Best Flowers to Grow in New Hampshire
New Hampshire spans USDA Zones 3–6, typically Zone 5. We've broken out 523 flower varieties by zone — pick your zone below or find the right varieties for your specific part of the state.
Varieties
523
for New Hampshire
USDA
Zones 3–6
120–180 days season
Beginner
503
easy to grow
Heirloom
333
heritage varieties
New Hampshire in USDA Zones 3–6
New Hampshire spans Zones 3–6. Variety lists below are organized by zone — start with your zone for the most accurate recommendations.
Growing Flowers in New Hampshire
Zone 5 offers flower gardeners a sweet spot of opportunity and challenge. With temperatures that can dip to -20°F in winter but provide a generous 155-day growing season, you have enough time to grow spectacular blooms while needing varieties that can handle temperature swings and occasional late or early frosts. The key is choosing flowers that either thrive in cooler conditions or can bounce back from minor frost damage.
The best zone 5 flower varieties fall into three categories: hardy annuals that can tolerate light frost (like Sweet Alyssum Snow Princess and Pansy Cool Wave Mix), heat-loving annuals that make the most of your warm season (such as Zinnia State Fair Mix and Marigold African Orange Jubilee), and reliable perennials that return year after year (including Black-Eyed Susan, Coneflower Magnus, and Peony Sarah Bernhardt). These selections give you continuous color from early spring through hard frost while building a garden that becomes more beautiful each year.
Zone 5 Flowers for New Hampshire★ Most of NH
523 varieties · Last frost April 30 · 155-day season
Zone 4 Flowers for New Hampshire
523 varieties · Last frost May 10 · 135-day season
Zone 6 Flowers for New Hampshire
523 varieties · Last frost April 15 · 180-day season
Zone 3 Flowers for New Hampshire
523 varieties · Last frost May 15 · 120-day season
Zone 5 Growing Tips for New Hampshire
Start your zone 5 flower garden indoors 6-8 weeks before your average last frost date of April 30th – this means beginning seeds in mid-March for tender annuals like petunias, impatiens, and dahlias. Hardy annuals like Sweet Pea Royal Mix and snapdragons can be direct sown 2-3 weeks before the last frost date, while heat-lovers like zinnias, marigolds, and celosia should wait until soil temperatures reach 60°F, typically mid-May.
Your biggest challenges in zone 5 are unpredictable spring weather and short summers for heat-loving varieties. Combat late cold snaps by having row covers ready and choosing early-maturing varieties when possible. For tender perennials like dahlias, plan to lift and store tubers after the first frost, or treat them as annuals. Maximize your growing season by starting with transplants rather than seeds for long-season flowers like cosmos and sunflowers, and extend fall blooms by protecting cold-hardy flowers like pansies and sweet alyssum during light frosts.