Annuals
Over the course of one year, these outdoor garden plants will grow, bloom, produce seeds and then die. These outdoor garden plants are excellent for instant, added color here and there. As a general rule, these plants need to be re-planted each year providing you the option of changing up your garden a bit each year. Some hardy annuals may self-seed, which would cause them to reappear the following year. Some examples of popular annuals include Cosmos, Asters, Marigold, Petunias, Basil and Dianthus.
Biennials
These outdoor garden plants take two years to grow from the time they are planted as a seed, bloom and then die. Usually, you will plant these seeds, which will grow over the course of a year, and then in their second year, they will bloom. In order to ensure that you have beautiful, colorful blooms each year with your biennials, they need to be planted each year. Some examples of these outdoor garden plants are Echium Wildpretti and Foxglove.
Perennials
These particular outdoor garden plants will grow, bloom and last for several years. Usually, these glowers take two years before they actually develop a bloom. Some examples of these popular outdoor garden plants include the Water Lily, Bleeding Heart, Geraniums, Gerberas and Anthuriums.
Shrubs
There are several different types of shrubs including long-lived flowering shrubs and ornamental shrubs. The former will flower throughout most of the year and include Hibiscus, Pentas and Ixora while the latter will not flower and are known for their green foliage and appearance, which include Crotons, Aralia and Juniperus.
Bulbs
A bulb is specifically planted beneath the ground and soil. It stays underground while the roots begin to form and grow downwards and the stem as well as the leaves will grow upwards. There is usually a period in which growth is not visible, which is known as a dormant period. Bulbs will grow and bloom then the leaves will remain after the bloom falls. The leaves eventually disappear themselves until the following year. Easy to grow, bulbs are outdoor garden plants that are guaranteed to return the next year. Examples of bulbs include Tulips, Daffodils and Bluebells.