10 Flowers to Plant Now For a Stunning Spring Garden

by LaurenConrad.com

April 5, 2022

10 Flowers to Plant Now For a Stunning Spring Garden

There are many things to love about spring, but fresh florals must be at the top of our list. Whether you’re an avid gardener like Lauren or prefer picking out posies on your weekly trip to the farmers market, there’s no denying the positive effect spring blooms have on our mood. The fragrant smell of honey blossoms swirling in the air; blooming wild flowers bursting from the crevices of sidewalk cracks; gorgeous pastels and bold pinks color our sight on daily walks and hikes—these are a few of the things we love most about spring.

If you’ve got a green thumb, consider planting flowers to get gorgeous blooms in a few months’ time. By the time spring is in full swing and summer rolls around, you’ll have a steadily growing garden of beautiful flowers. Today, we have 10 flowers you can plant now {at this very moment!} for a stunning garden. Ranunculus, pansies, azaleas—it’s all here. Just make sure you check your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone, which can help you determine which plants thrive where you live. Keep reading for more.

1. Sunflowers

These sun-loving plants are easy to grow but require a little planning. Ideally, you should plants sunflower in late spring, when the ground is warm, between 60 to 70 degrees, according to Gilmour. Furthermore, sunflowers need a lot of water for germination and have a very short growing season {70 to 100 days}. Get more growing tips for sunflowers here.

2. Gardenias

We love the smell of gardenias in particular, so they are great flowers to grow in early spring. While gardenias are commonly flowers that thrive in the south, there are newer varieties that allow more gardeners to grow them outside of the southern region, per Kim Toscano at Southern Living Plant Collection.

3. Forget-Me-Nots

Forget-Me-Nots are gorgeous, easy-to-grow perennial plants. Woodland forget-me-nots are the most common species you’ll see in home gardens, and they thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8, per Masterclass.

4. Gladiolus

Any gladiolus fans out here? These bold florals love the sun and usually take 60-90 days to bloom. They can reach between two to five feet in height, prefer full sun, and do best in well-drained soil. Gladiolus are hardy in zones 8 to 10.

5. Hydrangeas

If there was a flower that screamed spring, it would be a hydrangea. These flowers grow quickly and tolerate a variety of soils. They come in so many beautiful colors depending upon the variety and prefer partial sun too. Many hydrangeas grow in hardiness zones 3 to 7 as perennials.

6. Pansies

Say hello to these colorful blooms that are great for beginners and thrive in zones 7 to 10. Depending on the variety {yellow, white, purple, to name a few}, they may have different growing characteristics. The great thing about pansies is they are pretty low maintenance, per Julie Martens Forney on HGTV.

7. Azaleas

These pretty little flowers are easy to maintain, but their upkeep will change depending on the variety. Depending on if they are deciduous, low-ground, tall, or weeping, their hardiness zones may change too, so be sure to identify the species that grows best in your area first.

8. Ranunculus

If you’ve always been a fan of the famous flower fields in Carlsbad, then you should consider adding ranunculus to your garden. To plant ranunculus in spring, hardiness zones 4 through 8 are ideal. They prefer well-drained soil and full sun, according to Masterclass.

9. Sweet Peas

Though delicate, sweet peas are a hardy flower that should be planted as soon as your soil is dry enough to work {Zone 7 and colder}, per Almanac. These flowers, like many others on this list, come in so many beautiful colors.

10. Marigolds

The amazing thing about marigolds is they can bloom almost non-stop, aren’t fussy, and love the heat. They thrive in the summer of zones 2 to 11 and can be easily propagated from seeds, according to Marie Iannoti of The Spruce.

What are some of your favorite spring flowers?

Drop a comment below, and best of luck on your gardening endeavors!

XO Team LC

Photo: Lauren Conrad

Affiliate links may have been used in this post.

Sources:

The Ultimate Guide to Growing Sunflowers. Gilmour.com

Toscano, Kim. How to Grow Gorgeous Gardenias. SouthernLivingPlants.com

How to Plant Forget-Me-Not Flowers in Your Garden. Masterclass.com

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Gladioli. Almanac.com

How to Plant, Grow, and Prune Hydrangeas, Almanac.com

Growing and Caring for Beautiful Hydrangea Flowers, Gilmour.com