You can plant impatiens flowers quite close to one another, inches apart if you like. The closer they are planted together, the faster the plants will grow together to form a bank of lovely impatiens flowers.
Impatiens flowers do best if fertilized regularly. Use water soluble fertilizer on your impatiens every two weeks through spring and summer. You can also use slow release fertilizer at the beginning of the spring season and once more half way through summer.
Impatiens do not need to be deadheaded. They self-clean their spent blooms and will bloom profusely all season long.
Baby Orange Impatiens is a compact, shade-loving annual grown for its bright orange blooms and neat, mounded growth habit. This cheerful variety produces masses of vivid flowers over glossy green foliage, bringing warm color to shaded patios, porches, containers, and garden beds. Its small size, heavy blooming habit, and ability to brighten low-light areas make it an excellent choice for gardeners needing reliable color where many sun-loving annuals struggle.
Garden Uses: Baby Orange Impatiens is ideal for containers, hanging baskets, window boxes, shaded borders, edging, patio planters, and mass plantings. Its glowing orange flowers create a bold splash of color in shade gardens and combine beautifully with coleus, begonias, caladiums, ferns, hypoestes, torenia, and white or purple impatiens. It is especially useful near entryways, porches, and seating areas where compact plants with continuous bloom are desired.
Growing Information: Start seeds indoors several weeks before the last frost date, or transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and nights remain warm. Plant in partial shade to bright shade and rich, well-drained soil. Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged, as impatiens perform best with steady moisture. Container-grown plants may need frequent watering during hot weather. Feed lightly and regularly to support continuous flowering. Avoid hot afternoon sun, which can scorch foliage and reduce bloom quality.
Pollinator Value: Baby Orange Impatiens may attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, especially when grown in clusters. The bright flowers provide seasonal nectar, though impatiens are generally valued more for continuous garden color than high pollinator production. Planting them alongside other shade-tolerant nectar flowers can increase wildlife value in shaded spaces.
Historical Significance: Impatiens have been popular bedding plants for generations because of their ability to bloom freely in shade. Native species occur in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, but modern garden impatiens have been bred for compact growth, improved flower production, and a wide range of colors. Their dependable shade performance made them one of the most important annual bedding plants of the twentieth century.
Interesting Facts: The name “impatiens” refers to the plant’s seed pods, which can burst open when ripe and scatter seed. This explosive seed release gave rise to the common name “touch-me-not” for some related species. Baby Orange brings the same lively character to the garden in a compact form with bright, long-lasting color.
Seedman Notes: Baby Orange Impatiens is a wonderful choice for customers looking for bright color in shaded containers or garden beds. Its compact size makes it easy to use in small spaces, while the vivid orange blooms provide strong visual impact. Keep plants evenly moist, protect from harsh sun, and pinch lightly if needed to maintain a full, rounded habit.
Quick Facts:
Baby Scarlet Impatiens is a compact, free-flowering annual prized for its brilliant scarlet-red blooms and exceptional performance in shaded gardens. The vibrant flowers blanket the plant from late spring until frost, creating a continuous display of color over attractive green foliage. Its neat, rounded growth habit and nonstop flowering make it one of the finest choices for containers, borders, and landscape plantings where bright color is needed in lower-light conditions.
Garden Uses: Baby Scarlet Impatiens is ideal for containers, hanging baskets, window boxes, shaded borders, edging, mass plantings, and woodland gardens. The vivid scarlet flowers create striking contrast against green foliage and combine beautifully with white impatiens, coleus, caladiums, begonias, ferns, and hypoestes. It is especially effective in shaded entryways, patios, and porch planters where its brilliant blooms can be enjoyed up close.
Growing Information: Start seeds indoors several weeks before the last frost date, or transplant outdoors once all danger of frost has passed and temperatures remain warm. Plant in partial shade to bright shade in fertile, well-drained soil. Maintain even soil moisture, particularly in containers and during hot weather. Regular feeding with a balanced fertilizer encourages continuous flowering. Avoid intense afternoon sun, which can stress plants and reduce bloom production.
