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10 Delightful Plants for Early Spring Flowers

Published on March 8, 2019Last updated November 18, 2021 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

This post contains affiliate links.
Read full disclosure statement here.

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Want perennial flowers that bloom in spring from the moment winter fades? These favorites from my garden provide continuous bloom in spring.

For a printable list, also see Perennial Flower Bloom Times for Every Season.

Apple blossoms in early spring garden.

Perennial Flowers That Bloom in Spring

White daffodils and primroses blooming in early spring.

As a complete flower fanatic, one main goal for my garden is continuous blooms. I want something in bloom from the moment later winter will allow it until everything fades in late fall. Flowers and more flowers! Perennials. Lots of them, in all different colors, textures, heights, and sizes.

I have shared a printable list of favorite flowers through the seasons here, including hardiness zones so you can pick what’s right for your climate.

Today, we’re looking at examples from my own garden from late winter and spring. This should give you lots of ideas for your garden. They are not fancy or rare: just reliable and beautiful.

I’m using the word ‘perennial’ rather loosely here, meaning any plants, shrubs, or trees, and some bulbs, that bloom year-after-year without me having to do anything but admire them.

Scroll down if you would like my Spring Gardening Checklist.

Spring Flowering Perennials
Early spring flowers

1White Bleeding Heart | Dicentra spectabilis ‘Alba’ (zones 3 to 9)

White bleeding heart in spring garden.
Native bleeding heart in the spring garden

You’re probably familiar with pink bleeding hearts. I am in love with this white one. I bought it as a wee thing at a local plant sale several years ago and it just gets better each year. I look forward to the blooms like an excited little kid every spring.

2Primrose | Primula vulgaris (zones 4 to 8)

Primrose flowers.
Primrose in the spring garden

This is another plant obsession. There are several types of hardy primroses in all sorts of colors, and I want all of them. I’m in zone 6 and whenever we have a winter melt, the flowers are right there, blooming away!

Purple primrose flowers.
Purple primroses

I’ve also noticed that the plant’s behavior changes quite a bit between various plants: some stay fairly small, and others really sprawl, growing a lot of new leaves and bigger blooms. I’m fine with both.


Dark and light pink peony flowers.

Related: How to Grow Peonies & Get Blooms


3Royal Star Magnolia | Magnolia stellata ( zones 4 to 9)

White magnolia flowers.
White magnolia bloom

When I originally planted this magnolia it was kind of gangly looking.

After a few years I dug it up and lugged it to a sunnier location away from other trees and it’s doing much better.

Unlike other teacup magnolias, the flowers have long narrow petals and buttery yellow centers.

It’s different and beautiful.


Collage of images from early summer garden.

Related: 8 Early Summer Garden Chores That Matter Most


4Apple Trees (zones vary)

I have several types of apples trees and each produces slightly different blooms, ranging from white to pink. I love watching as the blooms form, open, and then gradually change into tiny apples over a number of weeks.

Pink blossoms on apple tree branch in spring garden.
Apple tree in bloom in spring

If you want a blast of blooms in your spring garden, consider adding some fruit trees.

Apple tree blooms in spring.
Close-up of apple blooms

5Iris (zones 3 to 8, some to zone 10)

I don’t know the name of this iris but it’s one of the few plants that came with the garden when we bought our house.

Like any irises, it multiplies and appreciates dividing every few years. The blooms on this particular iris do not last very long (sometimes only a few days), but, boy oh boy, are they dramatic.

Do your homework first and see if you can find some that flower longer.

Purple iris blooms in spring garden.
Iris blooms in spring

6White Daffodils (zones 3 to 8)

You may have noticed a theme here: I love white flowers. I’m not fond of yellow daffodils but these white ones are gorgeous.

I don’t have the name but if I locate it, I’ll add it here. Ruffled and creamy-white, they are perfect with the eye-popping colors of the primulas.

White daffodils and hardy primroses in spring garden.
Daffodils and primroses

7Crocus (zones 3 to 8)

I think we all grew tired of crocuses years ago, until some new ones started popping up. These ones were planted by the squirrels and I quite like them.

Light purple crocus blooms in spring garden.
Crocuses in spring

8Forget Me Nots (zones 3 to 8)

It’s flower, it’s a weed, it’s everywhere! I have a mixed relationship with forget-me-nots.

I would never recommend intentionally planting them but for many of us, they are here to stay. In fact, some areas list them as invasive species.

In my garden, it grows like a weed. And, when it’s in bloom, it’s so pretty.

And when it turns to seed, it is quite possibly the ugliest thing ever to grace the garden. Gah!

No matter, there’s no way I can stop it, so each year I enjoy some of the flowers and try to yank most of the plants out before too many seeds start their evil plan for next year.

Forget me nots in spring garden.
Forget-me-nots in spring

9Ferns

Wait a minute. That’s not a flower. But it kind of is. I have these wild (volunteer) ferns in one section of my garden and they are gorgeous.

Each spring, their nubby heads emerge from the soil and those beautiful green spirals gradually shift from tight balls to full fern leaves.

It is its own blooming of sorts. And, it is greenery like this that makes the colourful flowering perennials really stand out.

Unfurling ferns in spring garden.
Ferns in spring

10Hellebore | Helleborus spp.(zones 4 to 8)

Be still, my heart. I love hellebores. There are oodles of choices and each one is swoon worthy.

Hellebores blooming in spring garden.
Hellebores in spring

Here’s a few more:

11. Anemone ranunculoides (zone 4+)

12. Aquilegia vulgaris (zone 3+)

13. Bergenia ciliata (zone 6+)

14. Brunnera macrophylla (zone 3+)

15. Eranthis hyemalis (zone 4+)

16. Euphorbia polychroma (zone 4+)

17. Trollius x cultorum (zone 3+)


Hellebores blooming in early spring.

Related: Perennial Flower Bloom Times From Spring to Fall


Resources

Find Your Frost Dates & Hardiness Zone

Plant Hardiness Zones | United States flag United States | Canadian flag Canada
These are listed on seed packets and plant tags to guide your choices.

Average Frost Dates | Use this calculator at Almanac.com. Enter your city and state or province to find your first and last frost dates and number of frost-free days.

Ecoregion | Learn about local native plants, animal species, and environmental conditions to make garden choices that benefit your ecosystem.

Learn More: Understanding Frosts & Freezing For Gardeners

Ebook

Seed Starting For Beginners ebook cover.

Seed Starting for Beginners
Sow Inside Grow Outside

by Melissa J. Will

NEW EDITION | Everything you need to get started with indoor seed starting for indoor and outdoor plants. Grow what you want—any time of year!

About This Ebook | Visit Ebook Shop

This ebook is a digital file (PDF format) you save to your device. It is not a physical product.

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$8 US

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Free Printable Spring Gardening Checklist

If you would like to save and print the checklist (below), or keep it on your device, use the Add to Cart button (below). You can also read more about Spring Gardening Tips here.

Empress of Dirt

FREE TIP SHEET

Spring Gardening Checklist

File provides an overview of tasks to complete in the spring garden.

Empress of Dirt Spring Gardening Checklist.
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The download link will be sent to your email.
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This free tip sheet is in PDF format and can be read on any device with Adobe Reader (free). Watch where the file saves on your device so you know where to find it.

Flower on,

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

White daffodils and primroses blooming in early spring.
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Melissa J. Will - Empress of DirtWelcome!
I’m Melissa J. Will a.k.a. the Empress of Dirt (Ontario, Canada).
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