After a long winter, we are all eager to welcome colorful blooms and lush greenery back into our gardens and landscapes. The spring season offers the perfect opportunity to refresh our outdoor spaces with beautiful new annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees adapted to thrive in springtime weather across various garden situations.
When selecting plants for the spring garden, it’s important to consider factors like sunlight exposure, soil type, mature size, and desired color. With thousands of plant possibilities, it can get overwhelming for both novice and experienced gardeners. That’s where an experienced local nursery like Plants for All Seasons can provide invaluable guidance. Let’s explore some of the standout plant varieties to enrich your gardens this spring.
Fantastic Annuals for Sunny Spring Color
Annual flowers and vegetables are seasonal favorites that complete their entire lifecycle within one growing season Here are some recommended annuals that deliver bold spring color
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Marigolds – Available in yellow, gold, orange, red, and multi-colored blooms, marigolds bring cheery color to containers and garden beds. They thrive in full sun exposure.
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Zinnias – Few annuals can match the rainbow of color options from the Zinnia family The Profusion series offers disease resistance
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Petunias – Both spreading and upright petunias provide vivid color in shades of pink, purple, blue, red and white. They like sun but tolerate some shade.
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SunPatiens® – Bred for improved heat and sun tolerance, these vigorous varieties offer long-lasting color in containers and landscape beds.
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Vegetables – Pepper, tomato, squash and other vegetable transplants are always plentiful in spring.
Perennials for Repeating Color
While annuals shine for one season, herbaceous perennials provide lasting value, returning year after year Some perennial gems for spring include
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Daylilies – Available in almost every color but blue, daylily flowers power through spring with their grassy, drought-tolerant foliage.
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Russian Sage – Feathery lavender-blue flower spikes add texture. Attracts pollinators!
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Salvia – The Salvia family includes spring-blooming meadow sage and Caradonna sage varieties, with rich blue hues.
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Iris – Bold irises flaunt flowers in purple, yellow, white and blue, atop blade-like green leaves.
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Coral Bells – Clumping perennials with arching leaves and tiny bell-shaped blooms. Add these for multi-season interest.
Captivating Shrubs for Flowering Interest
No spring landscape is complete without ornamental shrubs and bushes providing floral displays, bold foliage and architecture. Some top picks include:
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Azaleas – Few spring flowers can match the impact of azalea blooms blanketing bright green leaves. Needs acidic soil.
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Hydrangeas – Varieties like Bigleaf offer large, clustered blooms in white, pink or blue. Do best in morning sun, afternoon shade.
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Rhododendrons – Another acidic soil lover, rhododendrons produce abundant clusters of vibrant trumpet-shaped flowers in spring.
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Spirea – One of the most diverse spring-flowering shrub groups, with plumes of white to pink blooms on varieties like Bridal Wreath.
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Weigela – Prized for its spring display of tubular red, pink or white flowers contrasting lush green leaves. Attracts hummingbirds.
Trees for Flowering Drama and Shading Shelter
Spring is a prime time for planting trees to eventually deliver stature, shade, and often spectacular floral displays:
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Redbud – A beloved native tree known for its trailing branches smothered in bright pinkish-purple blooms in early spring.
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Dogwood – The classic spring flowering tree, beloved for its burst of white (or pink) cross-shaped blossoms.
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Magnolia – Magnolia trees like the Southern Magnolia and Saucer Magnolia dazzle with supersized, fragrant white blooms.
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Crape Myrtle – Available in a rainbow of colors like red, purple, pink and white, summer-blooming crepe myrtle trees first leaf out in spring.
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Japanese Maple – While valued mostly for its vivid red or golden fall color, Japanese maple trees first awaken with delicate new leaves tinted pink or red in spring.
With expert guidance from the knowledgeable staff at Plants for All Seasons, you can curate the ideal plant palette to give your garden renewed vibrancy this spring. Visit their expansive nursery in Spring, TX to explore thousands of annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees and more selected to flourish in the Houston area. Get ready to refresh your garden for a colorful springtime!
