Garden Flower Gardens 13 Flowering Plants That Produce Big, Show-Stopping Blooms These flowers will bring all the drama to your landscape or patio. By Ann Hinga Klein Ann Hinga Klein Ann Hinga Klein covers breaking news for The New York Times and writes about people and the environment for a variety of national publications. In her more than 40 years of reporting, she has never met a topic she could not cover. She is currently focusing on the urgent issues of environment and soil health. Editorial Guidelines and Madeline Buiano Madeline Buiano Madeline Buiano is an editor at MarthaStewart.com, sharing her knowledge on a range of topics—from gardening and cleaning to home. Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 7, 2025 Close Photo: Jena Ardell / GETTY IMAGES Incorporating focal points in your garden creates visual order by telling the eye where to look first. One of the easiest and most effective ways to do this is by growing flowering plants that are so big, colorful, or surprising that it's impossible to ignore them. As you design your garden, experts say to consider adding these flowering plants with dramatic blooms to your space. Dave Whitinger, executive director of the National Gardening Association Dawn Fradkin, a horticulturist with Colorado State University Extension in Arapahoe County 18 Low-Maintenance Flowers to Plant in Your Garden 01 of 13 Angel's Trumpets ntdanai / GETTY IMAGES Grown as a woody shrub or tree, angel's trumpet (Brugmansia) can thrive outdoors in warm climates and in containers in cold ones, says Dave Whitinger, the executive director of the National Gardening Association. Its cone-shaped flowers (which grow up to 24 inches long, depending on the cultivar) dangle downward like trumpets from the heavens. Enthusiasts buy and sell cuttings online, but know that it's toxic to humans and animals. Zones: 9 to 11 (and as an annual in colder regions)Size: 6 to 35 feet tall x 3 to 10 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun (with afternoon shade in very hot regions); moist, well-draining soil 02 of 13 Panicle Hydrangea Getty Images Just about any hydrangea variety will add drama to your yard, but there's something special about panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata). This flowering plant grows massive cone-shaped flowers that bloom on new wood and put on quite the color show. Flower heads emerge as white or green in mid-summer, fading to gentle pink or red as the season draws to a close. Zones: 3 to 9Size: up to 10 feet tall x 10 feet wideCare requirements: Full sun or partial shade; well-draining soil How to Grow and Care for Hydrangeas 03 of 13 Balloon Flower Katrin Ray Shumakov / GETTY IMAGES Buds on this perennial inflate like living balloons, opening into large bell-shaped flowers from early spring through late summer. In addition to the cool periwinkle hue of the popular 'Astra Blue' variety, balloon flower (Platycodon grandifloras) also comes in pink and white. Zones: 4 to 9Size: 8 to 24 inches tall x 8 to 18 inches wideCare requirements: Full to partial sun; rich, loamy, well-draining soil 04 of 13 Dahlia Jacky Parker Photography / GETTY IMAGES Dahlias (Dahlia spp.) produce massive flowers that bloom from mid- to late summer. They're striking in cut arrangements where they can survive for nearly a week. Bloom colors range from tangerine and bright purple to the prettiest pale pinks and yellows. Want even more drama? Dinner plate dahlias have enormous blooms that can measure 10 inches across. Zones: 8 to 10Size: 12 to 36 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wideCare requirements: Full to partial sun (with afternoon shade in very hot regions); fertile, moist, well-draining soil How to Plant and Care for Dahlias 05 of 13 Daylily minzar / GETTY IMAGES Decades of dedicated breeding have produced nearly 100,000 different varieties of daylily (Hemerocallis). Newer selections with 44 chromosomes—twice the normal number—have bigger flowers and darker green leaves, so you get a much bolder statement in the garden, says Whitinger. 'Strawberry Candy' is one of his favorite varieties thanks to its beautiful yellow-and-pink blooms. Zones: 3 to 10Size: 6 to 60 inches tall x 12 to 48 inches wideCare requirements: Full to partial sun; rich, well-draining soil 06 of 13 Globe Thistle Jennifer Sanerkin / GETTY IMAGES Globe thistle (Echinops) produces ball-shaped, bluish-purple blossoms that add a playful touch to the garden. Their height and whimsical nature make them look as though they're dancing above everything else, Whitinger says. These tough little blooms hold their own in arrangements, too. Zones: 3 to 10Size: 12 to 36 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil 07 of 13 Ornamental Tobacco Tom Meaker / GETTY IMAGES Also known as woodland tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris), this unique flowering plant has a floral scent that is reminiscent of jasmine. Southern gardeners love its pendant clusters of trumpet-shaped white flowers, which resemble shooting stars and bloom from early through mid-fall. Zones: 10 to 11Size: 36 to 60 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun to partial shade; rich, moist, well-draining soil 08 of 13 Red Feathers boggy22 / GETTY IMAGES A wildflower that thrives even in dry conditions, red feathers (Echium amoenum) have fringed 12- to 15-inch flower spikes in a beautiful raspberry-crimson color, Fradkin says. Pinch off spent blossoms to keep them blooming, but wait until late in the growing season to do so to encourage reseeding. Zones: 3 to 9Size: 12 to 16 inches tall x 6 to 10 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun to partial shade; evenly moist to dry, well-draining, sandy loam soil 09 of 13 Red Yucca Timothy Hearsum / GETTY IMAGES Red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora), also known as hummingbird yucca, is a member of the agave Americana family. Its bright red tubular flowers keep on blooming even in summer's hottest months, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies to the garden. Zones: 5 to 10Size: 36 to 60 inches tall x 48 to 72 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; dry, sandy soil with excellent drainage 10 of 13 Texas Bluebonnet George Rose / GETTY IMAGES Plant this fragrant, winter-hardy annual en masse for a dramatic swath through your garden. It reseeds vigorously, so you can look forward to new blooms every spring. If you're in search of cool hues, check out the 'Lady Bird Johnson Royal Blue' variety, a violet-blue overachiever named after the former first lady who advocated for the spread of wildflowers along Texas roadways. Zones: 4 to 8Size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; dry, fast-draining soil 11 of 13 True Lily Ludmila Kapustkina / GETTY IMAGES Part of the genus Lilium, true lilies produce striking flowers in a vast range of colors. Their long vase life and dramatic blooms—think bright spots, ruffled petals, and elegant curves—have made them some of the most popular cut flowers in the world. Zones: 4 to 8Size: 12 to 36 inches tall x 1 to 12 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun or partial shade; well-draining soil How to Grow and Care for Lilies 12 of 13 Hibiscus magicflute002 / Getty Images This tropical plant is known for its big, colorful statement blooms. For an especially eye-catching variety, consider growing 'Disco Belle' hibiscus in your garden. It produces big blooms with stunning red eyes from July to September. "The flowers are humongous," says Dawn Fradkin, a horticulturist with Colorado State University Extension. "They're just striking for our area and our environment," she says. Zones: 4 to 9Size: 24 to 30 inches tall 18 to 24 inches wideCare requirements: Full sun; rich, moist soil 13 of 13 Ornamental Onion kongxinzhu / GETTY IMAGES One of Martha's favorite perennials, ornamental onion (Allium) boasts whimsical purple blooms that add color and texture to the garden. On Martha's farm in Bedford, New York she grows hundreds of alliums of all sizes. For a particularly impressive variety, try Allium gigateum, which grows up 3- to 5-feet tall. Zones: 4 to 10Size: Depends on variety Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-draining soil Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit