20 Flowers To Plant Now For Gorgeous Spring Color

Garden Verbena

• When To Plant: After danger of frost has passed
• Botanical Name: Verbena x hybrida
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy, sandy
• Soil pH: 6.5-7.5

You can find a garden verbena for almost any sunny spot in the garden. Low-growing varieties make good ground cover, while hanging baskets can decorate the porch and the taller verbenas show off in borders. Their long bloom season lasts from spring until fall. Most varieties thrive in heat and tolerate drought. Verbena dislike overcrowded conditions and soggy soil; amend the soil and space the plants well apart so they have plenty of air circulation.

Pentas

• When To Plant: After danger of frost has passed
• Botanical Name: Pentas lanceolata
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained
• Soil pH: 6.0-7.0

From spring to fall, pentas flowers like crazy, bringing butterflies and hummingbirds into your garden. The scarlet or pink flowers with pink centers are irresistible to them. Chartreuse- or black-leaved sweet potatoes are perfect partners. They can be grown as a perennial in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 10 and 11 and an annual elsewhere. Plant them in full sun and deadhead spent flowers to encourage more blooms.

Lupines

• When To Plant: Sow seeds outdoors 4-8 weeks before last spring frost
• Botanical Name: Lupinus spp.
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Well-drained, sandy, loamy
• Soil pH: Varies

Many lupines, like the famous bluebonnets of Texas, hail from the wild meadows of the West. The hybrids prefer well-draining, rich, slightly acidic soil (Texas bluebonnets require alkaline soil). If you live in the Southeast, admire the charming flower spikes throughout spring, and then replace them with heat-loving flowers. Lupines are short-lived in areas with hot and humid summers.

Foxglove

• When To Plant: Spring once soil can be worked
• Botanical Name: Digitalis purpurea
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained but moist, organically rich
• Soil pH: 5.5-6.5

Foxglove flowers are 2 to 3 inches long and look like clusters of bells dangling from the sturdy stalks. Blooms vary in color from creamy white to dark pink and purple with spotted throats. They can be grown as far south as Zone 9, but do better with some protection from afternoon sun. This biennial is one of the easiest plants to grow, with 3-to-5-foot spikes that appear in its second year. When possible, plant foxgloves in protected areas next to walls or fences and away from windy locations. Foxglove is toxic, so keep it away from children and pets.

Pansies

• When To Plant: Late winter/early spring when soil can be worked
• Botanical Name: Viola × wittrockiana
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained but moist, organically rich
• Soil pH: 5.5-6.0

All pansies are violas but not all violas are pansies. The two words have become virtually interchangeable, but even though these plants share common origin, most large-flowering pansies are hybrids. Violas, also known as Johnny-jump-ups, are a compact version of pansies.

Both pansies and violas come in a variety of colors ranging from white to blue, red, orange, yellow, and purple. These small, compact annuals provide sporadic color in the winter months and then form a carpet of blooms in the spring. Pansies are great for containers and will grow in standard potting soil. They like full or partial sun, but need cooler temperatures to thrive. Many gardeners grow them as annuals, replacing them with heat-tolerant flowers in the summer.

Snapdragons

• When To Plant: Early spring when soil can be worked
• Botanical Name: Antirrhinum majus
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained but moist, organically rich
• Soil pH: 6.0-7.0

Snapdragons are great flowers for sunny borders, growing 6 to 36 inches tall, depending on selection. Medium and tall snapdragons work well in the middle or back of a border underplanted with pansies. Snapdragons come in many colors including white, pink, red, yellow, and orange.

Although snapdragons tend to slow down and stop blooming in heat of mid-summer, if you keep them watered, they will perk up and carry your garden through the fall. In Zones 7-10, snapdragons may be available for planting in the fall, then overwinter in the ground and re-bloom in spring.

Sweet William

• When To Plant: After danger of frost has passed
• Botanical Name: Dianthus barbatus
• Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun
• Soil Type: Moist, good drainage
• Soil pH: 6.5-7.5

These hardy, old-fashioned biennials or short-lived perennials in the carnation family are often grown as annuals. Each spring, dense clusters of fragrant white, pink, rose, purple, or bicolored flowers appear. The blooms look like small clouds on top of tall stems. Sweet William thrives in loamy, neutral or slightly alkaline soil in sun or in partial shade in hot summer climates.

Salvia

• When To Plant: After danger of frost has passed
• Botanical Name: Salvia spp.
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Type: Well-draining
• Soil pH: 5.5-6.5 (slightly acidic)

Salvia is a huge genus of plants that includes annuals like scarlet sage and perennials like Russian sage; some start to bloom in spring and others later in summer. The flowers bloom in gorgeous shades from fire-engine red to pink, pale lavender, and blue. The leaves often have a medicinal scent. These tough plants can withstand even the hottest summer days and will continue blooming until frost. Plant after the last frost of spring in well-draining soil, and they will require little maintenance from then on. Salvias are ideal for a coastal garden and are often a key plant in a dry garden.

Daffodils

• When To Plant: Plant bulbs in fall, transplants in late winter/early spring as soon as ground can be worked
• Botanical Name: Narcissus spp.
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Type: Good drainage
• Soil pH: 6.0-7.0

Sunny yellow daffodils are one of the first flowers to pop their heads up out of the ground after a cold winter. While the bulbs must be planted in fall, nowadays sprouting daffodils can be found in garden centers to plant in spring. The best part of planting these hardy perennials is they require minimal maintenance. The flowers follow the sun, so consider this when planting and be sure to have any shaded areas toward the back of the bed.