Pollinator Value: Baby Scarlet Impatiens attracts occasional bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds that visit the brightly colored blooms for nectar. While not among the highest pollinator plants, it contributes seasonal resources and adds valuable color to shaded pollinator gardens when combined with other nectar-rich flowers.
Historical Significance: Garden impatiens became one of the world's most popular bedding plants during the twentieth century because of their ability to flower continuously in shade. Breeding programs focused on compact growth, improved vigor, and expanded color selections, leading to outstanding varieties such as Baby Scarlet. Their dependable performance transformed the way gardeners approach shaded landscapes.
Interesting Facts: The name "Impatiens" refers to the plant's explosive seed pods, which burst open when touched and scatter seeds away from the parent plant. This natural seed dispersal mechanism gave rise to the common nickname "touch-me-not." The bright scarlet flowers of Baby Scarlet remain highly visible even in deep shade, making it one of the most effective color accents for darker garden spaces.
Seedman Notes: Baby Scarlet Impatiens is one of our favorite choices for adding bold color to shaded locations. Customers appreciate its compact size, easy care, and season-long flowering. For the most impressive display, plant several together in containers or mass plantings where the vivid scarlet blooms can create a carpet of color throughout the growing season.
Quick Facts:
Beacon® Light Pink Impatiens is an outstanding garden impatiens bred for exceptional disease resistance, vigorous growth, and masses of soft light pink blooms. Part of the groundbreaking Beacon® series, this variety brings back the classic beauty of traditional impatiens while offering improved resistance to Impatiens Downy Mildew. The gentle pink flowers blanket the plants throughout the growing season, creating a bright, cheerful display in shaded gardens, containers, and landscape beds.
Garden Uses: Beacon® Light Pink Impatiens is perfect for containers, hanging baskets, window boxes, shaded borders, foundation plantings, woodland gardens, and mass bedding displays. The delicate light pink flowers pair beautifully with white impatiens, blue lobelia, coleus, caladiums, begonias, ferns, and hypoestes. Its uniform growth habit makes it especially effective when planted in large groups for sweeping displays of color.
Growing Information: Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost date or transplant nursery-grown plants outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. Plant in partial shade to bright shade and fertile, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Keep soil evenly moist, particularly during warm weather. Regular feeding with a balanced fertilizer encourages continuous flowering. Avoid prolonged drought stress, as impatiens perform best with consistent moisture.
Pollinator Value: Beacon® Light Pink Impatiens attracts occasional bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds that visit the nectar-rich flowers. While primarily grown for ornamental value, the blooms provide seasonal nectar resources and contribute color and diversity to shaded pollinator gardens.
Historical Significance: Impatiens have long been among the most popular bedding plants in North America and Europe. The emergence of Impatiens Downy Mildew dramatically reduced their use in many landscapes. The development of the Beacon® series marked a significant breakthrough in ornamental breeding by restoring gardeners' ability to enjoy traditional impatiens with greatly improved disease resistance.
Interesting Facts: The Beacon® series was specifically developed to address one of the biggest challenges facing impatiens growers. Light Pink is among the most versatile colors in the series because it blends easily with nearly any garden palette. The soft pink blooms often appear to glow in shaded locations where darker colors can become difficult to see.
Seedman Notes: Beacon® Light Pink is an excellent choice for gardeners who miss the classic beauty of traditional impatiens. Its improved disease resistance, abundant flowering, and soft pastel color make it a dependable performer in containers and landscape plantings. For maximum impact, plant in groups where the gentle pink flowers can create a carpet of color throughout the season.
Quick Facts:
Beacon Violet F1 Impatiens is a premium hybrid impatiens featuring rich violet-purple blooms, vigorous growth, and outstanding disease resistance. Part of the revolutionary Beacon® series, this variety was bred to provide the classic beauty of garden impatiens while offering improved resistance to Impatiens Downy Mildew. The brilliant violet flowers create a striking display against lush green foliage and bloom continuously from late spring until frost.
