8 Early Spring Flowers to Add Color to Your Yard
If you are anything like me, when March rolls around, you are itching for Spring and the colors it brings. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting, I’m going to share some of my favorite early spring flowers that will add a touch of brightness and color to your outdoor space.
Where we live, here in Oregon, these blooms start as early as February and we enjoy these selections every year!
The best part about these eight early spring flower ideas that I’m going to give you, is that most of them are bulbs or shrubs, meaning that once you plant them, they come back every year. With that being said, you can choose one or two flowers to add to your space every year, and within a few years, come early spring, your outdoor space will be filled with color.
8 Early Spring Flowers to Add Color to Your Yard
1. Daffodil Flowers: Classic and Cheerful
I think most people think of Daffodils as the classic spring flower, I know I do. With their cheerful yellow, white, or orange blooms, these perennial flowers are a forever favorite. A lot of times you will see them lining fences, sprinkled under trees, or growing wild along country roads.
Where we live, the Daffodils are a bold, sunny contrast to the gray skies of March and serve as a bridge over the rainy season till we arrive at better weather.
Planting and Care Tips: Daffodil bulbs can be purchased at your local farm store and can be planted in the fall or early spring, 4-6 inches deep in well-drained soil. They like partial or full-sun locations and require little maintenance once planted. After flowering, the blooms and foliage will die, you can then trim them all very close to the ground, and they will disappear until next year.
Note: Don’t eat Daffodils, they are poisonous to both humans and pets.
2. Crocuses Flowers
As early as late winter or early spring, depending on where you live, crocuses—with small, vibrant flowers in purple, yellow, and white hues—are among the first flowers to bloom in early spring, often poking their way through the last of winter’s snow.
Here in Oregon, we can sometimes see them as early as February. Lining pathways, dotting flower beds, and popping up in unexpected places, these low-to-the-ground early spring flowers are ones that we always look forward to seeing every spring.
Planting and Care Tips: Crocus bulbs can be purchased at your local farm store in winter/early spring and can be planted in well-drained soil in a location that receives a good amount of sunlight. Crocuses are low-maintenance and don’t require much attention after planting.
3. Hyacinths: Sweet-Smelling Spring Blooms
Alongside Crocuses and Daffodils, you have probably seen the Hyacinths with their dense, upright clusters of bell-shaped flowers adding yet another color to spring’s canvas. Hyacinths are commonly purple-ish blue, but can also come in other color variations such as pink, white, orange, and even red.
Furthermore, these early spring bloomers feature a light, floral, earthy scent that helps to awaken our senses to spring.
Planting and Care Tips: Hyacinth bulbs are typically planned in the fall about 4-5 inches deep. They thrive in well-drained soil and in partial to full-sun locations. Covered the ground with a nice layer of mulch will also help with drainage and prevent bulb rot. Then, once Hyacinths are planted, they require little maintenance.
4. Tulips: Sweet-Smelling Spring Blooms
In Oregon, Tulips are a quintessential spring favorite. In fact, we live about 15 minutes from the world-renowned Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival. Fields of gorgeous blooms dot the landscape while snow-covered Mt. Hood stands tall in the background, it doesn’t get much better.
At home, we have tulips dotted here and there in our flower beds and the kids are always the first to announce when they open.
Planting and Care Tips: Tulip bulbs can be purchased at your local farm store and can be planted in the fall or early spring in well-drained soil in a nice sunny spot.
5. Lilacs: Sweet-Smelling Spring Blooms
Lilacs are beautiful, fragrant flowering shrubs loved for their stunning blooms and sweet, soothing scent. We have two Lilac bushes in our front yard, and every spring, their floral scent permeates the air around the entrance of our house and is delightful.
Lilacs come in soft, lovely shades of purple, pink, cream, and white and bloom in early spring, often after the crocuses and daffodils. Their sweet scent can fill the air, making them a popular choice for planting near windows, doors, or patios.
6. Snowdrops
Snowdrops are small, low-growing plants with slender stems and white, teardrop-shaped flowers. They are a lovely addition to the spring landscape and blend well when combined with other spring blooms.
Planting and care tips: Snowdrops grow well under the canopy of trees or in partial shade. They like nice, moist soil and make a statement when grown together in groups.
7. Peonies
Peonies are perennial flowering plants that bloom in late spring to early summer. They are loved around the world for their large, ruffled petals and light, flowery scent.
Peonies come in a wide array of varieties. There are peony shrubs and even peony trees! Their large bowl-like blooms can be just about any color except blue. The most common colors of peonies are pink and white.
Planting and Care Tips: Peony tubers should be planted in the fall so the roots have time to get established before spring. Make sure you plant peonies in full sunshine and well-drained soil.
8. Pansies
Pansies (Violas) are admired for their color variety and distinctive “face-like” designs on their petals. They prefer the cooler weather and are perfect for flower bed borders and gardens.
I like to plant Pansies in my garden because they attract early pollinators and help to repel the slugs. Fun fact, Pansies are also edible.
Planting and Care Tips: Pansies like to be planted in cool places with only partial sun. They like well-drained soil and can tolerate light frosts.
More of my Favorite Gardening Posts:
Best Easy-to-Grow Herbs for Beginners
Early Spring Flowers Q & A
1. What are the best early spring flowers to plant?
The best flowers to plant in the early spring are tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, crocuses, snowdrops, peonies, and lilacs. These early-blooming, cold-hardy blooms frequently arrive before the final frost of the season and often even in the snow.
2. When should you plant early spring flowers?
Fall is the ideal season to plant most early spring flower bulbs and tubers. However, you can also plant them in early spring if the soil is workable.
3. Can early spring flowers tolerate frost?
Indeed, a lot of early spring flowers can withstand frost, including daffodils, crocuses, and snowdrops. They can bloom even while there is still frost present since they have adapted to live in frigid climates. If you are concerned, perhaps with peonies or other early blooms, you can always cover your flowers at night with a lightweight sheet or frost cloth to protect their delicate flowers.
4. How long do early spring flowers bloom?
The bloom time for early spring flowers varies, but will typically last anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks. The exact bloom period will depend on your particular temperatures and weather conditions.
5. Can early spring flowers grow in containers?
Absolutely! Many early spring flowers can be grown in containers, making them perfect for small spaces like patios, decks, or balconies. For example, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses all do well in pots with well-draining soil with lots of access to good sun.
