Unique Flowers to Grow in Ohio

Flowers can communicate many things. Roses are classy and romantic, sunflowers are warm and inviting, and daisies are fresh and symbolize new beginnings. Whatever your favorite flower may be, flowers are wonderful additions to bring personality and aesthetic appeal to your garden, and, in addition to classic flowers, there are unique flowers you can grow in your garden.

At Timbuk Farms in Granville, Ohio, we love flowers and have a wide selection of the healthiest annual and perennial flowers. Here are some reasons why you should grow flowers in your central Ohio garden and some unique flowers for you to grow.

Why You Should Grow Flowers in Your Garden

If you consider yourself a practical gardener, you might wonder what the pros are for reserving valuable garden space for flowers. For one, flowers attract pollinators, which help your other plants thrive and support the local ecosystem. So, if you have a vegetable garden, then you NEED flowers; and if you’re struggling with fruit and vegetable production, add some flowers to your landscape and watch your fruit trees and vegetables become more productive.

Also, planting flowers can add another layer of passion into your gardening practice by giving you the freedom to play with color, season, and theme. Pros and cons aside, who doesn’t love a pop of color? 

If we’ve inspired you to shake things up a bit, stay with us and brainstorm a while! Here’s a few of our favorite, unique flowers to bring flare and fun to your garden. 

Lisianthus

Lisianthus are versatile flowers with draped, colorful petals that stay in the sunset range of purple, pink, yellow, white, red, and orange. If you’d like to bring a bit of softness to your garden without compromising bold color, lisianthus are the way to go! 

In Ohio, lisanthus are grown as annual flowers. This is because Ohio’s growing zone is between 5b and 6b, meaning the lowest winter temperatures become too cold for these typically perennial plants to come back the following year. 

You can grow your lisianthus flowers from seed or as nursery plants. Because of Ohio’s growing zone, if you plan to start them from seeds, you’ll want to germinate your seeds indoors starting late fall. Scatter seeds in a moistened seed starter and keep your trays covered in warm areas between 70°F and 75°F for best results. 

If you’d prefer to get your plants from a nursery (such as Timbuk Farms!), transplant your lisianthus in areas with full sun and well-draining, organic soil such as compost. Water your lisianthus with 1 inch of water per week so your soil remains moist without overwatering.

Doubled Ruffled Pansies 

Double ruffled pansies are a great choice to bring texture and class into your garden. Each flower has multiple layers of silky smooth petals that come in rich purples, delicate pinks, porcelain white, and much more. We could gush about these flowers all day long, and we did! Check out our post on why double ruffled pansies are the perfect choice for Ohio gardeners.

Double ruffled pansies are annual flowers with extended blooms throughout spring, summer, and fall. While these plants are quite sturdy, they need good support to remain strong and healthy. You’ll want to ensure your soil is rich yet slightly acidic (between 6.0-6.2 pH) while regularly amending your soil to meet their nutritional needs. 

Royal Catchfly

If ornamental, dainty flowers aren’t your thing and instead you want a modest pop of color, then royal catchfly is a great choice. These native Ohio plants are foliage dense with minimal, yet marvelous, red flowers. Royal catchfly is also a favorite of important pollinators, such as hummingbirds, which makes them a practical and distinguished flower choice.

Royal catchfly is a perennial herb that can grow between 2 and 3 feet. Because of this, make sure your plants are evenly spaced and with sufficient drainage to prevent fungal buildup. Additionally, keep an eye on your catchfly’s water levels, as these plants suffer from yellowing and leaf loss without enough moisture. 

Ornamental Onion

Ditch the picture of the stinky, tear-jerking bulbs you’re thinking of! Ornamental onion is an odorless and stunning plant that blooms into colorful orbs similar to dandelion fuzz. With a unique color palette of purples to misty blues, ornamental onion will add some intrigue and whimsy to your garden space. 

Ornamental onions are hardy perennials that bloom throughout the spring and summer in central Ohio. Give them full sun to partial shade for these plants to thrive. Also, give them nutrient-dense soil that is regularly amended with organic matter to encourage growth. This is especially important in the summer after the flowers fade so that your blooms will return.

Celosia

Celosias are a fantastic and practical choice for our Ohio climate. Plus, they add vertical intrigue and textural diversity to your garden. Celosia is an annual plant that can easily withstand our Ohio summers (in fact, they’re one of our favorite summer flowers!) while aiding in the growth of your garden by attracting butterflies to your yard. Their wispy, eclectic floral pattern is unlike many other flowers and they have standout gemstone shades. 

Celosia is a great choice for those with limited experience planting flowers, because it is adaptable to many different soil types and easy to grow. Give celosia well-draining, moist soils. Although, once established, celosia is drought-tolerant and heat-tolerant. For the longest blooming season, plant this annual flower in late spring or early summer in central Ohio.

Come experience two different types of celosia (including the one pictured here and the type featured at the beginning of this post) at our summer and fall flower festival at Caroline’s Flower Fields! You can truly experience a rainbow-colored field of flowers and see just how unique celosia flowers truly are.

Visit Timbuk Farms for Unique Flowers!

Come visit Timbuk Farms for unique flowers and add a splash of color to your garden! If the double ruffled pansy caught your eye or you’d like to broaden your selection, we can help you get the best nursery-started plants in the state with all the tools you need to keep your garden thriving. Now is the perfect time to join us as we are bursting at the seams with our best flowers for our Ohio flower festival at Caroline’s Flower Fields. We hope to see you there!