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We're so excited for Spring! Check out everything you need to make your garden great this year.
After a long winter, it’s always astonishing when Mother Nature unfurls her springtime colors. Surprisingly, many flowers begin blooming in late winter and early spring. While it's too soon to fill your planter boxes with heat-loving species or set out your patio plants, many cold-hardy annuals and perennials can be planted and enjoyed now. Some of these, such as crocus, should be planted in the fall to bloom the following spring. Before you buy any plants, know where you want to put them and what kind of light is available in that part of your garden. Full sun means 6 or more hours of direct sunlight per day; part sun is about half of that. Shade means an area doesn’t get any direct sunlight. And don’t forget that areas that usually get shade in the summer won’t have shade in early spring (before deciduous trees, the kind that shed their leaves, have leafed out again). Before you plant any perennials, make sure they’re tough enough to survive winter in your part of the country (check your USDA Hardiness Zone here).
If you’re ready for some early spring flowers, here’s what to plant:
Hellebore
The exquisite, lightly frilly blooms of hellebore, also called Lenten rose, appear in late winter or early spring, making them some of the earliest bloomers. Despite their delicate appearance, these perennials are tough as nails and sometimes even peek through the snow. Needs: shade.
Bluebells
These trumpet-shaped blue flowers emerge in early spring. This clumping perennial likes rich, moist soil but will grow in average soil. The foliage dies back and goes dormant in summer. Needs: part shade.
Crocus
White, purple, or bright yellow cup-shaped flowers bloom in very early spring. Crocus are darling planted in rock gardens, along walks, or in pots. Bunch a few together when planting for best impact. Plant in fall for flowers next spring. Needs: full sun.
Squill
The tiny intense blue, pink or white star-shaped flowers of this perennial appear in very early spring. Plant these tiny bulbs in fall for a show next spring. Needs: part shade to sun.
Bleeding Heart
This old-fashioned favorite looks exactly like its name with tiny heart-shaped blooms. It was probably a perennial your grandmother planted, as it’s been much-loved for generations for its romantic form. When summer’s heat kicks in, the foliage fades back but the plant will reappear next year. Needs: shade.
Pansy or Viola
These funny-faced little annuals come in deep pink, purple, orange, canary yellow, lemon yellow, and white. They add spectacular color to pots, hanging baskets and garden beds. As prefer cooler temperatures, they'll fade once summer kicks in, though some types rebound in fall or self-seed to return next year. Needs: full sun.
Bloodroot
The plant only gets about 6 inches tall, but each plant bears a single pretty white flower. It fades back in summer to reappear next year. Bloodroot, also called sanguinaria, gets its name because the plant has ample reddish sap when cut. Prefers moist soils. Needs: shade.
Epimedium
These completely adorable perennials are also known as fairy wings! While that’s reason enough to plant them, they’re also some of the first flowers to bloom in spring. They don’t like being trod on, so plant them as ground cover away from pathways. Needs: part shade.
Solomon's Seal
Greenish-white tubular flowers and arching leaves grace this perennial. It loves moist soil. The flowers have a sweet scent, reminiscent of lilies. Needs: shade.
Snapdragon
These classic annuals don’t mind the cold, and they come in many colors from pale pastels to deeply saturated jewel tones. They pair well with pansies and violas because they have a more upright form, and they make nice cut flowers, too. Needs: part to full sun.
Trillium
This perennial has a large white central flower; leaves, petals and sepals come in threes, which is how it gets its name. It’s sometimes called wood lily, and it prefers moist soils. Trillium spreads very slowly, so be patient. Needs: part shade.
Lungwort
This cold-hardy perennial with a not-so-pretty name is actually one of the first to bloom in spring. Some varieties have spotted, silvery leaves, and their tiny flowers are pink, purple or white. It’s also called pulmonaria because folk medicine says it was believed to cure lung ailments. Needs: part sun to shade.
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