The month of May marks the true beginning of beautiful days, and with it comes the perfect opportunity to refresh your garden. However, be cautious—it’s essential to plant wisely! Before selecting your plants, ensure that all risk of frost has passed.

Ready to get started? Here is a selection of 11 flowers to plant in May for a vibrant garden this summer!

Perennial or annual flowers to adopt in May for your summer plantings

To make your garden bloom effortlessly, choose from these easy-to-grow varieties suited to the season.

1. Agapanthus: an elegant Mediterranean touch

The Agapanthus boasts large blue or white flowers, forming beautiful round umbels. This perennial is perfect for creating stunning flowering beds.

Blooming Period: June to August.

Helpful Tip: The Agapanthus is not fond of severe cold. If you live in an area with harsh winters, consider planting it in a pot. Bring it indoors when the temperature approaches -5°C.

2. Anemone for its delicate colors

This robust perennial comes in a variety of colors (blue, red, pink, or white). It will be your ally early in the season with its light petals.

Blooming Period: May to June.

Helpful Tip: Protect it from winter cold by covering its base with mulch.

3. Brachycome, the miniature daisy

Charming and delicate, these fine flowers resemble tiny daisies, perfect for dressing borders, window sills, or as ground cover.

Blooming Period: June to September.

Helpful Tip: Watch out for slugs that love their young shoots!

4. Caltha palustris: for humid gardens

This semi-aquatic flower, also known as “water buttercup,” thrives happily near ponds or in saturated soils.

Blooming Period: May to June.

Helpful Tip: Plant it near a pond or in very moist soil to see it thrive.

Annual flowers to easily sow in spring

Your garden would be incomplete without these colorful varieties that bloom abundantly.

  • nasturtium: blooms from late June until the frost, attracts ladybugs to protect your vegetable garden from aphids.
  • Chrysanthemum: an autumn flower to plant in spring to avoid thermal shock.
  • Purple coneflower: robust and hardy down to -15°C, its flowers last from July to autumn.
  • Marigold: grown as an annual, it repels aphids and pests in the vegetable garden, with generous blooms from spring to the first frost.
  • Annual lavatera: very easy to grow, but be cautious of its invasive nature if it self-seeds every year.

Two essentials for a colorful summer garden

10. Petunia: generous and easy to maintain

The petunia displays a profusion of colors throughout summer, from mauve to white, and vibrant red.

Blooming Period: July to October.

Helpful Tip: Regularly remove faded flowers to encourage new blooms.

11. Sunflower: spectacular symbol of the sun

The sunflower, a faithful companion of summer, adds height and cheer with its striking golden-yellow blooms that can reach up to 4 meters tall.

Blooming Period: July to October.

Helpful Tip: Plant it in full sun but sheltered from the wind! A simple support (stake) will help it achieve its full stature proudly.

Practical materials for your flower plantings in May

To combine flourishing gardening with environmental respect, here are some essentials:

  • A peat-free potting soil, preserving fragile natural habitats.
  • Compost made from your kitchen scraps or local restaurant waste.
  • A raised garden bed that is ideal for mixing flowers and vegetables.
  • A hand rake and trowel that are practical and easy to use.
  • A seed spreader for evenly distributing seeds and fertilizers.
  • A water collector as a valuable ally to save this vital resource.

Remember: gardening can be simple and eco-friendly!

And what flowers do you usually plant in May? Feel free to share your own tips! What results do you typically get with these varieties? Do you have a favorite among those presented in this article? Share your thoughts in the comments; we’d love to hear from you!