Courtesy Gregory Vinyard
Heavenly Hydrangeas
“When we visit the Oregon coast we always enjoy the abundance of hydrangeas in the front yards—especially the beautiful blue colored flowers,” says Gregory Vinyard.
Grow an Endless Summer hydrangea for weeks of blooms.
Courtesy Jennifer Sigmon
Pretty Peach Poppy
“We purchased our home because we loved the existing perennial gardens and fruit trees. Our first spring, we were not sure what would appear in our gardens. Of all the beautiful flowers that the previous owners lovingly tended for decades, these peach poppies are my absolute favorite. I like the way the light was hitting them on this early June day,” says Jennifer Sigmon.
Courtesy Wendy Spierling
Fancy Petals
“The beauty of this mum with spoon-shaped petals is stunning. I love plants of all kinds and enjoy photographing them, especially with the macro lens on my Canon EOS 70D camera,” says Wendy Spierling.
Discover 10 things you need to know about chrysanthemums.
Courtesy Thomas Wetmore
Tropical Flowers in the Rain
“A rainy day limited opportunities to capture outdoor photos, but this potted hibiscus was just outside our kitchen door. I positioned it so that I could use the darkened woods behind the house as the background to contrast the bright, luminous quality of the flowers. Shooting from just inside the doorway, I stayed dry and took my time capturing the beauty of the wet flowers in the soft natural light of the late afternoon rain shower,” says Thomas Wetmore.
Learn how to grow these beautiful flowers with our guide to hibiscus flower care.
Courtesy Joe Bob Hall
Blooming Berries
“Gorgeous in a natural setting, the blackberry plant provides fruit for many birds and animals, including raccoons, foxes and deer. I found this beautiful grouping at the Mineola Nature Preserve in Mineola, Texas, during one of my hikes there. The white flowers and green leaves against the totally black background is an amazing combination,” says Joe Bob Hall.
Courtesy Peggy Yaeger
Majestic Magnolia
“I traveled to the Lexington cemetery in Lexington, Kentucky, to see Japanese cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, I did not get a great cherry blossom shot, but this magnolia capture was definitely my best picture of the day,” says Peggy Yaeger.
Courtesy Sally Oberbeck
True Blue Blooms
“This blue poppy (Meconopsis) was in a conservatory at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, and it caught my eye because of the unusual color. I used my Canon 5D Mark III with a 24-105 mm lens and a high ISO because I was hand-holding it. I like the color, dark background and sharpness of the image,” says Sally Oberbeck.
Editor’s Note: This photo was a finalist in the 2022 Birds & Blooms Photo Contest. Submit your best images and videos on our Contests page.
Courtesy James Stone
Lovely Lotus Flower
“I took this photo of a lotus flower and nearby seedpods at Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens in Washington, D.C. This photograph has an interesting composition, brilliant colors, contrast between pink and green, and sharp detail in the beautiful bloom,” says James Stone.
Check out the top 10 flowers for harvesting seeds.
Courtesy Meagyn Scovel
A Perfect Peony
“May flowers sure are pretty. This gorgeous fernleaf peony just days away from opening up,” says Meagyn Scovel.
Don’t miss these pretty pictures of peonies in full bloom.
Courtesy Joe Bob Hall
Purple Passionflower
“I have been a photographer for decades, focusing my time on the beauty provided by beautiful flowers. I’ve grown to love the purple passionflower for its unique features. My love grew immensely when I discovered this vine growing in the flower garden adjacent to an antique shop. I was able to capture this mature bloom along with a bud soon to open,” says Joe Bob Hall. Check out the top 10 vines for hummingbirds.
Courtesy Leslie Howells
Water Lilies
“I saw these water lilies in San Fransisco, California, one summer. This shot shows some of the life stages of these beautiful flowers. This photo is now one of my very favorites,” says Leslie Howells. Check out the top 10 purple flowers to grow in your garden.
Courtesy Lance Bruce
Hydrangea Blossoms
“Last year, I was taking some test shots with a new lens on a Nikon D500 and happened to stumble across this scene—a hydrangea with a bee. I didn’t really think much of the shot at first, but during processing it came to life and now it’s one of my favorites. Watching nature at work is amazing,” says Lance Bruce.
Check out the breathtaking hydrangea types you need in your garden.
Courtesy Tim Smith
Moth Orchid
“I decided my portfolio needed a few photos of beautiful flowers. With such a pretty moth orchid in full bloom on my porch, the subject choice was easy. The plant was in a pot, so I moved it in front of some nice backyard greenery. This photo is special because the orchid was a gift for my wife. I was pleased with the results,” says Tim Smith.
Orchid care 101: your guide to growing orchids.
