After a long cold winter, a colorful blossom poking its head through the chilly earth’s surface is a welcome sight. There are an unlimited number of flowering bulbs that can be planted in the fall to produce beautiful spring flowers in abundance. This is a great way to add color to your garden, however it takes time, money, and planning ahead to make it happen.
A great, inexpensive way to enjoy color in your spring garden is to plant perennials (plants having a life cycle lasting more than two year). You can obtain perennial plants by purchasing them at your local garden center, which is an excellent method since they will be able to provide information on what plants do well in your specific location. You can also ask friends or family members for a cut of their plants, since perennials do best if they are divided every few years, because it promotes fresh growth.
One of my all time favorites, as it is always the first plant to bloom in my garden, and it has a vivid deep purple flower, is the Iris Reticulata. This plant is typically shorter than the bearded iris, but the flowers are just as beautiful. It’s a very hardy plant, and as long as it has enough sun, and the soil is well drained, it is very prolific. Therefore it is a great one for sharing with other gardeners.
Another vibrant spring bloomer is the Primrose, which comes in many different varieties and colors. Choose one that works well with your climate and soil type, as well as making sure that the plant is suitable for the amount of light in your garden, since they also vary on whether they are full sun, or shade tolerant. An easy to care for, hardy choice is the Double English Primrose which is shade loving and does well in any soil type, as long as it gets plenty of moisture.
Phlox is another great choice, as it is hardy, comes in a variety of colors, and tolerates poor soil conditions. It makes a great ground cover, and also does well in rock gardens, and border areas. It spreads, but is not invasive. The flowers are small and usually come in shades of pink, purple, or white. It does require full sun exposure, but can get by with very little moisture.
A shade loving plant that produces small blue, pink, or white flowers is Lungwort. It is also a very hardy plant that will produce colorful foliage all summer long, but really cannot tolerate much sun at all. It does well in moist soil and makes a nice ground cover.
There are a great many other choices for adding early color to your garden, and perennials are an investment that will pay you back year after year. For added color in between bloom times, you can fill in with colorful annuals that are suitable for your area. However, having a garden that consists of primarily perennials can be enjoyable, cost effective, and a great way to landscape your property.
Source(s):
http://www.perennials.com/
