Garden 14 Flowers to Plant in Early Spring for Colorful Blooms All Season Long Not all springtime bloomers need to be planted in fall. By Lauren Wellbank Lauren Wellbank Lauren is a lifestyle and gardening contributor for Martha Stewart. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Prevention, Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, and other highly regarded publications. Editorial Guidelines and Madeline Buiano Madeline Buiano Madeline Buiano is an associate editor at MarthaStewart.com, sharing her knowledge on a range of topics—from gardening and cleaning to home and pets. She has five years of writing and editing experience in the digital publishing industry. Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 29, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: fstockfoto / Getty Images While most early spring flowers need to overwinter in the ground to produce their trademark blooms when the weather warms, you can still plant a few seasonal beauties as the ground begins to thaw. The best part? Introducing a few of these varieties to your garden will extend your springtime show; after fall-planted blooms are through, a new wave of flowers will burst into color. Ahead, we're sharing a few plants that will give you plenty to look forward to all season long. Kip McConnell, VP of business development at Southern Living Plant Collection Linda Langelo, horticulture specialist at Colorado State University. 10 Vegetables to Plant in Early Spring Lily of the Nile Polonina Irina / Getty Images Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus) is a fast-growing, drought-tolerant plant with stalks that produce an explosive flower head that resembles a summer sparkler. "Their bold blooms are packed with color and make for terrific cut flowers," says Kip McConnell, the VP of Business Development at Southern Living Plant Collection. Ever Sapphire or Little Blue Fountain are particularly wow-worthy varieties. The former blooms early and re-buds with multiple spikes of deep periwinkle flowers. Zone: 8 to 11Size: 4 feet tall x 2 feet wideGrowing conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil Gardenia Santiago Urquijo / Getty Images For an aromatic punch, consider planting a spring-blooming variety of gardenia in your garden, says McConnell. These florals produce stunning white single blossoms with cheerful yellow centers. Varieties like ScentAmazing will begin opening in spring and should re-bloom through the fall—they boast dark evergreen foliage year round. Zone: 7 to 10Size: 5 to 7 feet tall by 2 to 3 feet wideGrowing conditions: Full sun to full shade; rich, well-drained or clay soil Azalea fstockfoto / Getty Images The bold beauty of the azalea is what makes it one of the most loved spring-blooming shrubs in the country. They add a dazzling display of color to the landscape. "Most varieties offer three to four weeks of blooms, but re-blooming ones, such as Encore azaleas, begin in early spring and showcase four to six months of flowers throughout the year," says McConnell. Zones: 6 to 10Size: Depends on varietyGrowing conditions: Full sun, slightly acidic soil Pansies Alexandre Brochard Photographies / Getty Images Pansies (Viola × wittrockiana) can be grown as perennials, annuals, or biennials and have a wide range of colors and patterns in their flowers. "Add finished compost, bone meal, or granular fertilizer when planting pansies," says Linda Langelo, horticulture specialist at Colorado State University. "Be sure to place any of these outside the root zone so you don’t burn the roots." Zones: 7 to 11 (year-round), 3 to 6 (annual)Size: 4 to 8 inches tall x 4 to 6 inches wideGrowing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-draining soil with acidic pH Grape Hyacinth Dalzaca / Getty Images Grape Hyacinth (Muscari spp.) is a bulbous perennial that can be planted early in the season for showy purple blooms. It is susceptible to aphids and spider mites, so monitor it for these insects. The pollinator-friendly flower should be planted 3 inches apart and 3 inches deep for the best show. Zones: 3 to 11Size: 6 to 12 inches tall; will spread to fill in an areaGrowing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-draining soil Virginia Bluebell Grace Cary / GETTY IMAGES A perennial plant with rhizome roots that are native to the United States, Virginia bluebell (Mertensia virginica) is a beautiful bloom to grow in your spring garden. "These flowers are blue, but the flowers in the bud are pink and are in one-sided clusters or terminal racemes," says Langelo. Virginia bluebell requires more water in spring but stop watering when the plant is dormant. Zones: 