10 Flowers That Beginner Gardeners Can Easily Grow From Seed

If you're just starting your gardening journey, you might want to know if there are any colorful flowers that you can easily grow from seed. Luckily, there are plenty of gorgeous options for you to choose from. You can grow these directly in your sunny garden beds or select some lovely pots, fill them with seed-raising soil mix, and sow your seeds in them. Terracotta pots and hanging planters are ideal but any pot will work. Just remember that when you grow in pots, you'll have to pay particular attention to keeping them watered. The soil in pots dries out fairly quickly and may need watering daily in summer.

One of the easiest ways to sow flower seeds in garden beds is to scatter them evenly over the soil and cover them lightly with some additional soil. Just don't bury them too deep. As a general guide, seeds should only be buried twice their width. You can use a large sieve filled with potting soil to shake over the seeds that you've just scattered. This will ensure a nice, light coverage. Alternatively, you can just use a small trowel to make a shallow trench in the soil and scatter your seeds into this. Then just cover the seeds with the soil again. Remember to water after you've planted the seeds. Here are some easy flower varieties to get you started.

Marigolds are delightful flowers that you can easily grow from seed. They may take up to two months to flower, so you can start the seeds indoors as early as March according to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension. Sow them in small pots and then transplant them into the garden once all danger of frost has passed. Or you can wait and sow the seeds into the garden after the last frost date. You'll find that some varieties, like French marigolds, will attract butterflies. Plus there are many other benefits to planting marigolds in your garden.

Zinnias are available in a whole range of different colors from yellow to red and everything in between. They also make excellent cut flowers. These bright flowers are easy to grow from seed and if you cut the flowers or deadhead them after the flowers are spent, you'll get plenty of new blooms right through the season. The seeds can be sown in the garden after the danger of frost has passed. Plus you can also create an amazing display by planting these in a large pot on your patio.

English daisies have delightful pompom flowers that will add a little whimsy to your garden. They're easy to grow from seed in spring after the last frost date. They'll also bloom right through the summer and into the fall. You can cut the flowers and display them in a pretty vase in your home. You'll also find that they'll attract beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies. Plus they're available in a range of gorgeous colors. Aside from English daisies, there are other types of daisies that will look perfect in your flower garden.

Dianthus look a little like miniature carnations with their pretty frilled flower petals. They are very easy to grow and require virtually no maintenance except some watering during dry spells. They also benefit from deadheading the spent flowers as this will encourage more blooming right through the warmer months. These dainty flowers are also available in a whole range of different colors to brighten up your garden. You can grow them in any sunny spot and they make a vibrant low-growing border around your garden beds. They'll bloom from spring right through to mid-fall. 

For flowers that bloom from spring and right through the fall, you can't go past the colorful snapdragons. These intriguing flowers come in a wide range of colors and can be grown as annuals in cooler areas through the warmer months. But in zones 5 through 10, they can even be grown as perennials. They do need regular watering but are virtually maintenance-free. Depending on the variety, these can reach a height of 6 to 15 inches. They will also attract butterflies to your garden with their nectar-filled blooms.