Spring means it’s time to unfurl your flowers. You may have a lot of flowers to show the world. More than 2,600 companies sold more than $100,000 worth of flowers in 2019.
You can buy thousands of different species of flowers from thousands of different companies. It can be hard to know what the best early spring flowers are. But you can find the right ones out.
What are some great flowers that can add rich colors to your garden? How can you start planting flowers in spring? How should you design your garden to maintain your flowers?
Answer these questions and you can have a beautiful spring garden in no time. Here is your quick guide.
Violas
Violas are fast-growing flowers you can put in any spring garden. There are more than 500 separate species of flowers in the Viola genus, so you have many options for colors and textures.
Pansies are one of the most popular kinds of violas. They can survive early spring frosts and they don’t need full sunlight. You can find “Jolly Joker” pansies that have orange flowers and purple petals, creating an eye-catching color contrast.
Johnny Jump Up violas are also called wild pansies. They have the same colors as pansies, but the flowers are smaller. This makes them a good choice for a small garden.
Though violas don’t require a lot of sunlight, they do require a lot of water. Make sure to water your violas at least once a week.
The soil should be lukewarm. If the temperatures in March or April are still cold, you should start growing your violas inside and then move them outside.
Sweet Alyssum Flowers
Sweet alyssum is one of the best flowers to plant in February and March. They will bloom once the frost has passed, and they can bloom again in the fall. It is a fragrant plant, producing a scent akin to honey.
Sweet alyssum creates a living mulch that helps support taller plants. You may want to place your flowers along the edges of your garden or in the nooks between plants. You can also plant them in baskets that hang from trees or walls.
You should give your flowers an inch of water every week. The soil needs to be moist, but not too wet. You should also put them out in full sunlight, though you can place them in a slightly shaded area so the soil doesn’t dry out.
Sweet alyssum is an aggressive plant, so be careful with it. Place your flowers inside containers and make sure their pollen doesn’t spread throughout your garden.
Columbines
Columbine plants are spring-blooming flowers with purple and white petals. Hummingbirds like to fly to them and suck in their nectar. If you want to attract hummingbirds, you should place columbine flowers throughout your garden.
Columbines like moist and well-draining soil. You should make sure the soil is not too hot or too dry. You can grow them in partial shade with soft mulch if the spring becomes very hot.
You can help your flowers by using some yard drainage solutions. You can place a creek bed in your garden, channeling the excess water away from your soil. You can also install a dry well, which will move your pools of water into the subsoil.
Leaf miners can attack the flowers, creating squiggly lines that can ruin the aesthetics of your garden. You can spray your columbines with a little neem oil to kill the leaf miners.
You can also prune your plants just after they bloom. This can start a second wave of stem growth and bloom in the late spring.
Rhododendrons
Rhododendrons are as versatile as violas. You can find ones of different heights, shapes, and colors.
If you have a pine or oak tree in your garden, you can place rhododendrons under them. They will provide a great color clash against the brown bark.
Most rhododendrons are spring-blooming bulbs, though other species take until the summer to bloom in earnest. You should do your research and find a species or type of rhododendron that will bloom sooner rather than later.
Azaleas are one type of rhododendron that bloom in the spring. You should plant them in cool areas outside of full sunlight. The flowers have shallow roots, so your soil should be thin and a little acidic.
Snowdrops
Snowdrops have small white bulbs and thin green stems. The stems dangle the bulbs, making them seem like they are about to fall. If you’re growing a lot of rhododendrons and other flowers with big leaves, snowdrops are a good choice to fill in the gaps in your garden.
You should start planting your snowdrops right now. They can bloom in February, and they will become dormant in late spring. They will rest underground and then bloom again next year.
Leave the soil alone while the snowdrops are dormant. Many gardeners accidentally rip the soil up and kill their snowdrop seeds because they think there is nothing in the soil. You should place a marker indicating that you have snowdrops lying inside the ground.
The Best Early Spring Flowers
Early spring flowers bring a lot to your garden. Violas are diverse flowers with vibrant colors. Sweet alyssum offers a sweet and light fragrance.
Columbines and rhododendrons bloom early and thrive in a little shade. Snowdrops have a delicate appearance and will remain in the soil to bloom in the following year.
All of these flowers require moist soil and a moderate amount of sunlight. You should be mindful of pests and take steps to drain water out of the soil.
Landscaping your garden can help. Imperial Landscaping & Masonry, Inc. serves Cape Cod residences. Contact us today.