It is spring in my garden in northern Indiana, and the bulbs are showing off like crazy. Daffodils are everywhere, and tulips are poking up and getting ready to bloom. But sometimes I think the beautiful spring bulbs distract from all the other amazing plants that bloom in spring. So here are some of my other favorite spring-blooming perennials.
Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris, Zones 3–8) blooms as early as any bulb, and this little perennial is a sure sign of spring in my garden. It thrives in sunny, well-drained conditions. And unlike the daffodils it is blooming next too, it has ferny foliage that looks great all summer; moreover, the flowers are followed up by decorative seed heads.
These are what the seed heads look like after the flowers finish on the pasque flower. I like them almost as much as the flowers!
Primroses are a great part of spring, and this Primula sieboldii (Zones 4–9) is one of the best. Unlike some primroses, it is a long-lived perennial and doesn’t mind hot summers. The leaves can go dormant in the summer if it gets too dry, but then it will return unharmed to flower again next spring.
Bluets (Houstonia caerulea, Zones 4–9) are a wonderful little sign of spring. They are native to woodlands throughout most of eastern North America. Each individual flower is tiny, but when massed together they make great sheets of flowers.
Another favorite native woodland perennial is foam flower (Tiarella cordifolia, Zones 4–9), which creeps to make a carpet of beautiful foliage topped with these delicate sprays of white flowers. Tiarella are great in the garden, but they really prefer spots that stay moist and so aren’t a good choice for dry shade.
Mukdenia (Mukdenia rossii, Zones 4–8), on the other hand, does great for me in dry shade under a maple tree. The sprays of white flowers look great in the spring, and then the foliage keeps looking good the rest of the summer.
Phlox is an amazing genus of plants native to North America. I’ve never met a phlox I didn’t love, and there are way more species worth enjoying than we usually see in gardens. This is the stunning Phlox bifida (Zones 4–8) with its masses of almost lacy blooms in the spring.
My other favorite phlox is probably woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata, Zones 3–8), which, as the name suggests, is native to forested areas and is a beautiful addition to a lightly shaded garden.
What are your favorite spring bloomers? Send in some pictures for us all to enjoy!
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Comments
Joseph, these spring flowers are really amazing. I will save this article as there are too many beauties to merely jot down in my gardening notebook! This is a great education for me as I have hardly heard of any of the plants shown. I would have to say the “Bluets” are my favourite. I hope I can order some of these wonderful spring flowers on-line. Thanks for sharing your spring garden with us. Such a happy time of the year for a gardener.
Thank you so much for the display of native flowers, they are just gorgeous. As I âge I have notices more and more all the native beautiful plants around me. Nature is wonderful.
I agree with Sandy above. I’ve not heard of any of them. Thank you for sharing.
So very pretty! I love bluets and phlox. Also love primroses but they never do well for me - I've tried so many different places in my gardens.
Oh I love Bluets and had totally forgotten about them until your post! I have not seen them for decades- gotta get some soon!
Joseph Tychonievich highlights lesser-known spring bloomers beyond typical bulbs, showcasing a diverse array of perennials like pasque flowers and primroses.
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