in ideal full sun conditions. Blooms on branched, wiry stems, a single universe The plant can bear over 30 flowers at a time, and as long as you keep killing, it will bloom continuously from late June until the first frost. And you won’t just be able to enjoy the abundant flowers, because their rich nectar also attracts many pollinators.
Dwarf varieties such as ‘Sensation’, available from Eden Brothersthrive in a container or at the front of a border, while taller varieties such as ‘Psyche White’, available from Burpeethey are better on the ground. There are all kinds of colors to choose from, as well as a wonderful range of petal shapes. The trick to getting Cosmos to bloom super profusely is to treat them poorly and keep them excited: in poorer conditions, they’ll work harder to survive and produce more blooms, so don’t feed them.
2. California Poppies
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While it is the state flower of California, Eschscholzia californica it has naturalized in many other states, mainly because it can flower in about 60 days after sowing so quickly established in a new home. It self-seeds freely, too, though not so much as to be annoying.
While the wildflower has petals in a beautiful bright orange (the seeds are available from Botanical Interests), varieties are available in many tones from white to yellow and red to gorgeous coral and peach pink. The feathery leaves are almost as attractive as the funnel-shaped flowers, and the buds and seed pods also have a charming shape.
Plants are incredibly drought tolerant so give California poppies a sunny spot and well-drained soil and they won’t need much care. Each flower only lasts for a few days, but it remains dead and the plant will continually produce new buds to bloom until fall.
3. Centaur
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Bachelor’s Button seeds germinate quickly and bear flowers in as little as 60 days. Centaur they usually bloom for about 10 weeks, as long as you remove fading flowers and are reliable self-seeders, so they will regrow the following year. These fall seeds tend to bloom earlier, so collecting a few seeds in late summer to sow in May or June will also give you blooms all summer in sun or part shade.
The original Bacherlor’s buttons are a striking blue, but now there are varieties in white, red, pink, purple and almost black as well. Compact varieties such as ‘Dwarf Blue’, available from Eden Brothersit does well in a pot. For borders, you will find tall varieties to 3 feet tall, bred for the cut flower industry as these flowers hold up well in a vase.
Pollinators flock to the flowers and birds feed on the seed heads. An added bonus is that you can eat centaury too, so sprinkle petals over salads for a pretty shot of colour.
4. Sweet Alyssum
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Do you have a gap at the front of a border where weeds keep growing? Or a dry, rocky patch where nothing does well? Sweet alysoumi is the answer. As its name suggests, Lobularia maritima it’s evolved to grow in harsh coastal conditions, so it’ll handle just about anything you throw at it, as long as it has full sun and good drainage. And you’ll soon realize how it earned its common name once you smell its sweet aroma.
Sweet alyssum only grows to a tiny three inches, but spreads to 10 inches and forms a carpet of tiny flowers. Do you have any seeds left over? Use them to underplant a shrub or put them in a window. Results are fast and you will see flowers 45-60 days after sowing. You can even re-sow in September to extend the show.
While sweet alysoumi is short-lived perennial in warmer zones, it is generally treated as an annual.
5. Nasturtiums
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One of the fastest blooming annuals, flowers can bloom as little as 50 days after sowing. And there are so many other good reasons to grow them! For starters, both the flowers and leaves of the scalpel are edible with a spicy, peppery flavor. Pollinators also love them, as do aphids and flea beetles, which makes them extremely useful as companion plants to keep vegetables pest-free.
Nasturtium it thrives best in poor, well-drained soil and needs at least five hours of sun a day. There are two types, so check when you buy: One less trophy are bushy and self-sustaining while A bigger trophy they are climbers – or trailing if you grow them in a hanging basket. There are so many varieties to choose from, with many petal colors and some with variegated leaves. Keep them dead and they will continue to bloom until the first hard frost.
If your children want to help you in the garden, then natrine is a great choice as their seeds are large and easy to handle.
6. Zinnias
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Zinnias take about 75 days to flower, so if you sow them by the end of May, you’ll have blooms in August. If you keep killing them, they will continue to bloom until your first hard frost, and each bloom lasts a long time – in a vase as well as on the plant.
Zinnias they come in many forms, from simple daisy-like flowers to ruffles with over a hundred petals, and it makes sense that those with fewer petals bloom faster. There are many colorful mixes to brighten up borders, and for pots, the tall ‘Thumbelina’, available from Botanical Interestsit is a beautiful mix of red, pink and yellow. For most flowers, sow them in a sunny position.
