2 min read
When planning a garden, your first instinct might be to lean into color, from peachy pinks to rich jewel tones to sunny yellows. But there’s one bloom hue that’s a workhorse in any garden—and you’re probably overlooking it: green flowers.
Yes, you likely already have plenty of green in your garden’s leaves. But if it’s not also showing up in your flower petals, you’re missing out. Green flowers go with everything without cluttering your garden’s palette. They can blend into the background, helping brighter blooms stand out. At the same time, the sheer variety of bloom forms and shades—from barely-there pale green to vibrant lime—offers endless ways to add texture and nuance.
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, we’re spotlighting some of the prettiest green flowers you can grow in your garden. Many of them you’ll recognize, though you may not have considered growing them in green before. Bonus: they won’t just add beauty to your garden—they’ll bring elegance and sophistication to any DIY bouquet, too.
Zinnia
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Zinnias are among the easiest flowers to grow from seed and are excellent for a cutting garden to supply your home with fresh flowers all summer. The more you cut, the more blooms they’ll produce! They come in a dizzying array of colors, including green. This lovely pale green beauty is Zinnia ‘Green Envy.’ Type of plant: annual.
Bells of Ireland
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Multiple cup-shaped blooms with a papery texture grow on a single stalk. They provide height to flower arrangements and work in both fresh or dried bouquets. Type of plant: annual.
Chrysanthemum
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Stars of the autumn garden, mums come in all the usual fall colors such as pumpkin orange, bright red, and yellow, but the lime green types are especially fun in beds and arrangements. Enjoy them as a potted annual on your porch or, if you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, grow them as perennials in your garden. Type of plant: Perennial, often grown as an annual.
Cockscomb
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With a shape reminiscent of ocean coral, a little green cockscomb goes a long way. These uniquely-shaped blooms bring boldness to a garden or flower arrangement, and they’re easy to grow. Type of plant: Annual, though may be perennial in USDA zones 10 and 11.
Hellebore
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These exquisite flowers, also known as Lenten roses, bloom in late winter to early spring. Hellebores are tough plants that withstand extreme cold. Aside from some easy annual maintenance, they’ll be a fuss-free addition to your garden. Type of plant: perennial.
Tulip
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Tulips come in every shade, but pale green varieties add an unexpected hue to springtime gardens. The variety ‘Spring Green’, which features feathery bright green stripes on ivory petals, is particularly striking. Plant the bulbs in fall for spring flowers. Type of plant: annual.
Hydrangea
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Is there anything dreamier than a full hedge of blooming hydrangea shrubs? Their gorgeous flowers last for weeks and come in every shade from white to pale pink to lime green. They’re also lovely in dried arrangements.
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