15 Self-Seeding Flowers That Will Effortlessly Cover Your Backyard

To flower aficionados, not much sounds better than a backyard full of vibrant colors and blooms of all shapes and sizes. To those of us with thumbs in a slightly paler shade of green, it may still sound appealing, but also like a heck of a lot of work. That's where the beauty of self-seeders (or self-sowers) comes in. These plants will not only save you time and money by replanting themselves each year, but they also tend to come back stronger and more pest-resistant (via HGTV).

However, note the practice of deadheading in the garden to extend a plant's flowering season will interfere with its ability to self-seed. Blooming Backyard goes so far as to recommend deadheading in the event you want to prevent self-seeding. Another thing to consider is that, on occasion, prolific growers get categorized as weeds or invasive species. While these flowers will cover your backyard rather effortlessly, it could take quite a bit of resolve on your part if you changed your mind and wanted to get rid of them. Of course, it's always worth doing a little research to ensure the varieties you pick out are native to the region.

All that said, don't let a mild warning hold you back from letting your backyard grow wild with color and delight. Without further adieu, here are 15 flowers guaranteed to put a smile on your face every time you step outside.

Borage flowers (Borago officinalis) look like periwinkle blue starbursts. They tend to make quality companion plants because they attract beneficial pollinators while simultaneously repelling pests, according to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department at the University of California. Borage is unfussy and will do just fine in nutrient-deficient soil. Plant it once and it will continue to self-seed year after year.

Bloom Season: Spring, summer, and fall

USDA Growing Zone: 2 to 11

Growing Conditions: Full sunlight

Soil Type: Tolerant of ranges

Size: Up to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide

The delightfully bright and cheerful golden poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is the state flower of California. Per Calscape, poppy seed pods are designed by nature to burst themselves open. They'll take care of their own reseeding needs, but you can also collect seeds and spread them to areas where you'd like to see more of these golden delights. Rabbits enjoy munching on poppies, but they are deer-resistant.

Bloom Season: Spring, summer, fall, and winter

USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 10

Growing Conditions: Full sunlight

Soil Type: Sandy, infertile, well-draining

Size: Up to 2 feet tall and wide

For a backyard covered in colorful petals, you can't go wrong with cosmos flowers (Cosmos spp.). These delicate blossoms come in a wide variety of colors, and HGTV notes that, aside from the chocolate cosmos, they all have yellow centers.

Bloom Season: Spring, summer, and fall

USDA Growing Zone: 2 to 11

Growing Conditions: Full sunlight, but they appreciate partial shade in excessive heat (via American Meadows)

Soil Type: Dry and arid

Size: Most popular plants are dwarf varieties, but some can reach up to 5 feet tall

Globe amaranth plants, known botanically as Gomphrena globosa, form in brightly colored clusters that will dazzle your yard with pink, red, or purple lollipops. You may even score a plant with orange-colored blossoms. According to Britannica, globe amaranth can be trusted to attract butterflies to your garden, as it blooms abundantly throughout the entire season.

Bloom Season: Summer and fall

USDA Growing Zone: 2 to 11

Growing Conditions: Full sunlight

Soil Type: Prefers moist soil, but can adapt to drier conditions over time

Size: 6 to 20 inches tall depending on the variety

Delicate and wispy with an old-timey vibe, love-in-a-mist flowers (Nigella damascena) have thin green bracts (a.k.a. the mist) surrounding each blossom. The University of Madison-Wisconsin recommends planting them alongside strawflowers, bachelor buttons, and the aforementioned globe amaranth. Your flowers will most likely pop out of the ground in shades of blue, but you may see some whites, pinks, and lavenders in there, too.

Bloom Season: Spring and summer

USDA Growing Zone: 2 to 11

Growing Conditions: Full sunlight

Soil Type: Fertile and well-draining

Size: 15 to 24 inches high

Morning glories (Ipomoea spp.) are proficient growers than can self-seed and cover a 10-foot arbor in a single season, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. The site also points out the importance of choosing annual varieties over perennials, which are actually aggressive weeds. Morning glories are creeper vines that will quickly dot an entire lawn with fragrant pops of pink and purple.

Bloom Season: Summer and fall

USDA Growing Zone: 9 to 11

Growing Conditions: Full sunlight

Soil Type: Moderately fertile, well-draining

Size: 6 to 10 feet tall

There are different varieties of verbena, but Proven Winners says to go with the purpletop verbena (Verbena bonariensis) for the best option regarding self-seeding. There are plenty of interesting things to know before planting verbena, including the fact that it's a favorite among monarch butterflies. Purpletop verbenas will also attract bees and hummingbirds to your yard.

Bloom Season: Summer and fall

USDA Growing Zone: 7 to 11

Growing Conditions: Full sunlight

Soil Type: Fertile and well-draining

Size: 3 to 6 feet tall and 1 to 3 feet wide