13 Old Fashioned Flowers: Classics That Never Go Out of Style

These old fashioned flowers, the kind your grandmother grew, have been around for ages and still look fabulous and grow well today.

Classic garden flowers that have been growing in gardens over the centuries are some of the best. Many have been hybridized to produce better or visually different looking results but they all are great in my book.

In today's list, with the exception of one, I have grown all of these charming cottage garden flowers at one time or another. Many I still grow today.

Old Fashioned Flowers to Grow

Here they are. I've listed 13 in all. The list includes perennials, annuals, shrubs, and one climbing vine. In a few cases, I have included the variety if known. However, as you probably know, many have been shared and handed down so there is no specific variety to note.

I have included the basic growing conditions for your reference and any fun anecdotal information for your reading pleasure.

1. Bearded Iris

The common bearded iris is one that was grown in my grandmother's yard. This pretty lavender variety is one of the most common ones you'll see in old cemeteries and places where it grows well year after year. However, these days there are many, many, hybrids to choose from including some that bloom twice (reblooming) in the season.

• scientific name: Iris germanica
• plant type: perennial
• zones: 3 - 9
• sun needs: full sun
• height and width: - 2' to 3' by 1' to 2'
• bloom time: late spring through early summer
• important features: great cut flowers, drought and deer-resistant

2. Bleeding Heart

Bleeding heart has the sweetest heart-shaped flowers in the springtime. It's a good one for an area that's on the shady side. Don't worry if you notice that it's gone in the summer. You didn't kill it. Many die back early but it should return early next spring.

• scientific name: Dicentra spectabilis
• plant type: perennial
• zones: 3 - 9
• sun needs: partial shade
• height and width: - 2' to 3' by 1' to 3'
• bloom time: late spring through early summer
• important features: drought and deer-resistant, attracts bees and butterflies

3. Columbine - 'Nora Barlow'

Columbine is a short-lived perennial but also a good reseeder. This means you will usually have plants every year for a long time. The variety above is a sweet double flower called Nora Barlow, however, there are many other types in lots of colors to choose from.

4. Daylily

Daylilies have been hybridized for years. Native to Asia brought over from Europe by the early 1800s and naturalized here. The common 'ditch lily' (the tall orange ones) can be found all over the countryside during the summer. The one shown above was bought at an out-of-the-way daylily farm with a hand-written description of 'pink ruffled.'

5. Forget-Me-Nots

This sweet little plant with the most beautiful shade of blue flowers was given to me by seed from my friend Lisa. Yes, it is considered a weed to some, and it can be invasive. However, it has great vintage charm and I don't think you can find that shade of blue in any other flower.

• scientific name: Myosotis sylvatica
• plant type: perennial
• zones: 3 - 8
• sun needs: full sun - partial shade
• height and width: - 6" to 1' by 6" to 1'
• bloom time: spring - early summer
• important features: deer and rabbit resistant, attracts bees and other pollinators.

6. Foxglove

Foxglove is a gorgeous old plant that also self-seeds. You may think it's a perennial but it is actually a biennial with the first year only producing a rosette of leaves and the second year it will flower. However, they also self-seed so you may have them showing up and flowering all the time.

Folklore states the name comes from the idea that foxes wear the bell-shaped flowers on their paws as gloves so that they can sneak up on their prey. Beware: foxglove is poisonous so keep small children and pets away.

• scientific name: Digitalis purpurea
• plant type: biennial
• zones: 5 - 9
• sun needs: full sun - partial shade
• height and width: - 2' to 5' by 1' to 2'
• bloom time: summer
• important features: great cut flower, deer and rabbit resistant, attracts hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators.

7. Big Leaf Hydrangea

The coveted blue flowering hydrangea. I have lots of trouble getting them to bloom for me. This is because the "big leaf" varieties with the gorgeous blue and pink flowers bloom on "old wood." meaning stems from the previous season. Since we often get cold snaps through April my flower buds often die. However, the newer varieties that bloom on new wood such as 'Endless Summer' (shown above) bloom pretty well. I just have to wait until late summer to get blooms.

