I realized my front yard looked completely dead every January while I waited for spring bulbs to wake up. It took years of trial and error to find the plants that refuse to stop flowering. Here are the ones that actually deliver color right through the calendar.
1. African Violets
These little guys are the definition of constant indoor color. Christina keeps a row of them above her kitchen sink and they literally never stop pushing out new purple flowers. They like bottom watering, so don’t get the fuzzy leaves wet. Best bang for your buck.
2. Peace Lily
John is our resident peace lily guy because he tends to overwater everything else. (trust me on this one) These practically beg for water when they droop. Keep them in bright indirect light and you’ll see those white spathes popping up constantly.
3. Anthurium
You see these in hotel lobbies for a reason. They last forever. The red heart-shaped parts are actually modified leaves, not true petals. Keep the soil slightly moist but never soggy. If you want a cheap watering solution, check out these 18 Genius Plastic binary Hacks for Your Home and Garden.
4. Tropical Hibiscus
This is the one we use most on patios that get blasted by the sun. You have to bring them inside before frost hits if you live up north. They are heavy feeders in the summer so hit them with fertilizer every few weeks. Worth every minute.
5. Lantana
Nothing handles sheer heat quite like this. The clusters of tiny flowers come in wild sunset colors. They attract every butterfly in the neighborhood. Dead simple.
Now for the ones that don’t mind a little neglect.
6. Crown of Thorns
Don’t let the scary name deter you. This succulent throws out tiny, bright flowers year-round if you give it enough sun. Let it dry out completely between waterings. (sounds weird, but the plants love it)
7. Wax Begonias
Joanna stuck a flat of these in her deeply shaded front border and they just kept going straight through November. They handle shady spots better than almost anything else. Buy the ones with bronze leaves if you want them to handle more sun.
8. Zonal Geraniums
My grandmother grew these and I finally understand why. They are practically bulletproof. Just snap off the spent flower heads to keep the new ones coming. You can bring them indoors to a sunny window to keep the show going all winter.
9. Bougainvillea
This vine produces paper-thin bracts in insane magenta and orange shades. It needs a massive amount of sun to do its thing. Be careful when potting it up because the root ball is extremely fragile and hates being disturbed.
10. Kalanchoe
You can find these at literally any grocery store checkout line. Treat it exactly like a succulent. It stores water in those thick leaves so don’t drown it. If you want to pot these up cheaply, see our 10 Garden Hacks for a High-End Yard on a Tiny Budget.
11. Chenille Plant
The red fuzzy caterpillars hanging off this plant look totally alien. It needs high humidity to look its best. Honestly, I’d skip this if you have cats, since the fuzzy parts are just too tempting for them to swat.
12. Plumbago
This shrub sprawls everywhere and gets covered in pale blue clusters. It needs regular pruning to stop it from swallowing your walkway. We planted one along the back fence and the color never seems to quit.
These next few are absolute magnets for hummingbirds.
13. Firecracker Flower
This one practically glows in the shade. The bright orange tiered flowers pop up continuously in warm weather. Water it when the top inch of soil feels dry.
14. Pentas
The star-shaped flower clusters are a favorite for pollinators. They handle heat and humidity without missing a beat. Just pinch off the dead heads. No tools needed.
15. Ixora
Often used as hedges in warm zones, these produce big round clusters of tubular flowers. They prefer slightly acidic soil to stay green. Mix in a little compost when you plant them. For more soil tips, look at How Baking Soda Can Save Your Garden And Your Budget.
16. Madagascar Periwinkle
These look like impatiens but they laugh at full baking sun. I plant a border of the white ones every single year. They drop their own spent flowers so you never have to clean them up.
Okay, let’s look at a few bold statement plants.
17. Moth Orchids
Christina tested a new bark mix on her orchids last winter and they put out two new flower spikes almost immediately. The blooms on these can literally last for six months. Once they drop, cut the spike just above a node and it might branch out again.
18. Desert Rose
The trunk on this looks like a cool bonsai tree. It pushes out stunning pink or red trumpet shapes. Keep in mind the sap is highly toxic so wear gloves if you prune it. (yes, really)
19. Arabian Jasmine
You grow this one purely for the smell. The little white flowers look simple but they pump out enough fragrance to fill a whole room. Give it a trellis and it will wrap itself right up.
20. Fuchsia
The hanging lantern flowers on these look totally fake. They hate hot afternoon sun so keep them under a porch roof. They drop flowers constantly, so don’t hang them over a clean white patio. (cheaper than you’d think)
21. Impatiens
Classic shade lovers. They mound up beautifully and cover themselves in continuous color. If you have a tiny balcony, they work perfectly in small pots. Check out our Herb Garden Hacks: 25 Tiny Space Solutions for ways to squeeze more plants into tight corners.
22. Bromeliads
Technically the bright pink part is a bract, but the neon color lasts for the better part of a year. Water them by pouring right into the center cup of the leaves, but never use cold tap water. Dump the cup out every few weeks so the water doesn’t get stagnant.
23. Knock Out Roses
These made everyone realize roses can actually be easy. They require zero spraying and they just keep pushing out buds until the first hard freeze. I’ve chopped mine back to the ground by accident and it came back twice as big.
24. Lipstick Plant
The red tubular flowers literally peek out of dark burgundy tubes just like lipstick. It trails beautifully out of hanging baskets indoors. Let it get slightly rootbound to encourage more blooms.
Give Your Space Some Color
Don’t try to plant all of these at once or you’ll drive yourself crazy. Pick one indoor bloomer and one outdoor sun-lover to start. Get them settled in and see what happens.