9 Perennial Plants for Early Spring Flowers

This is the time of year when spring is just around the corner and gardeners and flower lovers are looking forward with eager anticipation to the first blooms to appear. In some places snowdrops and crocus may already have come into flower, but tulips and daffodils are not far behind. This article by Kathy Woodard which I found on The Garden Glove website describes nine perennial plants that provide early spring blooms.

At the end of winter, we can all start to feel little flower deprived? I know I love driving by a well designed garden that has those first, early spring blooms. Not only can those first blooms brighten your day after all the gloom of winter, they can jump start the gardening bug!? I want to introduce you to some early spring flowering plants you may not have thought of. So here are my top early spring bloomers, and how to grow them!
Grape Hyacinth

Grape Hyacinths are small bulblets that are planted in fall, and one of the earliest spring bloomers. They are a grassy looking plant that comes back every year with clustered flowers of various colors of purple, and even white! They love full sun to part shade, and average to sandy soil. These plants multiply quickly, and can even be planted under trees. Looks best planted in sweeps, combine well with daffodils and tulips. Bloom March ? May, depending on your climate and variety. Some are even fragrant!

 
Lenten Rose
Lenten Rose blooms as early as February, with elegant flowers in pink, purple and white colors held above leathery, semi evergreen foliage. Some of the blooms are very detailed and gorgeous up close. Plant out of the wind, preferably with afternoon shade in hot areas. Likes a more fertile soil. Hardy to Zone 5? Mild areas may see these bloom even in late winter!

Daphne

Daphne is a highly fragrant shrub that grows from 2-3 feet, covered with clusters of white to pink flowers in February ? March. Evergreen leaves are a fine background shrub the rest of the year, but Daphne?s fragrance is where its specialness lies. Loves good drainage, and needs good air circulation as well. Deer resistant, hardy to Zone 5, and keep in mind, the berries may be poisonous. Our fav is ?Carol Mackie??