• scientific name: Hydrangea macrophylla
• plant type: shrub (woody perennial)
• zones: 4 - 9
• sun needs: partial shade
• height and width: - 3' to 6' by 3' to 6'
• bloom time: summer through early fall
• important features: great cut flower, attracts pollinators

8. Lily of the Valley

Every year when I see the delicate fragrant lily of the valley flowers I am reminded of the old Girl Scout song:

White Coral Bells along a Slender Stalk, Lillie of the Valley deck my garden walk. Oh, don’t you wish that you could hear them ring? That will only happen when the Fairies sing.

The fragrance is so lovely. Perfect for a little vase on the bathroom sink or a bedroom nightstand.

• scientific name: Convallaria majalis
• plant type: perennial
• zones: 2 - 7
• sun needs: partial sun - shade
• height and width: - 6" to 10" by 6" to 1'
• bloom time: spring
• important features: fragrant cut flower, drought, deer, and rabbit tolerant

9. Garden Peony

Another one from my grandmother's garden. Where I live you can see these pink and sometimes white garden peonies everywhere in the late spring and early summer. One of my favorite flowers, I have managed to grow a few other types of peonies including doubles, single, and Itoh varieties. Too bad they only bloom for a short time.

However, did you know that you can cut peonies before they fully open, Wrap them in plastic and place them in the refrigerator to save them for a week or more for flower arrangements.

• scientific name: Paeonia lactiflora
• plant type: perennial
• zones: 3 - 8
• sun needs: full sun to part shade
• height and width: - 2.5' to 3' by 2.5' to 3'
• bloom time: May - early June
• important features: Great cut flower, attracts birds and butterflies, deer and rabbit resistant.

10. Primrose

These lovely primroses came to me from my friend Mary's father's garden. I've tried to grow different primroses over the years but these beauties are the only ones that come back faithfully year after year.

• scientific name: Primula polyanthus
• plant type: perennial
• zones: 5 - 7
• sun needs: partial shade
• height and width: - 6" to 8" by 6" to 10"
• bloom time: May
• important features: deer and rabbit resistance.

11. Heirloom Roses

My grandmother also grew a lovely damask rose bush with the most wonderful scent. I wasn't able to bring this one with me to another home but it's worth mentioning. These are the types of roses used to make rose oil for perfume and rose water for cooking.

• scientific name: Rosa × damascena
• plant type: shrub
• zones: 4 - 9
• sun needs: full sun - partial shade
• height and width: - 2' to 5' by 3' to 4'
• bloom time: May - June
• important features: fragrant cut flower, attracts birds and butterflies

12. American Wisteria

Though I wish I could say that I've grown wisteria but I can't. This gorgeous climbing vine is a photo of my friend Lisa's patio. Wisteria is incredibly pretty and fragrant too. Did you know that some wisteria are native to North America? I have seen some growing through trees during the spring on the roadside.

• scientific name: Wisteria frutescens
• plant type: climbing vine
• zones: 5 - 9
• sun needs: full sun
• height and width: - 15' to 30' by 4' to 8'
• bloom time: late spring - early summer
• important features: fragrant, attracts birds and butterflies, deer tolerant

13. Zinnia

Last but not least is the ever-hardy zinnia flower. It is an annual but you can easily capture the seeds and re-sow them next season. They bloom abundantly and for a long time. The one shown above is a pretty variety called 'Queeny Red Lime.' I bought it from Johnny's Seed here. After growing it I gave some of my seeds to friends including Lisa who took the beautiful picture of it shown above.

Zinnias like to be hand sewn directly into the soil. They are generally easy to grow and make beautiful bouquets or cut flowers for vases.

• scientific name: Zinnia 'Queeny Red Lime'
• plant type: annual
• zones: 2 - 11
• sun needs: full sun
• height and width: - 1' to 3' by 10" to 12"
• bloom time: early summer through fall
• important features: attracts birds, hummingbirds, and butterflies, deer tolerant

Of course, there are others. Hollyhocks, daisies, sweet peas, cosmos, morning glories, violets, and dianthus aka pinks come to mind. Can you ever have too many? I think not.