How to Plan a Flower Strewn Spring Garden?

"Lantana camara flowers"

After a winter of cold, rain, snow, wind, gray skies and generally uninspiring vistas, the first days of spring are a contrast in color, scent, and warmth. Watching the landscape come to life is half the fun of this seasonal change. Putting some items into place in fall can ensure a fabulous, jaw-dropping floral display that will have your neighbors grinding their teeth in envy.

Spring bloomers

If you are a smart gardener, you planted some bulbs in fall so that you can have a bounty of blooming plants in the garden. Spring bloomers should be planted from September to October. This will get them in the ground in time before the soil freezes and give them enough chilling time to break dormancy.

With most bulbs it is best to plant them in clusters for sweeping displays. Also, plant each bulb 2 to 3 times as deep as the length of the bulb. Make sure the soil is well draining, as boggy soil is a death sentence for bulbs, causing rot and damage. Some bulbs to try are tulip, daffodil, hyacinth, and snow drop.

Annuals and perennials

If you didn't get your bulbs in or you simply want some variety, annuals are a great idea in spring. You can get great deals on plants like pansies and primrose. The real deal comes when you plant perennials, however. These will reliably bloom year after year. Hellebores and trillium add foliar interest as well as woodland flowers. Anemones gambol across the garden bed, while wallflower, pulmonaria, cyclamen, and winter daphne herald the beginning of spring.

Bleeding hearts pour out their emotions and spurge stands defiantly yellowish green. There is no end of plants that send out their blooms in spring, but you may want to consider sticking to native plants with a good chance of surviving your region’s winters without special care.

Blooming trees

Selecting spring flowering plants will ensure a dramatic spring display in your garden. This includes trees. There are a host of spring blooming trees, many of which are fruiting but a few that just bloom for the heck of it. Lilacs are an old-fashioned classic with potent scent and powerful purple power.

Redbud electrifies the landscape with bright pink blooms, but magnolia is the real queen of the garden with its huge velvety flowers. Some other flowering trees to try might be Carolina silverbell, dogwood, fringe tree, forsythia and Pee Gee hydrangea.

Trees add height, wildlife habitat, shade, and the full effect of a mature tree in bloom will blaze in your mind and delight your senses.