Garden Uses: Beacon Violet F1 is ideal for containers, hanging baskets, window boxes, shaded borders, woodland gardens, foundation plantings, and mass bedding displays. The deep violet blooms provide dramatic contrast when paired with white impatiens, silver foliage plants, pink begonias, caladiums, coleus, and ferns. It is especially effective in shaded locations where the vibrant flowers seem to glow against darker backgrounds.
Growing Information: Start seeds indoors approximately 8 to 10 weeks before the final spring frost or transplant seedlings after all danger of frost has passed. Plant in partial shade to bright shade in fertile, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Maintain consistent moisture throughout the growing season, particularly during warm weather. Feed regularly with a balanced fertilizer to support continuous flowering. Avoid allowing plants to dry out completely for best performance.
Pollinator Value: The colorful blooms may attract bees, butterflies, and occasional hummingbirds seeking nectar. While Beacon Violet is primarily grown for ornamental beauty, it contributes nectar resources and visual diversity to shade gardens and mixed pollinator plantings.
Historical Significance: Traditional garden impatiens were once among the world's most popular bedding plants before the emergence of Impatiens Downy Mildew created significant challenges for growers and gardeners. The development of the Beacon® series marked a major breakthrough in ornamental breeding by restoring the classic impatiens form while dramatically improving disease resistance and garden reliability.
Interesting Facts: Violet flowers are relatively uncommon among shade-loving annuals, making Beacon Violet particularly valuable for landscape design. The F1 hybrid breeding ensures exceptional uniformity, vigor, and flowering performance. The intense violet coloration remains vivid even in shaded locations where many flower colors appear muted.
Seedman Notes: Beacon Violet F1 is one of the most striking members of the Beacon® series. Customers appreciate its rich flower color, dependable performance, and improved disease resistance. It is an outstanding choice for adding cool-toned color to shaded landscapes and container gardens. Plant in groups for the most dramatic visual impact and season-long flowering display.
Quick Facts:
Beacon Coral F1 Impatiens is a vibrant hybrid impatiens featuring masses of warm coral-colored blooms and the improved disease resistance that has made the Beacon® series so popular. The flowers display a beautiful blend of pink, peach, and coral tones that brighten shaded gardens with months of continuous color. Combined with vigorous growth and exceptional garden performance, Beacon Coral F1 brings renewed confidence to gardeners who love traditional impatiens.
Garden Uses: Beacon Coral F1 is ideal for containers, hanging baskets, window boxes, shaded borders, foundation plantings, woodland gardens, and large bedding displays. Its warm coral flowers pair beautifully with white impatiens, blue lobelia, silver foliage plants, coleus, caladiums, begonias, and ferns. The bright blooms are especially effective in shaded locations where warm colors help illuminate darker corners of the landscape.
Growing Information: Start seeds indoors approximately 8 to 10 weeks before the final frost date or transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. Plant in partial shade to bright shade in fertile, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. Maintain consistent moisture throughout the growing season, particularly during hot weather and in containers. Feed regularly with a balanced fertilizer to support vigorous growth and nonstop flowering. Avoid allowing plants to become excessively dry.
Pollinator Value: Beacon Coral F1 may attract bees, butterflies, and occasional hummingbirds that visit the colorful blooms for nectar. While grown primarily for ornamental value, the flowers contribute seasonal nectar resources and help add diversity to shade garden plantings.
Historical Significance: Impatiens have long been one of the most widely planted annual flowers in the world. The arrival of Impatiens Downy Mildew significantly impacted traditional garden impatiens plantings. The Beacon® series was developed to address this challenge, providing gardeners with improved resistance while preserving the familiar growth habit and flower abundance that made impatiens famous.
Interesting Facts: Coral is one of the most versatile flower colors in landscape design because it blends elements of pink, peach, orange, and salmon tones. Beacon Coral often appears to change slightly throughout the day depending on lighting conditions. The F1 hybrid breeding provides excellent uniformity, resulting in plants that flower consistently and maintain an attractive, rounded shape.
