Gorgeous Flower Varieties to Plant in Spring

Spring is the perfect time to add some color and beauty to your garden by planting flowers. The return of warmer weather and longer daylight hours creates ideal conditions for many popular flower varieties to thrive. Planning and planting a spring flower garden takes some preparation but is very rewarding. The gorgeous blooms will add charm and delight to your outdoor space for months to come.

Introduction

The onset of spring weather is an exciting time for gardeners. The cold and bare landscape of winter is finally giving way to warmer temperatures, rainfall, and longer days. As conditions improve, dormant plants begin to wake up and grow again. It’s the ideal moment to introduce new annuals, perennials, bulbs, and flowering shrubs into your garden.

Spring is a fantastic season to plant flowers for several reasons:

• Soil temperature and moisture become ideal for good root growth.
• Most flowering plants grow rapidly in the warm, wet conditions of spring.
• You can enjoy months of color from spring-planted flowers over the coming growing season.
• Planting in spring gives flowers time to become established before summer heat arrives.

By choosing the right plants and caring for them properly, you can create stunning displays of colorful blooms to enhance your garden all season long. From delicate crocuses pushing up in late winter to bold summer annuals, there are countless flower varieties that thrive when planted in spring.

Best Flowers to Plant in Spring

Many beautiful flowers do extremely well when planted in the spring garden. Here are some of the top performers:

Tuberous Begonia

Tuberous begonias produce large, double flowers in vivid shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, and white. They grow 1-2 feet tall on succulent stems with attractive heart-shaped leaves. Begonias require partial sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. Plant them after the danger of frost has passed.

Great Blue Lobelia

With electric blue flowers packed into spikes topping light green foliage, great blue lobelia is eye-catching in beds, borders, and containers. It thrives in cool, moist soil and partial shade. This flowering annual grows 6-12 inches tall.

Lantana

Lantana produces clusters of brightly colored flowers in shades like yellow, orange, pink, red, white, and purple from spring through fall. Different flower color varieties are available, along with dwarf and trailing types. Lantanas grow 1-3 feet tall in full sun and almost any well-drained soil.

Scaevola

Also called fan flowers, scaevola bears clusters of fan-shaped blossoms in purple, white, or blue. Trailing varieties look great in hanging baskets while upright types are nice border plants. Scaevola thrives in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It grows 6-12 inches tall.

Crocus

These early spring bloomers produce flowers in white, yellow, purple, striped, and bicolored shades. The small, goblet-shaped flowers appear while there is still snow on the ground in most regions. Crocuses grow 3-6 inches tall and multiply rapidly when happy. Plant crocus corms in fall for spring flowers.

Lily of the Valley

The beautifully fragrant, bell-shaped white blooms of lily of the valley emerge in late spring. This shade loving perennial grows 6-12 inches tall in clumps and spreads in moist, fertile soil. Plant the underground pips in fall or early spring.

Daffodil

No flower says spring quite like cheerful daffodils. Miniature types grow only 6 inches tall while large doubles can reach 2 feet tall. Flower colors include white, yellow, orange, pink, and bi-colors. Plant the bulbs in fall for spring blooms. Daffodils grow best in full sun or light shade and well-drained soil.

Grape Hyacinth

Grape hyacinths produce clusters of tiny bell-shaped blooms on 6-10 inch stems above grassy foliage in April and May. The fragrant flowers come in shades of blue, white, pink, purple, and bi-color. Grape hyacinth bulbs multiply rapidly in the garden when happy and require full sun to partial shade.

Tulip

Few flowers announce spring as boldly as tulips. These popular bulbs come in seemingly endless flower shapes, colors, and patterns. Plant tulip bulbs in the fall at a depth 2-3 times their height for blooms the following spring. Most tulips grow best in full sun and well-drained soil.

Hyacinth

Hyacinths produce dense, strongly fragrant flower spikes in colors like red, pink, white, blue, purple, and yellow. The bulbs sprout strappy foliage and 6-8 inch flower spikes in spring. Plant hyacinth bulbs in fall for spring blooms. They thrive in full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil.

