Colorful, Easy-Care Anemones

Also called windflowers, anemones are perennials that bloom in spring or fall, depending on the variety. Look for these nearly carefree members of the buttercup family in many colors.

By: Lynn Coulter

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Photo By: Courtesy of Longfield Gardens

Photo By: Courtesy of Easy To Grow Bulbs

Photo By: Image courtesy of Longfield Gardens

Photo By: Courtesy of Longfield Gardens

Photo By: Image courtesy of Felicia Feaster

Anemone

Mona Lisa 'Wine White' Bicolor anemone from PanAmerican Seed.

Anemone blanda 'White Splendour'

Happy in sun or shade, 'White Splendour' anemones naturalize over time and are stand-outs when planted alongside other spring bulbs or underneath taller shrubs. The daisy-like blooms open in mid-spring and are as white as frost.

Anemone coronaria 'Monarch de Caen'

A mix of vibrant shades, including violet-blue, red, white and pink, 'Monarch de Caen' anemones grow 8 to 10 inches tall. The poppy-like flowers often attract bees.

Anemone blanda 'Blue Shades'

Blue is a hard color to find in the garden, but this mix of purple-blue, daisy-like flowers makes a bright groundcover when planted in masses. These spring-bloomers grow best in light soil that stays somewhat dry while they're dormant in summer.

Anemone De Caen 'Black Eyed Beauty'

This stunning anemone, 'Black-Eyed Beauty', has two layers of white petals around a silver-blue center. Try it in containers or in a cutting garden; the flowers last a long time in vases.

Anemone St. Brigid 'The Governor'

With its scarlet petals and black center surrounded by a white halo, 'The Governor' may remind you of a red poppy. Hardy in zones 7 to 10, this anemone is a pretty companion for daffodils, tulips and other spring flowers.

Anemone St. Bridgid 'Mt. Everest'

White petals are stacked up on this handsome anemone like drifts of snow. 'Mt. Everest' is especially eye-catching when planted in light shade or an all-white bed or border. This variety grows nicely in containers and attracts butterflies.

Anemone 'Pink Star'

Deer tend to leave Anemone blanda 'Pink Star' alone, plus gardeners love the rose-pink flowers that bloom for weeks. Grow the plants in sun or light shade; they naturalize easily.

Anemone 'Wild Swan'

'Wild Swan' hybrid anemones are spectacular in woodland settings, where their white petals, which have a blue-violet reverse, are especially eye-catching. This variety won the Royal Horticultural Society's 2011 Chelsea Plant of the Year Award.

Japanese anemone 'Margarete'

Plant fall-blooming, semi-doubled 'Margarete' in partial shade; it can tolerate sun if it's kept adequately watered. The pink flowers are carried atop 28- to 32-inch stems.

Chinese anemone 'September Charm'

'September Charm' (Anemone hupehensis) is hardy in zones 4 to 8. Its silvery-pink blooms are good for cutting. The plants take full sun to part shade. As its name suggests, it flowers in fall.