3 to 10Size: 2 feet tall x 3 feet wideGrowing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; rich, moist soil Dahlia Michelle Westling Photography Dahlias are beloved for their disc shaped flowers that range in color from white and yellow to red and purple. If the leaves begin to yellow, the soil may have too much water, while wilting blooms indicate the soil is too dry. Avoid planting dahlias in clay soils, which prevent oxygen to the root system and can rot the tuber, says Langelo. Zones: 8 to 10Size: Varies depending on variety Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; organically rich, well-draining soil with high sand content How to Plant and Care for Dahlias, the Show-Stopping Fall Bloomers We Look Forward to Year After Year Purple Trillium Herman Bresser / Getty Images Purple trillium (Trillium erectum) is a perennial plant that boasts stalked purple-brown flowers that vary in color, as well as dark maroon, fleshy fruits. While it can be planted in early spring, it's important to note that purple trillium is a slower grower. When left alone in clumps, however, it will grow to fill in a large area, says Langelo. Zones: 8 to 10Size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 12 inches wideGrowing conditions: Dappled shade; organically rich, moist, well-drained soil Creeping Phlox Mariia Romanyk / Getty Images Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) is a native ground cover that produces evergreen mats that stay low to the ground. In spring it boasts flowers with deep purple petals and yellow stamens. "It will flower more in sunny locations in a cool climate," says Langelo. "This Phlox subulate is not bothered by powdery mildew like most others. But in hot, dry locations, it attracts spider mites." Zones: 3 to 9Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 12 inches wideGrowing conditions: Dappled shade to sun (in cool climates); humus-based, well-drained soil Lenten Rose Jacky Parker Photography / Getty Images A clump-forming herbaceous perennial, lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis) has large, cup-shaped flowers that are reminiscent of roses, hence its name. "There is variability in flower color, ranging from white to pink to light rose-purple, frequently with interior spotting," says Langelo. "The flowers have very showy yellow stamens." Zones: 4 to 9Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wideGrowing conditions: Partial to full shade; rich, humus-based, well-drained soil Columbine David Kish / GETTY IMAGES Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) is a pollinator-friendly plant that forms clumps of basal foliage with branching, leafy stems and flowers that vary in color, says Langelo. "Columbine suffers from leaf minor, which disfigures the foliage," she says. "It needs to be controlled early by removing infected foliage and spraying with neem oil." Zones: 3 to 8Size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 12 inches wideGrowing conditions: Full sun to part shade; rich, moist, well-drained soil Snapdragons Getty / judasstocker Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are tolerant of colder conditions, making them ideal for planting in early spring. A snapdragon plant has glossy dark green leaves and tubular flowers that vary in color. "The Latin name means "like a snout" because the flower resembles that of a dragon’s mouth," says Langelo. "Squeeze the throat of the flower and the flower snaps open." Zones: 7 to 11Size: 6 to 36 inches tall x 12 inches wideGrowing conditions: Full sun to part shade; rich, loamy, well-drained soil Blood Root Robert Winkler / Getty Images Native to the eastern United States, blood root is very tolerant to drought and dry soil. A member of the poppy family, these flowers have showy white blooms with a yellow center that make any spring garden look instantly more cheerful. Zones: 3 to 8Size: 6 to 10 inches tall x 12 inches wideGrowing conditions: Dappled shade; organically rich, well-draining soil with pH of 5.5 to 6.5 Daffodils Nazar Abbas Photography / Getty Images While daffodils (Narcissus spp.) are commonly planted in fall, the bulbs can also go in the ground during early spring once the ground is workable. "Narcissus is a genus with 50 species of bulbous perennials," says Langelo. "Flowers feature a trumpet or cup, which is called the corona and are surrounded by six petals." Zones: 4 to 8Size: 6 to 36 inches tall x 6 to 12 inches wideGrowing conditions: Dappled shade; well-draining soil How to Grow and Care for Tulips, the Low-Maintenance Spring Bloomer Every Gardener Should Plant Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit