Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Spring Flowers For Your Garden

Early spring flowers are the surest sign that warmer weather is coming. This winter has been very loooonnnng, and the spring flowers that have now appeared are most welcome. Here are some ideas for early spring flowers for your garden, that will provide lots of spring color, including some container garden plants for those of you who don’t have a lot of property to plant on.

Photo: bluebellwalk.co.uk

You will need to check with your local garden shop, or read up more on the flowers mentioned here, to be sure they are suitable for your area. Also bear in mind that bulbs like crocus and daffodil are best planted in the fall. If you plant them this autumn, you will have lots of color in your garden next spring!

Pansy


Pansies are popular and pretty annual plants that gardeners love. They come in a variety of awesome colors and are among the best flowers to plant in spring window boxes, containers and borders. Although pansies are a perennial plant, they have a tendency to become rather straggly so are best grown as annuals.

Plant them in a sunny or partially sunny position in well-drained soil. Pansies are reasonably hardy, but grow best in a moderate climate as they do not like intense heat, and may not survive hard frosts and deep snow. 

Photo: flickr.com/photos/calliope

Lilac


Lilac flowers have the sweetest fragrance, and attract lots of butterflies. I can still remember these beautiful flowering shrubs along the perimeter of our yard when I was a child. We so looked forward to seeing them bloom each spring, and used to cut bouquets to put in the house and take to the teachers at school. 

Plant lilacs in full sun and well-drained soil, and you will find they are the perfect garden plant as they are hardy, easy to grow, and don't need much looking after! Lilacs come in all shapes and sizes, but choose carefully if you have limited space, as some varieties can grow up to 15 feet tall.


Photo: flickr.com/photos/fivealive


Crocus


Crocuses are popular with gardeners as they are among the first flowers to appear in the spring - they are rarely affected by frost or snow. They grow to about 6 inches tall with lovely pink, purple, yellow, or white petals.

Most crocus varieties prefer a sunny position and sandy soil, while others grow well naturalised in grass. They are all ideal for growing in containers, and look great with other spring flowers in bouquets.

Photo: lebensgeschichten.org

Daffodil


This bright flower is a sure sign that spring has arrived! Daffodils are usually white or yellow with a cup or trumpet shaped centre, and are amongst the only plants that rabbits and deer don't seem to eat!

Daffodils are hardy and easy to grow. They like sun or partial shade, and will grow in a variety of soil types. They are suitable for planting in borders and containers, or naturalised in grass. Plant the bulbs in the fall, and they will flower every year in the late winter or early spring.

Photo: flowers-kid.com


Judy

17 comments :

Mollie Ann said...

Oh, what a glorious garden you've crated here! *looks around for trowel and gardening gloves*

Unknown said...

Fabulous ideas for any garden, thanks for sharing Judy!

Michele said...

What a nice post, went to greenhouse yesterday and they had so many lovely flowers to choose from, love Spring/Summer flowers, thanks for the tips.

Unknown said...

Gorgeous!!!

SendingLoveGallery said...

Beautiful and inspiring Judy, thanks!

Beadsme said...

Great ideas. Wish I had a space for flowers. Too much Australian bush around me and in the garden.

Gemstones on My Mind said...

Gardens are the perfect spot for relaxing, enjoying a little garden wildlife, and creative inspiration. Thanks Judy for a beautiful feature!

Unknown said...

I love planting and tending flowers. These are some beautiful selections. So colorful and spring-like.

Keystring said...

Love all the Spring flowers!

Unknown said...

What a gorgeous, happy blog post!!!

Jennifer said...

There's something very special about spring flowers. They really stir the senses and give us hope!

Brooke said...

Beautiful! I miss lilacs and their amazing smell, cut them from the bushes in WI but don't see them out here on the West coast.

LoveStoneArts said...

How lovely and cheerful!!

Tracy said...

I just love spring!

Gambatte said...

What a lovely post! This really made me nostalgic for the beautiful flowers that grow in cooler climates.

jemsbyjb said...

I really love having fresh flowers in a vase to enjoy and smell. Just brought in some lilacs nd they smell heavenly. Thanks for the nice comments on the article.

Cher said...

Wonderful Spring flower feature... very cheerful! I do love lilacs especially... such a lovely fragrance :)