Gardening Guest Post: "Go-to Plants for Spring"

According to the Farmers’ Almanac this week began the “The most fruitful days” to plant. However, how many of us actually want to wait until after April 16th to put in Spring flowers when the weather has been as gorgeous as it’s been lately? Me either! 

Cheryl asked me to share my “go to” spring plants. So I really racked my brain trying to come up with something fabulous, but…..brain block. So this past weekend as I was getting ready to put my spring plants in the ground (I know Mr. Farmer’s Almanac….non-fruitful days), I thought why wouldn’t I share what I’ve chosen. You see we moved into a home that had been vacant for 5 years, so last spring we spent cleaning up the yard, this year I was super excited to start putting down my foundation. Then it clicked; my “go to” spring plants is exactly what I was planning to plant. While they may not be extremely exciting or fabulous, they are beautiful and pack a punch alone or paired with other plants. So here goes:

#1: I’m a foliage girl! To me it’s beautiful and low maintenance. It looks beautiful in pots, the ground, cut in a vase, etc. Just think outside the box and look for the beauty in foliage. Hostas! They come back each year, spread like crazy, and are pretty much care free. Just a quick Pinterest search brought up the following examples: I’m doing the one in the galvanize bucket!

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#2: Next foliage choice would be Caladiums for the very same reason as Hostas – BEAUTIFUL. Now depending on your climate these can be perennials or annuals. You can dig them up and store the bulbs for the next year.

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Not going to bore you with just the foliage so … here are my flowering choices.
#3: Superbells. This year I went with the Lemon Slice Superbell. Million Bells and Super Bells come in several colors. They like sun, not to be too wet, and prefer living in a pot. Boy are the eye catching! Google resulted this image....


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#4: Next on my flowering list is Mandevilla. This is a tropical style plant that likes the sun and has always been really easy for me to grow. They are annuals, but they can be overwintered if you’re up to it. Typical colors are pink, red, and white. This year I went with white.



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#5: Lastly, my absolute favorite requires a bit more patience. It is typically bought in bulb form and requires a few years before they become blooming beauties. They come in different blooms, colors, and fragrances. But they are hands down the Queen of the Garden in my opinion; the Peony.  Cheryl blogged about it last year HERE. All you have to do in put them in the ground in a sunny place and let ‘em go!



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Regardless of what you choose to plant this year, just remember to check the Plant Zone Map for your area and stick to flowers that grow well for your zone. When in doubt check your local USDA Cooperative Extension for your plant questions. 

Happy planting!

Bonnie

You can read Bonnie's post from last year HERE. Great tips!!