Courtesy Robert Blumenstock
Pretty Purple Foliage
“Persian Shield Plants have wonderful purple foliage that is quite striking. I’ve recently renewed my interest in nature and my passion for photography, which is how I learned about this plant. Aside from being outdoors more, I’m working in the backyard, growing my own wildlife-friendly habitat and pollinator garden, and contributing to various local arboretums and gardens as well as education programs,” says Robert Blumenstock.
Courtesy Tom Morack
Pink Poppies
“In late spring last year, a friend from a nearby town gave me this beautiful pink poppy. I placed a black poster board behind the flower and took this picture with a Nikon D750,” says Tom Morack.
Love pink flowering plants? Discover 10 shrubs with pink flowers.
Courtesy Stephanie Schick
Sunny Sunflowers
“Becoming what my friends call a birder, I now have feeders all over my yard. Sometimes unexpected plantings pop up after birds drop morsels under the feeders. This sunflower in the midst of roses was certainly a surprise. Even though it wasn’t supposed to be there, I could not bring myself to pull it. The center’s geometric patterns caught my attention and became my focus,” says Stephanie Schick.
Don’t forget about these other classic yellow flowers to grow.
Courtesy Richard Schnuerer
Beautiful Blanket Flowers
“This image of a blanket flower was taken at the Inniswood Metro Gardens in the city of Westerville, Ohio, where I’m always on the lookout for hummingbirds, as well as butterflies and other insects. The colors of this bloom really set it apart, and I had to take a lasting image. I hung this photo on my wall, and to this day I still enjoy looking at it,” says Richard Schnuerer.
We found 16 long-blooming flowers for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.
Courtesy Ted Belling
Indian Paintbrushes and Bluebonnets
“Driving on Highway 81 outside of Duncan, Oklahoma, my wife and I passed wildflowers growing in the median. I parked on the side of the highway, walked over to the median and got down on my knees to take pictures of the Indian paintbrushes and bluebonnets,” says Ted Belling.
Check out the best national parks for spring wildflowers.
Courtesy Spencer Fairbanks
Night-Blooming Giant Cactus
“Cactuses bloom here in Arizona each spring, but this night-blooming Argentine giant I saw in Fountain Hills is pretty rare. The great majority of this species’ blooms are white instead of pink. This particular bloom caught my eye one early morning as I was on my way to the store. The flowers stay open for about six hours before wilting in the late morning. I quickly went home to grab my Nikon D750 and 50 mm lens, and I got the shot I wanted!” says Spencer Fairbanks.
Marvel at the beauty of cactus blooms with these pictures of cactus flowers.
Courtesy Tami Shaughnessy
Pink Daylily (and Frog Friend!)
“I was pleasantly surprised to find this Pacific tree frog hanging out in my backyard daylily garden during the summer. This type of frog is frequently spotted in Washington state. I took this photo with my Pentax DSLR camera,” Tami Shaughnessy says.
Learn our best tips for growing daylilies.
Courtesy Nancy Rau
Dazzling Zinnia Bloom
“My first time ever planting zinnias from seed resulted in this beautiful bloom. I noticed the interesting folds on the petals, as well as the structure, aesthetic and color mixture in the center. It was a delight to capture a perfectly bold zinnia,” Nancy Rau says.
Courtesy Diane Hendler
Fancy Parrot Tulip
“As a longtime gardener from the Northeast, I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to have my beautiful spring garden when I moved to Arizona. While the spring weather is milder here than in the Northeast, it proved to have the temperatures that bulbs need. I filled my garden with various types of tulips. I’ve always loved parrot tulips in particular, and on one early morning, after a soft, light rain, this one looked too dreamy,” Diane Hendler says.
These pictures of tulips will make you dream of spring.
Courtesy Richard A. Schultz
Beautiful Dahlia Flowers
“Bumblebees were busy at work on these dahlia flowers flowers, making the photo even more beautiful. I took this in summer with a Canon EOS 7D Mark II and a Canon EF 400 mm super telephoto lens,” Richard A. Schultz says.
Grow these orange flowers to give your garden a juicy burst of color.
Courtesy Vianne Pendleton
Waterlily and Dragonfly at Sunset
“While on an evening stroll at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens on the Duke University campus, I captured this beautiful view of a waterlily with a dragonfly on it as the sun set,” Vianne Pendleton says.
Give your landscape a boost with the top new garden trends to try.
Courtesy Gretchen Fitzgerald-Teel
Goldenrod and Blue Copper Butterfly
“Beautiful shades of blue and gray adorn this dainty blue copper butterfly perched on some goldenrod in the foothills of Boise, Idaho. I shot this with a Canon PowerShot SX60 HS camera,” Gretchen Fitzgerald-Teel says.
These are the top butterfly host plants to attract pollinators.
