10 Fast-Growing Flower Seeds You Should Try for Instant Color in Your Garden This Year

It’s no secret that gardening demands patience, particularly when growing plants from seeds. But if you want to add instant color to your landscape, certain plants are better choices than others.

These flowers germinate quickly and need minimal maintenance once established. You won’t have to wait all season for these beauties to bloom—most of these seeds go from seed to blossom in 60 days or less. 

Here are the 10 best fast-growing flower seeds for adding instant color to your garden.

Zinnias are known for being low-maintenance, fast-growing, warm-season annuals that thrive on neglect. They come in a range of punchy colors from hot pink to zesty orange to bright purple and everything in between.

Most zinnia varieties can go from seed to bloom in about six to eight weeks, with germination occurring just days after sowing. 

“I love adding zinnias to vegetable gardens because they actually act as a trap crop, luring pests away from my veggies while adding some color to the greenery,” says Nicole Johnsey Burke, CEO at Gardenary Inc.

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Calendula, also called pot marigold (although distinct from common marigold, Tagetes spp.), is a genus of annual and perennial plants in the daisy family. These herbaceous plants are known for their cheery yellow and orange flowers and prolific blooms. 

Garden experts agree that calendula is the undisputed champion of fast-growing flowers. Germination occurs just five to 10 days after planting, and blooms appear within six to eight weeks. 

These flowers make excellent additions to vegetable gardens since they attract pollinators and beneficial insects. They are also popular companions to similar sun-loving, low-maintenance plants like salvia, lavender, geranium, aster, and mums.

Sweet alyssum makes an excellent ground cover with its low-lying habit, spreading growth, and delicate flowers and foliage. Within 60 days of sowing, this herbaceous perennial is in bloom, showcasing small four-petaled flowers in white, purple, and pink hues. Alternatively, it can be used as a “spiller” in hanging baskets and planters 

Cosmos are classic cottage garden flowers that are wonderfully easy to grow from seed. Simply sow the seeds directly in the ground after your area’s last frost, and the plants will mature within 60 to 90 days. 

“These [are] prolific and will grow all summer into early fall!” Burke says. “I love surrounding my veggie gardens with these flowers to attract all the pollinators!”

The best part about these beautiful flowering annuals is that they often re-seed themselves in the garden, so you won’t need to replant them the following year.

Nasturtiums are a popular addition to vegetable gardens, thanks to their ability to repel pests naturally and attract pollinators and beneficial insects. You’ll often see them lining the shelves of nurseries and garden centers when it comes time to plant vegetables in the ground.

However, these cheery blooms can also be readily started from seed, taking just a week to germinate and anywhere from 70 to 80 days to flower.

Generally, phlox can take anywhere from 50 to 75 days from seed to bloom, with annual varieties (such as Phlox drummondii) growing faster than perennial varieties. It’s known for its showy flowers in shades of red, white, pink, and lavender and taller-than-average growth habit, reaching heights of six to 12 inches tall.

Sow the seeds directly in the garden after the last frost in your area, or start them indoors to ensure earlier blooms.

Violas, also known as pansies and violets, are small, cool-season annuals valued for their rapid growth, attractive blooms, and resilient nature. They are popular in containers, garden beds, rock gardens, and more. 

While violas are easy to find in nurseries and garden centers, they can also be easily grown from seed. The seeds germinate within one to two weeks and flower within 12 to 16 weeks.

Since these flowers are often among the first to bloom in the spring (even before the frost has passed in some areas), it’s generally best to start the seeds indoors.

Poppies, in general, are an excellent choice for quick blooms, but California poppies are undoubtedly the fastest growers. Janet Loughrey of Garden Design says other popular options include breadseed poppies and Shirley poppies. 

California poppies can be sowed directly in the garden after the threat of frost has passed and will reach maturity within 60 days. Like cosmos, poppies are known for successfully re-seeding in the garden, so if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to enjoy these gorgeous flowers for years to come, with no replanting required.

Morning glory is a flowering vine known for its fast and prolific growth. Sporting cool-hued blooms in shades of blue, purple, and pink, morning glories can go from seed to bloom in about 60 to 90 days, depending on the variety. While they can be directly sown in the garden after the last frost, you can also start morning glory seeds indoors to ensure earlier blooms.  

Not all sunflowers are known for being fast-growing, but a few varieties will bloom before the end of the summer. These include ProCut Red, Ruby Eclipse, Choco Sun, and Claret. These prolific varieties germinate within a week or two and bloom within 60 days.