Bleeding Heart

An old-fashioned spring-blooming perennial, bleeding heart produces arching sprays of heart-shaped pink and white flowers from April to June. It grows 2-3 feet tall in partial shade with evenly moist soil. Plant bare root divisions or potted plants in early spring once the soil has warmed up.

Virginia Bluebell

Virginia bluebell displays clusters of elegant tubular blue blooms in April and May on 1-2 foot tall stems. This easy-to-grow perennial thrives in shade and moist, humus-rich soil. Plant the rhizomes or container-grown plants in early spring. Virginia bluebell self-seeds freely in ideal growing conditions.

Azalea

Azaleas produce an abundance of brightly colored blooms in shades of pink, salmon, fuchsia, white, rose, crimson, and even yellow. Plant azaleas in acidic, moist but well-drained soil in part shade to full sun. Azalea shrubs grow 2-6 feet tall. Plant them in early spring once frost danger has passed.

Lilac

The intoxicating fragrance and vivid blooms of lilacs are a sure sign of spring. These classic flowering shrubs produce abundant flowers ranging from deep purple to white. Most lilacs grow 8-15 feet tall and do best in full sun and slightly alkaline soil. Plant bare root or container lilacs in early spring before growth begins.

Peony

Peonies produce extravagantly full, fragrant flowers in late spring and early summer. Blooms come in shades of white, pink, coral, red, burgundy, and yellow on 2-4 foot tall bushes. Plant peony roots 2-3 inches below the soil surface in fall or early spring. Peonies require full sun and evenly moist soil. Avoid planting the crowns too deeply.

There are many other great flowers for spring planting, including columbine, foxglove, hollyhock, iris, pansy, penstemon, phlox, poppy, primrose, sweet alyssum, and viola. Choose varieties suited to your climate and growing conditions.

Aim for a combination of early spring bulbs, mid spring perennials, and summer annuals to provide continuous color. Pay attention to flower colors and heights to create attractive, cohesive displays.

How to Plant Flowers in Spring

Spring is prime time for getting new flowers into the ground. With proper planning and care, you can enjoy gorgeous blooms within weeks of planting:

When to Plant

• Bulbs: Plant spring-blooming flower bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths in fall, at least 6-8 weeks before the ground freezes. This allows time for root development.
• Bare roots and rhizomes: Bare root perennials, roses, fruits, and shrubs can be planted very early in spring as soon as the soil can be worked.
• Potted plants and transplants: Warm season annuals, vegetables, and potted perennials should be planted after the last expected frost date when soil and air temperatures have thoroughly warmed up.

Techniques for Planting Bulbs

Flower bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and crocuses are planted in fall for spring blooms. Here are some key bulb planting guidelines:

• Planting depth: In general, bulbs should be planted at a depth 2-3 times their height. This provides adequate insulation from winter cold.
• Plant in clusters: Bulbs create more visual impact when planted in groups of at least 6, rather than singly. Mix types and colors for variation.
• Loosen soil: The bottom of the planting hole should be loosened with a trowel or bulb planter to allow good drainage before placing bulbs.
• Fertilize lightly: Adding some bone meal or bulb fertilizer to the planting hole can encourage good root growth and flowering.
• Label bulbs: Make sure to label your bulb plantings if color variation matters so you don’t forget what you planted!

Tips for Planting Success

Follow these tips to get your spring flower plantings off to the right start:

• Choose the right location: Pick a spot that offers the light levels, soil, and drainage your chosen flowers require. Most require full sun.
• Prepare soil: Mix in compost or other organic matter to improve drainage and nutrient content if needed. Remove weeds and work soil to a crumbly texture before planting.
• Plant at proper depth: Follow package guidelines for how deep and far apart to plant each flower variety. Don’t plant too shallow or deep.
• Water thoroughly: Water transplants and new plantings well to saturate root zones. Avoid fertilizing at planting time.
• Label plants: Identify flowers with markers so you remember what you planted where. This makes caring for them much easier.
• Provide support: Install stakes or trellises at planting time for flowers like peas, vines, and tall perennials that will need support later on.