Seedman Notes: Beacon Coral F1 is a wonderful choice for gardeners seeking warm, inviting color in shaded locations. Customers appreciate its cheerful blooms, dependable flowering, and improved disease resistance. Plant in groups or large containers where the glowing coral flowers can create a soft yet vibrant display from spring until frost.
Quick Facts:
Beacon White F1 Impatiens is a premium hybrid impatiens featuring masses of pure white blooms, vigorous growth, and outstanding disease resistance. As part of the innovative Beacon® series, this variety was developed to restore the beauty of traditional impatiens while offering improved resistance to Impatiens Downy Mildew. The brilliant white flowers blanket the plants from spring until frost, creating a clean, elegant display that brightens even the shadiest garden locations.
Garden Uses: Beacon White F1 is ideal for containers, hanging baskets, window boxes, shaded borders, woodland gardens, foundation plantings, and mass bedding displays. The crisp white blooms pair beautifully with virtually every flower color and foliage type. It combines especially well with Beacon Violet, Beacon Coral, begonias, coleus, caladiums, ferns, and hypoestes. White flowers are particularly valuable for illuminating shaded gardens and creating moonlight garden effects.
Growing Information: Start seeds indoors approximately 8 to 10 weeks before the final spring frost date or transplant seedlings outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. Plant in partial shade to bright shade in fertile, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Maintain consistent soil moisture throughout the growing season, especially during warm weather. Apply a balanced fertilizer regularly to support continuous flowering. Avoid allowing the soil to dry completely, as impatiens perform best with steady moisture.
Pollinator Value: Beacon White F1 attracts occasional bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds that visit the nectar-producing blooms. While primarily grown for ornamental value, the flowers contribute nectar resources and help diversify shade garden plantings. White blooms are often especially visible to pollinators during early morning and evening hours.
Historical Significance: Garden impatiens became one of the most widely planted annual flowers in the world because of their ability to thrive in shade while producing nonstop blooms. The development of Impatiens Downy Mildew challenged traditional varieties, leading to significant breeding efforts. The Beacon® series represents a major advancement by restoring classic impatiens performance while greatly improving disease resistance.
Interesting Facts: White flowers play an important role in garden design because they act as visual connectors between other flower colors. Beacon White often appears to glow in shaded settings, creating brightness where darker colors may become less visible. The F1 hybrid breeding ensures excellent uniformity, vigor, and consistent flowering across the entire planting.
Seedman Notes: Beacon White F1 is one of the most versatile impatiens available. Customers appreciate its clean appearance, exceptional flowering, and ability to blend with nearly any garden design. It is equally effective as a standalone planting or as a companion to brighter-colored annuals. Plant in groups for a dramatic carpet of white blooms that lasts all season long.
Quick Facts:
Baby White Impatiens is a clean, bright, easy-to-grow bedding plant valued for its pure white blooms, compact habit, and dependable color in shady garden spaces. This variety produces masses of soft white flowers over rich green foliage, creating a fresh, cooling effect in baskets, containers, porch planters, borders, and shaded beds. Baby White is especially useful where gardeners want a crisp, elegant flower that brightens dark corners without overpowering nearby plants.
Garden Uses:
Baby White Impatiens is excellent for hanging baskets, patio containers, window boxes, shaded borders, mass plantings, and porch displays. Its white blooms show beautifully in low-light areas and pair well with pink, coral, red, violet, or mixed impatiens. It is also a fine choice for formal plantings, memorial gardens, and moonlight-style gardens where white flowers glow softly in evening light.
Growing Information:
Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last expected frost. Press seeds gently into the surface of a fine seed-starting mix, as impatiens seed needs light to germinate. Keep evenly moist and warm at about 70-75°F. Germination usually occurs in 14 to 21 days. Transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. Baby White prefers partial shade to shade, rich well-drained soil, and steady moisture. Avoid hot, dry locations and protect from harsh afternoon sun.
