Flowering Annuals

• Annuals are known for their ability to bloom quickly and repeatedly through their short lifespan. They are defined by the fact that they go from seed to seed in one season--that is, they must be replanted each year. Some annuals (such as pansies) prefer cooler weather and will flower profusely during the spring and fall, but not when it's hot. Other annuals, like the snapdragon, benefit from being deadheaded--having its dead blooms cut off--so it can grow more flowers. Fast-blooming annuals include pansies, marigolds, impatiens, poppies, sweet peas and forget-me-nots.
  
  

Flowering Perennials

• Perennials are plants that flower each year after being established in the garden. As with annuals, perennials bloom in the spring, summer or fall. Deadheading a perennial will help it to produce more blooms through its cycle. If planted from seed, most perennials require at least one full season before producing blooms. There are of course exceptions to that rule. The black-eyed Susan, rose campion, gaura, blanket flower and most lily varieties can flower in one season, even when planted from seed.
  
  

Flowering Vines

• Flowering vines can be annuals or perennials, and many of them produce a profusion of blooms quickly. If a vine is planted from seed, it will naturally take longer to flower. Most nurseries sell established vine plants in one-gallon pots. Morning glories are fast-blooming vines, although some gardeners consider them to be weeds because they grow quickly and sometimes choke out other plants. Different vines thrive in different climates, but some of the fastest blooming flowering vines are honeysuckle, wisteria (in warmer climates), clematis (once established), bittersweet (which actually produces tiny, orange fruit that is bitter, and often used in flower arranging), hyacinth bean and coral vine.
  
  

Flowering Shrubs

• Flowering shrubs take a bit longer to establish themselves than do smaller garden plants, given their size. However, a potted shrub or bush can be planted and bloom within a single season. There are endless varieties of flowering shrubs, depending on the climate zone, but some varieties possess a certain hardiness for most climates, and tend to bloom early and long. Hydrangeas are a good example of this. Of course, the milder the climate the longer the hydrangea flower will last. Other fast-blooming shrubs include lilac bushes, rose of Sharon bushes, rhododendrons, azalea bushes and viburnum bushes.
  
  

Flowering Trees

• As with flowering shrubs, once somewhat established, there are many flowering trees that will bloom early in the season. Certain trees also reach a stage of establishment more quickly and therefore bloom faster than other trees. Almost all flowering trees are springtime bloomers. In milder climate zones, these trees hold their blooms into mid-summer. In hotter areas, these trees drop their flowers as the heat settles in. Some fast growers/bloomers are cherry trees, flowering dogwoods, Bradford pears, magnolias, mimosas, royal empress trees and crabapples.