Planting spring flowering plants in the fall creates an even prettier spring yard! Flowering spring bulbs can even show their blooms when snow is melting on the ground. Here is a list of plants that give us a show early-to-late spring. From spring through fall, anytime you add plants, you’ll be happy you did because they will be enjoyed for years to come.
Spring Blooming Bulbs
These bulbs are available in late summer for you to plant in the fall when temperatures start dropping. Bulbs are one of the more popular plants because of how easy they are to plant. Fall planted bulbs need the cold dormancy period of winter before they bloom in the spring. Plant your bulbs around your late sprouting perennials to fill in the area before the foliage grows in to create a succession of blooms. If you have deer around, look for deer resistant logos on the bulb boxes.
GALLERY OF FALL PLANTED BULBS FOR EARLY SPRING BLOOMS
Allium – Purple small or large round blooms
Crocus – Bloom colors include purple, yellow, or white
Grape Hyacinth – Purple Blooms
Yellow Daffodils in early spring before perennial plants emerge.
Tulips – Many color varieties of solid or multi-colored!
White Daffodils with Grape Hyacinth
Yellow Daffodils with pink and purple Hyacinth
Snowdrop – Blooms are bright white
Perennials
Perennials are herbaceous, which means their foliage dies down each fall and will regrow in the spring. These highlighted perennial varieties come up earlier in the spring and create an early show of color!
GALLERY OF PERENNIALS FOR SPRING BLOOMS:
Bleeding Hearts – Variety bloom colors include pink, pink and white, white, or red.
Veronica – Variety bloom colors include blue, purple, white, or pink. Shown: Blue Bomb
Hellebores are the harbingers of spring. Hellebores – Variety bloom colors include white, pink, purple, or yellow.Shown: Honeymoon Series Mix. Credit: Walters Gardens
Columbine – Variety bloom colors include pink, red, blue, or purple.
Bleeding Hearts – Variety bloom colors include pink, pink and white, white, or red.
Pigsqueak a.k.a Bergenia – Variety bloom colors vary from white to dark pink. Shown: Winter Glow
Jacob’s Ladder- Bloom color is white with yellow center.
Sweet Woodruff- Small white blooms. Great ground cover.
Bugleweed – Small bluish purple flowers. Great ground cover.
Armeria – Variety blooms colors include pink, white, or red. Shown: Splendens
Woodland Forget-Me-Not – True blue bloom color. Great as a spreading underplanting.
Rosylva Forget-Me-Not
Dutchmans Breeches – Bloom color is white to pink.
Cushion Spurge – Variety colors include red, orange, white, pink or, yellow. Great fall foliage color as well. Great ground cover.
Shrubs
Shrubs drop their foliage each fall unless they are evergreen shrubs. Their woody structures stand over winter, creating winter interest in your yard. Shrubs can create a focal point among perennials and are used to easily create a larger grouping of blooms in the spring. We’ve all seen lilacs blooming in the spring but we’d like to show many other options to consider for an array of blooms in the spring.
Chokeberry – Blooms delicate white blooms and also has bright orangish red fall leaves. Shown: Mound
Rhododendron – Bloom colors vary from purple, lavender, peach, or red. Shown: PJM
Pussy Willow – Silvery fluffy catkins grow before foliage fills in for lovely texture and contrast in spring. Shown: Salix discolor
Serviceberry – Blooms white flowers every spring, and produces edible fruit. Brilliant orange and red in the fall. Shown: Standing Ovation
Azalea – Variety bloom colors include red, orange, yellow, and pink. Shown: First Editions® Electric Lights™ Red Azalea
Viburnum – Blooms white flower cluster. Vibrant fall colors as well and some varieties are great for multi-season hedge. Shown: Snow Viburnum
Barberry – The foliage of these shrubs are lovely! Orange, red, lime green, yellow, and purple leaf colors.
Lilacs – Blooms are light to dark purple, tall or compact growing, as well as rebloomers. Shown: Proven Winners Bloomerang Lilac
Trees
Trees will always catch our eye because of their size and the easiest to notice around town in spring arrives. The bright pinks, reds, and whites lining the streets show us that warmer days are ahead and everything is waking from dormancy.
TREES FOR SPRING BLOOMS:
Redbud – Blooms fuschia colored flowers in the spring and brilliant yellow foliage in the fall. Shown: MN Strain Redbud
Crabapple – Variety bloom colors include white, pink, and reddish purple. There are varieties that are fruitless as well. Shown: Show Time Crabapple
Magnolia- Variety Blooms are in this light pink or white. First Editions Centennial Blush and Royal Star are the Zone4 hardy magnolia trees. Shown: First Editions Centennial Blush
Please note that many of the trees and shrubs shown are sold quickly in the spring due to their colorful show and may not be available later in the season. We recommend starting a wish list so you know what to grab, even when it’s not blooming. Visiting Drummers Garden Center and Floral in the spring through fall will give you the best ideas for how your plants will transition and create a perfect yard all season long.