Step-by-Step Guide to Planting Flowers

Follow these simple steps for transplanting containers or bare root plants:

1. Prepare the planting bed by loosening soil, removing weeds, and mixing in compost or fertilizer if needed. Rake smooth.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide and just as deep as the flower’s root ball or bare roots. Create loose soil at the bottom for drainage.
3. For container plants, gently remove from pot and loosen tangled roots. Position in hole with top of root ball level with soil surface.
4. For bare roots, spread roots evenly over mound of soil at the bottom of the hole. Position plant at proper height.
5. Fill hole halfway with soil. Water well to settle soil and eliminate air pockets. Let water drain.
6. Fill remainder of hole with soil. Build a rim around the base to hold water.
7. Water thoroughly again. Top dress with mulch if desired.

How to Care for Flowers in Spring

Caring properly for spring planted flowers helps them settle in, grow vigorously, and produce abundant blossoms. Here is what your flowers need after planting:

Watering

• Water thoroughly at planting time and whenever top few inches of soil become dry.
• Established plants need about 1-2 inches of water per week from rain or watering.
• Water in morning so leaves can dry by night to prevent disease.
• Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation to conserve water.

Fertilizing

• Apply diluted balanced fertilizer every 2-4 weeks during active growth and blooming.
• Discontinue fertilizer by mid summer for perennials and shrubs to prep for dormancy.
• Bulb fertilizer applied after flowering helps build stores for next year’s blooms.

Pruning

• Prune spent blooms to encourage new flowering (called deadheading).
• Cut back stalks of bulb plants after they finish flowering.
• Prune overgrown perennials by 1/3 to shape plants after their first flush of flowers.

Preventing Problems

• Catch problems early and remove diseased growth immediately to prevent spread.
• Improving air flow with pruning and proper spacing helps prevent fungal issues.
• Control slugs, aphids, and other pests before they damage plants.
• Add mulch around plants to conserve moisture and discourage weeds.

Step-by-Step Flower Care

1. Monitor soil moisture weekly and water thoroughly when top few inches become dry. Avoid over watering.
2. Apply balanced fertilizer according to package directions every 2-4 weeks during active growth.
3. Inspect plants frequently for signs of pests or disease. Take action promptly to resolve issues.
4. Deadhead spent blooms by pinching or cutting off stems under the faded flower.
5. Stake tall or floppy plants to keep them upright and tidy.
6. Prune back bulbs and perennials after flowering as needed to shape plants.
7. Weed regularly to prevent competition for water and nutrients. Apply mulch after weeding.

Design Ideas for Spring Flower Gardens

With so many options for colorful spring bloomers, deciding what to plant can be tough. Keep these design ideas in mind as you plan out this year’s spring flower garden:

Color Schemes

Some classic color combinations for spring include:

• Pink, white, and purple for a soft, romantic look
• Red, yellow, and orange for bright, fiery displays
• Blue, purple, and white for cool, soothing tones
• Pastels like lavender, peach, soft yellow, and sky blue

Plant Placement

• Place taller flowers toward the back and shorter varieties in front for best visibility.
• Repeat colors throughout the bed for cohesion.
• Edge beds with low-growing spring bloomers like creeping phlox or alyssum.
• Fill window boxes and containers with a mix of spring bulbs, annuals, and perennials.

Garden Structures

• Use trellises, arbors, or obelisks to support climbing flowers like morning glory, nasturtium, and hyacinth bean vine.
• Frame entryways or beds with tunnels or arches covered in flowering vines.
• Line pathways with low growing spring bloomers like violas, pansies, and ground phlox.
• Include garden art, benches, and statuary to add color and whimsy.

By thoughtfully arranging plants and structures, you can create a layout with season-long intrigue. Repeat shapes, textures, and colors to develop cohesive displays. Here is an example spring flower bed design:

Key Design Tips

• Focus on foliage variety and flower color when selecting plants.
• Incorporate height, shape, and texture differences to add interest.
• Allow enough space between plants for growth and airflow.
• Design beds with multiple seasons of interest through plant selection.