Spring anemone flowers, often known as windflowers, are a delightful herald of the early spring months. This is not to get confused with the fall-blooming Japanese anemone. We will be talking about the spring-blooming Anemone in this guide post.

These are some of the first cut flowers to bloom in the cottage garden and come in a rainbow of colors from, red, pink, purple, and white. They are known for their delicate, poppy-like petals that sway gracefully in the breeze. Anemones thrive in well-drained soil and partial shade, making them a versatile choice for many gardeners. Their blooming period, typically from late winter to early spring, brings a refreshing burst of life after the dormancy of winter. We still have flowers bloom all winter here in Arizona, but the Anemones are always the first of spring flowers to bloom. A beautiful sign of more flowers to come.

The snapdragon flower, scientifically known as Antirrhinum majus, is a vibrant and versatile plant often found in gardens and floral arrangements. Its name derives from the unique shape of its flowers, which resemble the face of a dragon that opens and closes its mouth when squeezed. Available in a plethora of colors including pink, red, yellow, and white, snapdragons add a burst of color to any cottage or cut flower garden. This hardy flower thrives in cooler weather and can often be seen blooming in the early spring here in our Zone 9b/10a climate. Aside from their visual appeal, snapdragons are also known to attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, making them a powerful addition to any vegetable or herb garden.

Madame Double Flowering Snapdragons are an exquisite variety known for their lush, double-layered petals that come in a wide array of vibrant & soft colors. These elegant flowers are particularly favored in cottage gardens and as cut flowers in floral arrangements due to their tall stems and good vase life. Unlike single-flowered snapdragons, the double blooms of the Madame variety add a unique, voluminous petal count that is sure to make anyone question if it's a snapdragon. They thrive best in full sun and well-drained soil, making them relatively easy to cultivate for both novice and experienced gardeners.

Angelonia, often referred to as the "summer snapdragon," is beloved for its vibrant and long-lasting blooms. This hardy plant thrives in full sun and can endure the heat of summer, making it a popular choice for gardens in the south. Angelonia flowers come in a variety of colors, including shades of purple, pink, white, and blue, adding a splash of color to any setting. Their upright growth habit and continuous flowering throughout the season make them ideal for borders, containers, and cottage gardens. Additionally, angelonia is relatively low-maintenance, requiring minimal care once established, and it attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

The annual vinca flower, also known as Catharanthus roseus, is a vibrant and resilient plant that thrives in warm climates. It features glossy green leaves and produces an array of colorful blooms, including shades of pink, red, white, and purple. This heat-hardy flower is drought-tolerant and can flourish in both garden beds and container gardens, making it a popular flower in the south. Annual vinca is also relatively low-maintenance, requiring minimal care beyond regular watering and occasional fertilization. These flowers come in many forms, read on to find out!

Rudbeckia is a classic summer flower, fit for any cottage garden. They do well in containers but prefer to be in the ground or raised planter. These flowers are in the sunflower family, which comes as no surprise, as their daisy-like blooms resemble the structure of the sunflower. Rudbeckias come in all sorts of colors and sizes nowadays. They make an excellent cut flower, and florist swoon over their blooms.

Coleus is a beautiful ornamental plant that is primarily grown for its foliage. They come in an array of colors from chartreuse, chocolate, purple, and a variegated mix of stunning colors. Some of the leaves look as if someone painted them! Depending on the variety they can take full sun to full shade depending on your climate. Here in Phoenix, I like to grow them in full shade, the morning sun is okay when temperatures are not blistering. They are easy to grow with a few tips and ticks.

Campanula is a bell-shaped flower, that is the perfect focal spike for late spring here in Arizona. They come in blues, pinks, whites, and many other pastel colors. There really is no other flower that is like Campanula. This is a perfect cottage garden flower, that is a great addition to mothers Day bouquets. Make sure to pick annual varieties that flower their first year here in the desert.

Monarda always takes me back to my childhood, where we had large patches of the perennial. In Michigan, I always associated them with the 4th of July because that’s when they bloomed there. Here in Arizona, I like to grow the annual version that goes by ‘Lambada’ or ‘Lemon mint’. These blooms are tall and appear to be stacked. This wild flower is the perfect addition to any mothers Day bouquet.

Yarrow is an easy-to-grow, wildflower here in Arizona. This plant is drought tolerant and easy to start from seed. Its ferny foliage also gives the garden a unique texture when it’s not in bloom. It’s said to be a perennial in this zone, and with proper care, you can have this plant for a few years, maybe more. Keep making sure the root ball dries out in between waterings. The biggest cause of death for yarrow is over-watering.

Feverfew aka matricria, is a dainty, fun, wildflower-esque flower. Feverfew comes in many different varieties, but I usually grow double varieties. It’s something that florists usually do not find in wholesale flower shops or grocery stores. It’s a cool season annual planted in the fall, but this flower is one of the later cool season plants to flower. Buds are initiated by longer day lengths, so typically they won’t flower until after mothers Day.

Craspedia was a new flower I grew in the 2022-2023 season. I was blown away, to say the least. They produced strong, loli-pop blooms that were the perfect addition to all my spring bouquets. The plants stayed on the short side, like a clump of grass, with blooms reaching 18” tall. some people call this flower ‘drumstick flower’ or ‘Billy balls’. This flower dries perfectly, it’s as beautiful dried as it is fresh.

Statice is one of my favorite filler flowers and can be used fresh or dried to make some magical arrangements. I love using them for wreath making. They start blooming in April and I am harvesting them typically through June here in the Low Desert. I’ve seen these flowers survive the summer, and bloom again the following spring. I don’t rely on them to do this, but can be an added bonus.

Sunflowers are an American classic, they are easily recognized for their bright cheerful colors. They come in lots of different colors now and are easy to start from seed. They are native to North America and are commonly found growing wild in parts of Arizona.

Amaranth is technically an edible grain, but we are cut flower growers who use or ornamentally for its beautiful autumnal plumes. They thrive in poorer soils and come in shades of green, copper, red, magenta, and blush.

Celosia is some of my favorite flowers to have in the field for late summer and Fall. They come in colors from pink to orange and red. They also make great dried flowers for crafting projects. These flowers can re-seed readily in the garden, which I don’t think is a bad thing!