10 Great Flowers For Brown Thumbs And Butterflies

You desperately want beautiful flowers in front of your house all summer, yet you haven't acted. You're not an expert, after all, and what if you pick the wrong flowers, and they automatically wilt? Fear not, faithful reader! Once again, Grumpy will save you. Here are ten easy-to-grow flowers that will bloom nonstop from now until frost and attract clouds of butterflies too.

01 of 10

Dragon Wing Begonia

Botanical Name: Begonia 'Dragon Wing Red'
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Type: Well-drained, Moist, Rich
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic (5.5-6.0)

A cross between angel-wing begonia and wax begonia, the rugged Dragon Wing combines shiny green leaves with bright red or pink flowers. It forms a tidy mound 12 to 18 inches high and 10 to 12 inches wide. The Baby Wing begonias grow to about the same size but feature smaller leaves and pink or white flowers, performing like champs in both borders and containers. Give them sun in the morning and light shade in the hot afternoon.

02 of 10

Zinnias

Botanical Name: Zinnia elegans
Sun Exposure: Full
Soil Type: Well-drained, Rich
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Slightly Alkaline (5.5-7.5)

Common zinnias are the easiest annuals to grow from seed. They sprout and multiply in warm weather. Just sprinkle the large seeds evenly over the soil and rake them to cover them with dirt. Water occasionally, and before long, you will have a solid, multi-colored border of long-stemmed zinnias that are great for cutting. The more you cut zinnias, the more they'll bloom—plant in full sun.

03 of 10

Pentas

Botanical Name: Pentas lanceolata
Sun Exposure: Full
Soil Type: Well-drained, Moist
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic (6.0)

You may not know Pentas, aka "Egyptian star clusters," but you should. This tropical African native is a butterfly favorite and blooms continuously during warm weather. Four-inch wide clusters of red, pink, lavender, or white blossoms adorn deep green, lance-shaped leaves. Mounding plants grow 12-20 inches tall and do equally well in borders and containers. Give them full sun and moist soil.

04 of 10

Angelonia

Botanical Name: Angelonia angustifolia
Sun Exposure: Full
Soil Type: Well-drained, Rich
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic (5.5-6.2)

You can't do better than angelonia for spiky summer flowers resembling snapdragons. This tropical American native grows 18 to 24 inches tall and offers orchid-shaped blooms in purple, blue, lavender, red, pink, or white colors. It loves heat and sun, has no pests, is excellent for cutting, and does well in gardens or containers. Because of its upright habit, it makes a great combination with all the other flowers you see here.

05 of 10

Lantana

Botanical Name: Lantana camara
Sun Exposure: Full
Soil Type: Well-drained
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic (6.0-6.5)

There is no tougher flower for the South than the lantana. It thrives in heat, tolerates drought, intoxicates butterflies, and blooms from spring until fall. Old heirloom selections like 'Miss Huff' are huge plants four feet tall and six feet wide, but the newer ones in garden centers are short and spreading, growing about two feet tall and four feet wide. Blossoms can be red, orange, pink, yellow, or a combination, but some selections, like 'New Gold,' have blooms of a single color. Plant in borders and containers in full sun.

06 of 10

Geraniums

Botanical Name: Pelargonium
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Type: Well-drained, Loose
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic (6.0-6.5)

Plant geraniums with a slow-release fertilizer. Geraniums should have less fertilizer than too much, so after the growing season initiates, you can taper the amount used. These bright-colored flowers with open, flat petals contain nectar that attracts butterflies. These flowers grow best in USDA Zones 10 and 11.

07 of 10

Sedum

Barbara Katz Garden Colorful Combinations — Katz reminds us that there are as many fabulous plant combinations as there are plants. Here we see variegated "Autumn Charm" sedum, pink "Millenium" allium, red coleus, "Ruby Star" purple coneflower, and yellow "Aurea" Tatarian dogwood. Robbie Caponetto

Botanical Name: Sedum
Sun Exposure: Full
Soil Type: Well-drained, Loose
Soil pH: Neutral to Slightly Alkaline (6.0-7.5)

Sedums are relatively indestructible plants, making them perfect for people who are forgetful gardeners. As a succulent, Sedum is native to rocky environments and thrives in shallow soil. This plant produces hardy and attractive foliage and flowers that invite specific pollinators, like butterflies.

08 of 10

Marigolds

Botanical Name: Tagetes
Sun Exposure: Full
Soil Type: Well-drained, Loamy
Soil pH: Acidic (5.8-6.2)

Marigolds are very popular with pollinators, specifically butterflies and honey bees. These flowers thrive in full sunlight. These golden yellow flowers, blooming in clusters or single blooms, are lovely for summer and fall gardens. Deadheading promotes new growth in these easy-to-grow flowers.

09 of 10

Lilac

Botanical Name: Syringa vulgaris
Sun Exposure: Full
Soil Type: Well-drained
Soil pH: Slightly Alkaline (6.5-7.0)

Lilac blooms in purple, pink, and white flowers from late spring to early summer. These sweet-smelling flowers are relatively easy-to-grow and are excellent for cutting. Lilac varieties are available in compact and large sizes so that you can plant these flowers in containers or as a border plant. When growing, mulch helps the soil retain water and prune after flowering so the stems do not get too high.

10 of 10

Pansies

Botanical Name: Viola tricolor var. hortensis
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Type: Well-drained, Loamy, Rich
Soil pH: Acidic (5.4-5.8)

Pansies always brighten a garden. Available in various colors and patterns, these heart-shaped, overlapping petaled flowers are cold-hardy and reliable. Depending on the species, plant pansies in early spring or fall and treat them as annual or perennial flowers. Pansies grow well in containers, garden borders, and ground cover.

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