During winter’s dreary chill when everything is drab and brown, perusing local stores, catalogs, and online sites full of brilliant colorful blooms while mentally planning our next purchase is uplifting, but did you know that in our relatively temperate climate you may be able to plant flowers to delight the senses for most of the year? You just need to know what to plant and when.
Both annuals, which bloom for a finite growing season, and perennial flowers, which come back year after year, should be part of your planting plan. According to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, the Northern Neck/ Richmond/ Tidewater areas fall within either Zone 7a or 7b. Understanding frost dates is crucial for planning your gardening. Read on to learn what annual and perennial flowers you can plant every month in 2026.
JANUARY: WINTER PANSY
Winter pansies are a favorite in the Southern garden. Who can resist those cheerful little faces? In addition to being adorably perky and bright, they are tough survivors. They are also known as Ice Pansies, because they habitually withstand freezing temperatures and light snowfall. Pansies come in an enormous variety of sizes and color combinations, from giant ruffled blossoms of velvety petals to the prolific, daintily flowered mounding violas, such as the popular delete persistent Johnny Jump-Up. Those planted in winter will have the advantage of a well-developed root system for larger, stronger plants in spring. Centuries of horticultural experimentation have gifted us with bicolor and even tricolor options. Plant these either directly in soil or in window boxes and containers for reliable seasonal color and interest.
FEBRUARY: PRIMROSE
These colorful, old-fashioned flowers bloom in deep, saturated shades of almost every color from blue, purple, pink, orange, and yellow to pearly white. Bicolored varieties and types with double, rose-like flowers stand out like small glowing jewels in the midwinter landscape. Like pansies, they are extremely cold hardy as long as you plant the English Primrose, which is a perennial that perseveres from year to year. Relatively low-growing, they really shine as an edging plant in the front of the garden or in container gardens. They love cool weather and will sulk and go dormant once the temperatures climb, so be sure to plant with other flowers that will take over when they retire for the season.
MARCH: HELLEBORE
Depending on the species, hellebores bloom from late winter to early spring. The bloom time gives them their common names of Christmas Rose or Lenten Rose. Be aware that they are extremely toxic to both dogs and cats. Deer and rabbits leave them alone. Hellebores can be grown from seed, but it is recommended that you purchase potted nursery specimens if you want a particular variety. Once established in a spot with part shade and winter sun, they will shoulder through icy soil with determination and grace the landscape with their exquisite blooms when most other perennials are still fast asleep. Once the flowers fade, their sturdy green foliage will linger until late into the year. Many varieties will spread and form colonies of plants for a mass display.
APRIL: NASTURTIUM
The nasturtium is a cheerful flower that does it all! This sun-loving annual adds a pop of citrusy color to the garden, fights insect pests, and both the foliage and flowers provide a peppery zing to salads. They love cool weather, so direct-sow the seeds about two weeks before the last expected frost in your region. You will soon have energetic vining plants tumbling over the edges of planters and beds. Some varieties are climbers. They are useful as a trap crop in companion planting, drawing aphids and other garden pests away from the more valuable vegetables such as beans, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, kale, and melon. They are also a favorite of pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and their fragrance makes them a good choice for cut-flower gardens, too.
MAY: ZINNIA
Easy-to-grow Zinnias are vibrant annuals that thrive in sunny conditions and are perfect for adding color to any garden. Zinnias are fast growers that bloom with abandon and require only minimal care, so they are great for beginner gardeners. These flowers come in bold, hot-palette colors, and diverse types ranging in size from giant six-foot dahlia-like showstoppers to more petite border plants with exceptionally long bloom time. Pollinators love them, and they are excellent long-lasting cut flowers, too. Harvest the seeds from dried flowers for next season’s colorful display.
JUNE: MARIGOLD
Marigolds are vibrant, foolproof annuals that thrive in sunny conditions the world over and are known for their pest-repelling properties and cheerful blooms. Marigold flowers come in shades of orange, yellow, and red, often with highlights of gold and copper. There are approximately 50 species of marigolds, with the most common being the compact French Marigold, ranging from six to twelve inches tall with double flowerheads, to the African Marigold, growing one to four feet tall with large, pompon-like flowers. Also popular is the Signet Marigold variety, which are smaller, upright plants with edible flowers. Marigolds are tough, heat-lovers, drought-tolerant once established and will bloom reliably until a hard freeze. Marigolds are a great companion flower to tomatoes as their scent helps to deter whiteflies and tomato hornworms. Tip: Deadhead the plants to help them keep blooming profusely and save the seeds from the dried blooms for next year.
