Flowers and first blooms are the true sign that spring has arrived. There are early bloomers that gardeners eagerly anticipate to help forget winter’s long, cold months. The appearance of flowering shrubs, vines, and bulbs that bloom sooner than others marks the start of the vibrant season.
These early-blooming species are called heralds of spring. When they appear in the landscape, it is a sure sign that the warmer temperatures are approaching. Many of these plants bloom early to take advantage of abundant sunlight, since it is more readily available at this time, as other budding trees are developing full canopies. However, these species fade quickly after blooming.
Early Spring Flowers
Snowdrops
One of the earliest of all spring flowers is the snowdrop. These delicate little plants have bright white petals and are known for their remarkable ability to push through frozen ground. There are numerous varieties of snowdrops, varying in petal size and markings. Most varieties look like parasols, with petals shaped like spoons.
The flowers elegantly hang from a rather thin stem; on sunny days, they lift their petals. It may take a significant number of years to establish themselves in the garden, but once settled, they bloom every spring for many years to come.
Planting snowdrops on a south-facing slope gives them a big advantage. The southern exposure and well-drained soil help these bulbs bloom even sooner.
Crocus
Crocuses can bloom as early as snowdrops, and it is not a bulb but a corm. These flowers come in many different colours and sizes, depending on the variety. Colours include purple, blue, yellow, orange, pink, and white. They are very easy to maintain and require almost no care.
They do not need much watering beyond what rain provides and multiply on their own. One drawback of crocus is that wildlife often eats the buds before they fully bloom. These plants do well in full sun to partial shade and can grow in any well-draining soil. They work best in USDA growing zones 3a to 8a.
Lenten Rose or Christmas Rose
They are also known as Helleborus, but they are not true roses despite their names. They are evergreen perennials that grow about a foot tall and produce winter flowers that loosely resemble roses. The Christmas rose variety is often the first perennial to bloom each season. Its five-petaled white flowers open in January in southern areas and early March in northern areas. This type grows best in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8.
On the other hand, the Lenten rose variety blooms several weeks after the Christmas rose. This variety has nodding, bell-shaped flowers that come in colours including pink, rose, and white. They grow best in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 9. However, both varieties prefer locations with afternoon shade, thereby making them good choices for planting as groundcovers under trees. These plants should be fertilized each spring.
Adonis
This is a herbaceous perennial that needs no maintenance. Like snowdrops and crocus, adonis is also considered one of the earliest flowers to bloom in the yard. The blooms of these plants are yellow, and the leaves look similar to ferns. However, Adonis are inactive during summer, so the gardeners should plan and have some annual flowers ready to replace them.
They should be planted in full sun to produce blooms measuring one to two inches across. They grow in clumps and reach about one foot tall with an even greater speed. They grow best in rich soil that is moist and well-drained. They prefer full sun to partial shade, and grow best in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 7.
Pansy
In southern states, people grow masses of colourful pansies all through winter. In northern areas, they are grown in early spring or in the fall. When planted in the fall, they survive winter in most regions except the coldest parts of the country, and begin flowering again as soon as the snow melts.
These plants are short and compact, growing about 6 inches tall. The flowers are rounded with overlapping petals that look like little fans. They come in a variety of colours and colour combinations. They grow best when the weather is cool, somewhere between 45 and 65 degrees. They usually stop flowering or shrivel up when summer heat arrives.
It is best to plant them in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 11. It is ideal to fertilize them when planting and in early spring, if they were planted in the fall.
Violets
Violets are more like pansies and are grown as cool-season annuals. Like pansies, they can handle freezing temperatures and survive in zones as low as zone 4. They also tend to fade away when hot weather arrives. The violet plant’s flowers are smaller than pansies, and the shape is slightly different, too.
Pansies often have four petals pointing up and one pointing down, while violets have three petals pointing up and two pointing down. These plants need fertilizing at planting time and again in spring for fall-planted ones. They grow best in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 11.
Creeping Phlox
These are easy-to-maintain plants that produce small blossoms in clumps. When planted together on a sloped bank, they create a strong visual statement in the landscape.
These plants cannot tolerate drought very well, thereby requiring weekly watering. It is ideal to pull weeds as early as possible in spring so the phlox can access as many nutrients as possible to maintain its carpet-like bloom.
The blooms come in many colours, including red, white, blue, pink, rose, lavender, purple, and variegated. They grow well in full or partial sun and prefer loamy, well-drained soil. It does best in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8.
Snapdragons
They are another type of cool-season annual that blooms on tall spiky stems, featuring 1 to 2-foot tall stems. The flowers come in warm colours like red, gold, and hot pink. They don’t tolerate cold as well as pansies or violas when it comes to fall planting in northern areas. However, they can flower all winter in southern states and handle enough cold for early spring planting in the north.
This should be fertilized at planting and about 6 weeks later. The browned flower stalk must be cut off, and they might survive through summer to bloom again in fall. They are best grown in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11.
Conclusion
The first flowers of spring signal more colour and vibrancy after the dormant months of winter. These early blooms enrich the garden with beauty at a time when it matters most. A proper selection of plants can help a gardener prepare the landscape for the arrival of spring with its first flowers.