Flowering Quince

• When To Plant: Fall to late winter when ground can be worked
• Botanical Name: Chaenomeles hybrids
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained but moist
• Soil pH: 5.0-7.0

This shrub in the rose family is a sure sign of springtime, with fragrant flowers appearing early in the season. The shrubs are deer resistant, which is great if four-footed pests create chaos in your garden year after year. Flowering quince typically bursts into bloom before it leafs out, with varieties available in yellows, apricots, oranges, pinks, reds, and whites. These arching shrubs sometimes have thorns and can serve as a barrier at the edge of a property. If you have male and female plants, flowering quince will produce fruit that can be used in preserves.

Gerbera Daisies

• When To Plant: After danger of frost has passed
• Botanical Name: Gerbera jamesonii
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter
• Soil pH: 5.5-6.5

These happy blooms are a perennial in the Coastal and Tropical South, but they're usually treated as annuals everywhere else. Sturdy and vibrant Gerbera daisies are familiar flowers that bring a smile to everyone they encounter. These South African plants are sensitive to heavy or wet soil, which is why many gardeners use them as container plants. Plant them in rich, well-draining soil, making certain the crown is above ground level. In hotter climates, give them shade in the mid-to-late afternoon.

Cranesbill

• When To Plant: Spring or fall
• Botanical Name: Geranium maculatum and hybrids
• Sun Exposure: Partial, varies
• Soil Type: Well-drained, organically rich
• Soil pH: 6.0-7.5

Cranesbill geraniums get the name from the beak-like shape of their seeds. Choose the native woodland species to border the edge of your lightly shaded garden, or select a hybrid like 'Rozanne' to grow in full sun. Both will do well when planted in partial sun in well-drained, organically rich soil. And both are hardy perennials that can hold their own in occasionally dry soil in the summer heat.

Creeping Phlox

• When To Plant: After danger of frost has passed
• Botanical Name: Phlox subulata
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained, sandy, loamy, organically rich
• Soil pH: 6.0-8.0

This native, ground-hugging phlox transforms into a bright carpet of flowers each spring. Also known as moss phlox, it prefers moist but well-drained, organically rich soil and lots of sunlight. It can take some dappled shade in the afternoon in hot climates. Plant creeping phlox in rock gardens, along walls, and around garden edges.

Columbine

• When To Plant: Early spring, fall
• Botanical Name: Aquilegia spp.
• Sun Exposure: Partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained but moist
• Soil pH: 6.0-8.0

Columbine is a family of mostly woodland wildflowers that are perennial in Zones 3-8. Many hybrids exist today in a wide range of showy colors. Most columbine does well in part sun or dappled sunlight, but the plants can tolerate full sun in moister soil. Deadhead columbine to prolong its bloom, which can last into summer for some varieties.

Bleeding Heart

• When To Plant: Early spring
• Botanical Name: Dicentra spp.
• Sun Exposure: Partial, full shade
• Soil Type: Well-drained but moist, organically rich
• Soil pH: 6.0-6.5

Bleeding heart grows in moist woodlands, a factor to keep in mind when choosing a site for planting. The heart-shaped blooms in pink, red, or white appear on arching stems in late spring to light up the shade garden. Bleeding heart can perennialize in Zones 3-8, often disappearing to go dormant in the summer heat.

Impatiens

• When To Plant: After danger of frost has passed
• Botanical Name: Impatiens spp.
• Sun Exposure: Varies
• Soil Type: Well-drained but moist, organically rich
• Soil pH: 6.0-6.5

As soon as the weather warms in spring, every garden center in the South is decked out with the prolific blooms of impatiens. There are varieties for sun (SunPatiens), part sun (New Guinea impatiens), and light shade (common impatiens), so you can enjoy their bright colors in every area of the garden from spring until fall. All impatiens prefer well-drained, moist, organically rich soil, which makes them ideal for growing in containers. Impatiens is perennial in Zone 10 and warmer climates.

Azaleas

• When To Plant: Spring, fall
• Botanical Name: Rhododendron spp.
• Sun Exposure: Partial, dappled shade
• Soil Type: Well-drained but moist, organically rich
• Soil pH: 4.5-6.0

Azaleas are differentiated from other rhododendrons by their small, thin leaves and better tolerance to heat—some can be grown as far south as Zone 9. Most common garden varieties bloom in March or April, though the Encore series blooms again in fall. While these shrubs are often planted in the fall, if you wait to plant azaleas in spring you have the advantage of seeing the color of their flowers. Get them in the ground while the weather is still cool, adding compost and a good layer of mulch around the plant.

Catmint

• When To Plant: After danger of frost has passed
• Botanical Name: Nepeta x faassenii
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained
• Soil pH: 6.5-7.5

Any sunny garden in Zones 5-9 can benefit from vigorous and hardy catmint. This aromatic perennial will tolerate most soils—as long as it is well-drained—and won't succumb to deer or drought. Plant it along a path where you can brush past and enjoy the scent, or somewhere near a patio. Shear the plants after a late-spring flowering to encourage another bloom in summer.

False Indigo

• When To Plant: Spring to early fall
• Botanical Name: Baptisia spp.
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained
• Soil pH: 6.8-7.2

False indigo is a tough, pea-like native with gorgeous blue, purple, yellow, or white flower spikes in spring. Later, the fruits dry into interesting black pods. Because of its taproot, false indigo is drought-tolerant and long-lived, but it doesn't like being moved after its established. You can find a number of colors and cultivars through specialty nurseries and online catalogs.

Wallflower

• When To Plant: Early spring; seeds may be sown in fall or spring
• Botanical Name: Erysimum x hybrida
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy, sandy
• Soil pH: 7.0-9.0

Despite the name, wallflower is a real show-off in the spring garden. The name comes from the plants' ability to grow out of cracks in walls. Wallflower shines best when planted in well-drained, average or sandy soil in full sun. It doesn't like heat and is usually treated as a spring-time annual in the South.