Pollinator Value:
Impatiens flowers may attract small pollinators, especially in shaded gardens where fewer annuals are in bloom. While modern bedding impatiens are grown mostly for ornamental display, their long bloom season can still offer occasional nectar visits from bees and other small garden insects.
Historical Significance:
Impatiens have long been popular shade annuals because they brought dependable flower color into garden areas where many sun-loving annuals would not perform well. Their common name is linked to the plant’s seed pods, which can spring open when ripe, scattering seed when touched.
Interesting Facts:
White impatiens are especially valuable in landscape design because they visually cool a planting and make shaded spaces appear brighter. In containers and baskets, white flowers also help soften stronger colors nearby and give mixed plantings a finished, balanced appearance.
Seedman Notes:
Baby White is a very useful selection for customers needing reliable shade color. It is compact, neat, and easy to place in baskets or containers. For best results, keep plants evenly watered and avoid letting baskets dry out completely. A light feeding every couple of weeks during active growth will help maintain steady blooming.
Quick Facts:
Annual
Height: 8-12 inches
Spread: 8-12 inches
Bloom Color: Pure white
Light: Partial shade to shade
Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained
Use: Baskets, containers, shaded beds, borders
Germination: 14-21 days at 70-75°F
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Rating: ★★★★★
Double Athena Orange Flash Impatiens is a showy double-flowered impatiens variety known for its rose-like blooms in bright orange with flashing white accents. The fully double flowers give the plant a miniature camellia or rose appearance, making it especially attractive in shaded containers, porch pots, hanging baskets, and protected garden beds. Its bold orange-and-white coloring adds a lively tropical look to areas where many other flowering annuals struggle to perform.
Garden Uses:
Double Athena Orange Flash is excellent for shaded baskets, patio containers, window boxes, porch planters, and garden borders. Its double blooms make it especially useful where a fuller, more decorative flower form is desired. The bright orange color pairs beautifully with white impatiens, dark green foliage plants, coleus, begonias, caladiums, and other shade-loving annuals.
Growing Information:
Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last expected frost. Sow seeds on the surface of a fine seed-starting mix and press them gently into place without covering heavily, as impatiens seed needs light for best germination. Keep warm, evenly moist, and humid at about 70-75°F. Germination usually occurs in 14 to 21 days. Transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. Grow in partial shade to shade with rich, moist, well-drained soil. Avoid hot afternoon sun and keep containers from drying out.
Pollinator Value:
Double impatiens are grown mainly for ornamental display, and their layered petals may make nectar less accessible than single-flowered forms. Even so, the plants can still add seasonal color to pollinator-friendly shade gardens and may receive occasional visits from small insects when conditions are favorable.
Historical Significance:
Impatiens became one of the classic bedding plants for shaded gardens because they offered continuous color in places where petunias, marigolds, and many other sun-loving annuals would not thrive. Double-flowered types were later developed to give gardeners a more refined, rose-like flower form for containers and decorative plantings.
Interesting Facts:
The name “impatiens” refers to the plant’s ripe seed pods, which can burst open suddenly when touched. The Athena series is valued for its decorative double blooms, compact growth, and strong container performance. Orange-and-white bicolor forms like Orange Flash are especially eye-catching because each bloom may show slightly different markings.
Seedman Notes:
This is a standout selection for customers wanting something more dramatic than standard impatiens. The double flowers give a premium look in baskets and containers, while the orange-and-white pattern provides excellent contrast against deep green foliage. Best performance comes from steady moisture, light feeding, and protection from intense heat or direct afternoon sun.
Quick Facts:
Annual
Height: 8-12 inches
Spread: 10-14 inches
Bloom Color: Orange with white accents
Flower Form: Fully double
Light: Partial shade to shade
Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained
Use: Baskets, containers, shaded beds, porch planters
Germination: 14-21 days at 70-75°F
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Rating: ★★★★★