Welcome to Flower Week

Humans have always been drawn to flowers, using them throughout history as decorations, medicine, gifts, and even metaphors. From the simplest wildflowers to the most expensive roses, flowers are closely tied to the human experience, representing hope, optimism, love, joy, support, and friendship.

They're also, of course, just simply beautiful. Whether you're drawn to delicate daisies, fluffy peonies, elegant orchids, or cheery daffodils, Mother Nature has a flower for you. (In fact, with more than 300,000 types of flowering plants in the world, she likely has several.) In hues that range from the creamiest whites to the boldest jewel-tones, the beloved perennials and annuals that bloom indoors and out add color, texture, and joy to your garden—and your life. 

Since they're one of our favorite things (Martha's, too!), we decided to dedicate a full week to all things flowers: Follow along each day as we explore growing, cutting, arranging, and enjoying the blooms that bring so much color and happiness into our lives. At the end of the week, you may find yourself agreeing with author Okakura Kakuzo, who wrote, "In joy or sadness, flowers are our constant friends."

Day 1: How to Start a Flower Garden

While all you really need to start a garden is a bare patch of earth and a few seeds, turning a section of your yard into a spot where flowers, vegetables, and shrubs can thrive is easier with a little bit of planning. Choose the annuals and perennials that are best for your climate—and your skill level—and decide whether you want to plant them in the ground or in raised beds. Then source the tools and seeds you need to start turning a blank grass canvas into a bevy of blooms.

10 Basic Gardening Tools Everyone Should Have, According to Experts

How to Start a Flower Garden, From Choosing Plants to Designing a Stunning Landscape

26 Great Ideas for Your Garden That Will Completely Transform Your Landscape

Take a Tour of Martha's Most Beautiful Gardens—and Learn How She Created Each One

10 Border Flowers That Will Add Structure and Color to Your Landscape

Where to Buy Flower Bulbs Online for Gorgeous Year-Round Blooms

The Difference Between Perennial and Annual Plants

11 Raised Flower Bed Ideas That Will Add Dimension to Your Garden

How to Plant a Perennial Garden, From Choosing a Location to Ensuring Your Blooms Return Next Year

How to Make a Flower Bed for Planting Beautiful Perennials, Annuals, and Beyond

The 11 Best Places to Buy Seeds for Your Garden Online

Day 2: Flower Facts

Today, focus on polishing up your floral expertise with the detailed definitions in our garden glossary, designed especially for beginners, and get a refresher on how often to water every type of plant, indoors or out. Then dig into the history of floriography, a complex language that assigns meanings to flowers, and understand how to make a major statement with the blooms you choose.

The Hidden Meanings of Your Favorite Flowers—and More About the Art of Floriography

The Ultimate Garden Glossary: 28 Gardening Terms Beginners Should Know

How Often You Should Water Your Garden—and the Best Time of Day to Do It

Day 3: Popular Annuals and Perennials

A garden that looks effortless doesn't just happen. Every type of plant, from sunflowers to geraniums to lavender to peonies, has its own set of requirements for growth and care. But a little hard work shouldn't deter you—growing something new, whether it comes back every year or offers just one season of showy blooms, is so rewarding. Take inspiration from Martha's perennial garden at her home in Bedford to fill your own plot with plants that attract hummingbirds, draw butterflies, add fragrance, and burst with color and texture.

Virtually Meander Along the Pathways of Martha's Perennial Garden, a Landscape of Delights

7 Perennials and Annuals to Enhance Your Flower Garden

11 Colorful Perennial Flowers That Will Thrive All Summer

14 Perennial Plants With Long-Lasting Flowers

The 11 Most Fragrant Flowers to Plant in Your Garden

Plant These 10 Flowers in Your Garden for Good Luck

How to Grow and Care for Hydrangeas, the Summer Showstoppers Every Gardener Should Plant

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Sunflowers—and Harvest Their Seeds

How to Grow and Care for Peonies to Ensure Beautiful Blooms Year After Year

How to Grow and Care for Daisies

How to Grow and Care for Geraniums

How to Grow and Care for a Lavender Plant, One of Martha's Favorite Perennials

15 Pollinator Plants That Will Attract Birds, Bees, and Butterflies to Your Garden

12 Plants That Attract Butterflies to Your Yard

6 Plants and Flowers That Will Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden

Day 4: Indoor Gardening

Not every property boasts an expansive backyard or acres of garden to cultivate—but a lack of outdoor space shouldn't stop you from developing a green thumb. Take your planting indoors with container ideas for bold blooms, aromatic jasmine, and elegant orchids that turn any space in your home into a lush garden.

20 Flowering Indoor Plants That Will Brighten Up Your Home

How to Keep an Orchid Alive for Years

How to Grow and Care for an Indoor Jasmine Plant

10 Grow Lights That Will Trick Your Indoor Plants Into Thinking They're Outside

Day 5: Cutting Flowers

Freshly cut flowers add a colorful, natural accent to every room of your home, from a soothing bouquet of lavender in your office to a vase of vivid tulips in your kitchen. If part of your garden vision includes cutting blooms to use indoors, consider adding the hardiest, prettiest, and easiest options for growing, cutting, and drying to your garden.

How to Cut Hydrangeas in Your Garden So They Last Longer in Floral Arrangements

The Best Flowers to Plant in Your Cutting Garden to Create Stunning Homegrown Bouquets

11 Long-Lasting Cut Flowers for Beautiful Bouquets

6 Ways to Keep Your Cut Flowers Fresher for Longer

Day 6: Arranging and Decorating Flowers

While a simple bouquet makes an impact all on its own, intentional flower placement leaves you with arrangements that are so much more than the sum of their parts—and we have the aspirational bouquets and centerpieces to prove it. Today, Martha will let you in on her secrets for flawless arrangements, while the best vases and display stands make a perfect presentation even easier. 

18 Flower Vases That Are So Special, You'd Never Believe We Found Them on Amazon

How to Use Floral Mechanics for a Better Bouquet, According to Florists

A Guide to Collecting and Using Flower Frogs

This Basic Formula for Creating an Impressive Flower Arrangement Works Every Time

How to Turn Grocery Store Flowers Into a Florist-Worthy Bouquet

13 Professional Flower Arranging Tips That Will Help You Create a Better Bouquet

Everything You Need to Know About Flower Food—Including How to Make Your Own

How to Bring Wilting Floral Arrangements Back to Life

The Best Flower Subscriptions for Year-Round Blooms

22 Hydrangea Wedding Bouquets Every Bride Will Love

29 Stunning Summer Wedding Centerpieces That Use In-Season Flowers

58 of Our Favorite Rose Wedding Bouquets

Day 7: Cooking and Crafting With Flowers

Many of your favorite flowers aren't just for show. Like other edible plants in your garden, you can add them to drinks, desserts, and other sweet or savory dishes for a prettier presentation and an added depth of flavor. Fresh blooms can also be incorporated into your favorite DIY projects, as you use them to make petal-powered body scrubs, pressed-flower keepsakes, and summertime wreaths.

A Visual Guide to Edible Flowers—and How to Use Them

20 Edible Flower Recipes That Are Colorful and Delicious

8 Delicious Desserts Featuring Edible Pansies

14 Crafts to Make With Your Favorite Flowers

How to Make Candy Flower Cupcakes in 3 Different Ways