JULY: SUNFLOWERS
Sunflowers are actually related to the common daisy. The typical plant has a single erect stem reaching typical heights of ten feet, but the tallest sunflower on record topped out at a height of thirty- five feet nine inches. Shorter varieties are available, many with multi-branching habits and different colors. These stately beauties grow easily from seed and can be planted successively from mid-spring onwards. However, a July sowing allows you to enjoy these outstanding annuals later in the season when many other annuals have faded for the year. Read the seed package to determine days to bloom time from sowing so that you will be sure to plant cultivars that will mature before the first expected frost. Birds will bless you for providing them a banquet of nutritious food found in the ripened seedheads.
AUGUST: BLACK-EYED SUSAN
A native plant, Black-Eyed Susans are primarily considered perennials known for their vibrant flowers and ability to attract pollinators. Their sunny yellow blossoms with black centers thrive in late summer when other perennials have died back. Pollinators love them, and they will bloom reliably for years. Once found solely as a wildflower, Black-Eyed Susans are thought to be named after the heroine of a historic ballad by John Gay, telling of a sailor’s love of a dark-eyed maiden. They are beneficial for your yard, because they are low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, and a valuable source of food for wildlife and pollinators. Just remember that anything you plant in the heat of summer will need to be watered regularly until they are established.
SEPTEMBER: CHRYSANTHEMUM
With their vibrant colors and long-lasting blooms in dozens of varieties, hardy mums will provide eye candy for many weeks in your garden. The numerous brightly colored flowers per plant make these a favorite for filling porch pots and landscape beds as other blooming plants are spent. Particularly effective when planted in masses, these are the workhorses of the autumn garden. Plant hardy mums as soon as possible in late summer to early fall if you want to treat them as perennials. Many people simply plant them to enjoy for the season. Mums are inexpensive enough to toss on the compost pile after their blooms fade for a fresh start next year.
OCTOBER: ASTER
Native asters are an excellent perennial addition to your late season garden because they support lingering pollinators. They bloom prolifically for weeks, just as annuals and many other perennials are finishing the season. These attractive plants have gorgeous, fringed blooms that come in varying shades of purple, pink, and white, and pair well with other late-season garden plants such as mums. The genus name “Aster” comes from the Greek word for “star,” reflecting the star-like appearance of their flowers, which grow so thickly the blooms can hide the foliage. They provide essential nectar for bees and butterflies and are adaptable plants that thrive in various conditions, making them a popular choice for gardens.
NOVEMBER: ANNUAL LARKSPUR
Annual larkspur is a showy, old-fashioned flower that loves cool weather and brings height, color, and drama. There are more than 300 larkspur species, so you can choose from quite a variety of heights, from dwarf hybrids to six-foot-tall beauties. They come in all shades of blue, pink, purple and white. Blooms can be single, semi-double, or double, and foliage is a lacy blue-green. Be careful not to confuse these annuals with a similar perennial that is known as delphinium, which is fussier in the hot, humid South. In milder winter climates such as ours, plant annual larkspur seeds in fall for spring blooms that will often self-sow if left to mature for an encore performance the next year. They also make lovely cut and dried flowers, but all parts of the larkspur are toxic, so do not let people or pets munch on them. Many gardeners report them to be deer, rabbit, and even groundhog-resistant, likely for this reason.
DECEMBER: FLOWERING KALE
You might not think of it as a flower, but flowering kale has large, lush heads of frilly, colorful foliage that can resemble cabbage roses. Also known as ornamental cabbage, since it is a member of the same family as edible cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli, this is a visually striking plant that thrives in cool weather and adds vibrant color to gardens and containers. Available in shades of pink, creamy white, and purple, it is also super cold-hardy so it can last well into late winter in this area’s more temperate climate. It requires full sun, and can thrive in either containers or fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. As a biennial with a two-year biological cycle, it will eventually outgrow its decorative usefulness after its first season and will need to be removed from the garden. Especially when paired with pansies, this ruffled, colorful plant amplifies interest in late-season gardens when both annuals and perennials languish. Flowering kale colors intensify as the temperatures drop, adding to its appeal.
Hopefully, this list has emboldened the reader to commit to this plan of attack for the next year. You do not have to be a Master Gardener to be able to enjoy a continual display of scent and color throughout 2026 and continuing beyond. Vegetable gardens may feed our bodies, but flowers feed the soul!