The countdown to spring is on! It’s the time when our gardens reawaken, shaking off frost and brown leaves and literally springing back to life.
For many gardeners, the winter is an unwelcome break, with the cold weather putting an end to their favourite past-time and stopping them from flexing their green fingers. However, with the finer weather on the horizon, it’s time to stop tidying the greenhouse and turn our attention back to our borders.
This is the time of year when gardeners start to think about the flowers they’ll be planting over the coming months — while some may even dig in and start planting now! If you’re keen to add colour to your garden, there are plants that blossom in spring, so as soon as the finer weather arrives, your garden will already be a paradise of colour.
Here, Suttons Seeds share their tips for creating colourful spring flowerbeds, including what to plant and when.
Pretty pinks
There are plenty of pink flowering plants that will blossom in spring — you really are spoiled for choice!
Daisy
Daisies are a true classic, brightening up any outdoor space with their happy, smiling faces. You can plant them between September and April, and they’ll usually flower between February and April, so you can enjoy a burst of colour before the winter is even over.
They work best in borders or containers and because they’re hardy, they need very little maintenance. Keep the soil just damp and plant in a sunny yet partially shaded position. Once blossomed, remember to deadhead the plant to keep flowers growing.
Forget-me-not
A softer pink than the daisies mentioned earlier, forget-me-nots will perfectly complement your other bedding plants. They can be planted between March and May, and they’ll usually flower over the same period.
To grow them, you’ll need well-drained, moist soil and a partially shaded position. They grow better in borders or containers.
Vibrant violets
Vivid purples are a great choice in any garden, especially against other pink flowers — the two complement each other perfectly.
Viola
Pansies and violas have rich purple tones — with yellow accents in some mixed varieties — and can be planted all year round. They flower year-round too, so they’re ideal for adding some colour to your borders or containers.
Plant them in a partially sunny location and keep the soil just damp. The plants can often trick gardeners as, in hard frost, they can look like they’ve died. However, moist but not soggy compost indicates that the flowers will bloom once again after the frost has gone.
Crocus
You may have missed the boat when it comes to planting crocus’ to blossom in spring 2017, as they’re best planted in the autumn. However, their beautiful shapes and elongated petals are the perfect addition to any outdoor space, so they might be one to keep in mind for next year!
To plant crocus bulbs, make sure to dig around two to three times the depth of the bulb. Keep the soil just damp and plant in an area of sun and partial shade. Once they flower, you’ll need to feed them a high-potash fertiliser.
Vivid yellows
What is more cheerful than a splash of yellow? The colour works well in all gardens, helping to brighten any outdoor space.
Daffodils
Daffodils have become synonymous with spring, usually flowering between February and April. Spring just isn’t spring without them, so to plant them you’ll need well-drained soil, a trench that is two to three times the depth of the bulbs and a partially shaded location. They’ll grow well almost anywhere — in flower beds, containers, rockeries, under trees or in lawns.
Once they’ve flowered, feed them a high-potash fertiliser to encourage flower growth in the following year.
Whether you go for pretty pinks, vibrant violets, vivid yellows or a mix of all the above, choosing the right plants for the right time can help your borders bloom. To find more of our bulbs and create the colourful spring bedding you want, take a look at our full range of flower bulbs.