Best Flowers to Grow in Raised Beds
Growing your flowers in raised bed offers you several benefits, especially if you select the best flowers for raised beds.
To begin with raised beds are extremely attractive. Since raised beds can be made from a variety of materials you can choose a material that adds attractiveness to your property.
In addition, most raised flowerbeds require less weeding, results in less soil compaction, and offers better drainage.
Best of all raised flowerbeds is easier on you physically, saving your back as well as wear and tear on your knees.
There are many flowers that thrive in raised beds and for those of you who are thinking about trying your hand at growing flowers in such a container here are a few flowers that will get you started.
10 Best Flowers for Raised Beds
#1. Daffodils
Daffodils are perennial flowers. If you plant the bulbs of these flowers in the fall you will reap the rewards of seeing colorful blooms breaking through the snow at winter’s end.
One of the first flowers to bloom as spring arrives these colorful flowers are trumpet shaped, looking like a cup sitting on a saucer with dark green strap like leaves.
Daffodils come in a variety of colors including white, pink, yellow, orange and bicolor and stand 6 to 30 inches tall. Daffodils thrive in zones 4 through 8 as long as they are planted in well-drained soil and get full or partial sun.
#2. Lupines
Lupines are beautiful and showy spring flowers that can be planted as either a perennial or annual. These tall spires of colorful flowers have palm like foliage and reaches a height of 3 to 4 feet in height. These flowers bloom in the spring or during the summer months.
Lupines grow well in zones 4 through 8 and prefer to be planted in an area with plenty of sunlight and well-drained soil.
Lupines colors include white, yellow, pink, red, blue, purple and bicolor offering you a rainbow of colors to choose from.
#3. Wax Begonias
Wax Begonias are beautiful little flowers that can be either a perennial or annual. These lovely little plants have leaves that are green, bronze or maroon and have a waxy-looking shine.
The small colorful flowers come in white, red or pink with yellow centers and they bloom during the summer months. Wax Begonias make great border flowers as they stand between 6 to 18 inches high.
These delicate looking flowers grow best in zones 10 and 11 and need rich well-drained soil and a lot of sun. Best of all these flowers are deer resistant.
#4. Dianthus
Dianthuses are old-fashioned dainty looking flowers that can be perennial, annual, or biannual.
These flowers have thin long bluish/gray foliage and lovely ruffled edged flowers (that look a little raggedy) while the flower heads can be white, lilac, red or pink with pinkish edging on the ruffled edges.
These flowers grow in zones 3 through 9 and reach a height of 6 to 36 inches high.
The flowers bloom in spring, summer and fall allowing you to enjoy these beautiful flowers for several months.
Dianthus prefers moist well-drained soil and full sun. These flowers are toxic to pets.
#5. Pansies
Pansies are short little flowers that are perennials, but are often grown as annual. Pansies can be white, yellow, blue and purple and have heart-shaped overlapping petals with face-like markings in the center of the petals.
Pansies can be grown in zones 7 through 11 and prefer to be grown in full sun and well-drained soil. These are short flowers normally reaching a height of between 4 and 8 inches. Pansies bloom in the spring and summer.
#6. Snapdragons
Snapdragons are perennials that are usually grown as annuals. These flowers get their name because the flower heads themselves resemble a dragon’s snout. The lance shaped leaves spiral around the stem of the flower.
Snapdragons can be grown in zones 7 through 11 and prefer moist well-drained soil and a sunny spot in your raised flowerbed.
These flowers run from between 6 and 48 inches tall and bloom in spring, summer and fall with the most prolific blooms appearing during the cooler spring and fall months.
Snapdragon comes in a variety of colors including white, pink, yellow, red, orange and purple.
#7. Cosmos
Cosmos are colorful flowers that look a good deal like daisies. These flowers stand 1 to 6 feet tall and come in a variety of colors including white, yellow, magenta, orange, red, pink and even chocolate.
These single headed flowers can be grown in zones 2 through 11 and prefer well-drained soil and a spot that gets full sun.
Cosmos flowers attract bees, butterflies and birds.
#8. Zinnias
Zinnias are annual flowers meaning you will have to plant new seeds each year if you want to enjoy these flowers in your raised garden bed. These flowers grow easily in hotter climates and are known for their lance shaped leaves and rounded flower heads.
There are a number of different varieties of Zinnias with some varieties being short and other varieties being taller. Most Zinnias range in height from 1 to 4 feet high.
Zinnias also come in a large number of bright colors including pink, purple, orange, yellow, white and even red.
These flowers can be grown in zones 3 through 10 and blooms in spring, summer and fall with the most prolific blooming occurring during the warmer months.
#9. Impatiens
Impatienses are colorful flowers that are perennials in tropical zones and annuals in most other areas. These small bright flowers are often used for bedding because they can grow in shady areas.
They can range in color from white, red, violet, pink, yellow, coral and purple with dark green leaves.
Impatiens can be grown in zones 10 and 11 and prefers well-drained soil and can grow well in partial shade. These flowers can range in height from 6 inches to 36 inches. They are long blooming flowers since they can bloom from spring into the fall.
#10. Marigolds
Marigolds are annuals with fern like foliage with a daisy-like appearance. These flowers can be grown in zones 2 through 11 and prefer to be grown in moist well-drained soil under full sun.
The Marigold flowers range between 4 and 48 inches tall and blooms in the summer. Flower colors may be yellow, orange, red, gold, white or bicolor.
Final Thoughts on the Best Flowers to Grow in Raised Beds
While these are not all the flowers you can grow in raised beds they should give you an idea of they type of flowers you may want to consider.
