Part of the genus Lilium, true lilies produce striking flowers in a huge range of colors. Their long vase life and dramatic blooms—think bright spots, ruffled petals, and elegant curves—have made them some of the most popular cut flowers in the world.
Plant this fragrant, winter-hardy annual en masse to cut a dramatic swath through your garden. It reseeds vigorously, so you can look forward to new blooms every spring. If you're in search of cool hues, check out the Lady Bird Johnson Royal Blue bluebonnet, a violet-blue overachiever named after the former first lady who advocated for the spread of wildflowers along Texas roadways.
Red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora), also known as hummingbird yucca, is actually a member of the century plant, or agave Americana, family. Its bright red tubular flowers keep on blooming even in summer's hottest months, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies to the garden.
A wildflower that thrives even in dry conditions, red feathers (Echium amoenum) have fringed 12- to 15-inch flower spikes in a beautiful raspberry-crimson color, Fradkin says. Pinch off spent blossoms to keep them blooming, but hold off late in the growing season to encourage reseeding.
Also known as woodland tobacco, Nicotiana sylvestris has a floral scent that is reminiscent of jasmine. Southern gardeners love its pendant clusters of trumpet-shaped white flowers, which resemble shooting stars and bloom from early through mid-fall.
This tropical perennial produces big, pink blooms with stunning red eyes from July to September. "The flowers are humongous," says Dawn Fradkin, a horticulturist with Colorado State University Extension in Arapahoe County, where intense sunlight and clay soils can be a challenge for gardeners. "They're just striking for our area and our environment," she says.
Part of the genus Lilium, true lilies produce striking flowers in a huge range of colors. Their long vase life and dramatic blooms—think bright spots, ruffled petals, and elegant curves—have made them some of the most popular cut flowers in the world.
Plant this fragrant, winter-hardy annual en masse to cut a dramatic swath through your garden. It reseeds vigorously, so you can look forward to new blooms every spring. If you're in search of cool hues, check out the Lady Bird Johnson Royal Blue bluebonnet, a violet-blue overachiever named after the former first lady who advocated for the spread of wildflowers along Texas roadways.
Red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora), also known as hummingbird yucca, is actually a member of the century plant, or agave Americana, family. Its bright red tubular flowers keep on blooming even in summer's hottest months, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies to the garden.
A wildflower that thrives even in dry conditions, red feathers (Echium amoenum) have fringed 12- to 15-inch flower spikes in a beautiful raspberry-crimson color, Fradkin says. Pinch off spent blossoms to keep them blooming, but hold off late in the growing season to encourage reseeding.
Also known as woodland tobacco, Nicotiana sylvestris has a floral scent that is reminiscent of jasmine. Southern gardeners love its pendant clusters of trumpet-shaped white flowers, which resemble shooting stars and bloom from early through mid-fall.
This tropical perennial produces big, pink blooms with stunning red eyes from July to September. "The flowers are humongous," says Dawn Fradkin, a horticulturist with Colorado State University Extension in Arapahoe County, where intense sunlight and clay soils can be a challenge for gardeners. "They're just striking for our area and our environment," she says.